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Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

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I have the same problem. Max has always loved Readigrass and I was giving it to him in unlimited quantities until I joined this forum and realised it should be rationed . He now has it as a treat and we had a little evening ritual where he would run up his ladder into his balcony area and I would give him a pinch of Readigrass. He is not so bothered now he has 2 females to keep him company. Their new evening ritual is me hand feeding them Timothy Hay . I weighed them all this evening and Max has lost a bit of weight.

and, as for fresh grass, they're not out on it yet but I hand pick a bit occasionally. I have to inspect the lawn very carefully for deposits local cats may have left.


This is why this forum is so good. Cannot beat advice from people in the know! :)
 
Thanks for this -they have it on a Monday & the following Sunday ( Every other week) ....a handful for both. Is this OK? This is why such forums are good as we learn. The exotic vet I WAS with said it was OK to feed unlimited .... I have changed now to Simon Maddock at advice from a member here. Sounds like that was a good choice!

As for the fresh grass we are very limited around here there isn't a lot of it and where there is I would never trust it due to the areas being dog walking territory and they use A LOT of pesticides/weedkiller. :(

Have you considered growing grass in several seed trays? Just switch them around so the grass can grow back, but they will provide your piggies with guaranteed healthy grass at least every now and then!
 
I had not but it's def something I will now. Very easy to do and is the best for them. Thank you for all the advice.
 
How many days should I leave after the lawn has been mowed, before I can put my piggy out on the grass?
 
Depending on whether it is a petrol mower or not; if it is a petrol mower, it would be ideal if there was some rain...
 
I think it must be a petrol mower, as they don't ask for access to electricity. Is morning dew sufficient, or should it be "real" rain?
 
Thanks for the post Weibke. I do have a question though, my piggies are still really nervous when they are outside, they will hide in their huts and eat grass there. They are not such fans of going out. Also, now that i think of it, Woody is blind and I remember last year he was really nervous and yeah. Do you have any tips for him so he can feel more comfortable?

Thanks x
 
The most important bit you can do make a nervous piggy feel safe is to cover at least half or the whole run with a fleece or beach towel. Secure it with pegs. That will encourage them to move around the run more.
 
Is cat wee/poo poisonous too? Sorry if that's a stupid question.
 
Is cat wee/poo poisonous too? Sorry if that's a stupid question.

It's not a stupid question, and yes cat (or dog or fox) wee and poo are most definitely to be avoided. If you know that animals like this are in the vicinity (even if you can't see the "evidence") don't put your piggies out on that grass.
 
My guineas are currently being treated for a mild URI which they had developed before we bought them, our vet says it's fine to let them go in the run outside but they've never been out on the grass before. Are there any extra precautions I should take as they aren't feeling their best?
 
I've got an electric mower with a grass collecting box, can I put my piggie out on the grass after I've cut it
 
I've got an electric mower with a grass collecting box, can I put my piggie out on the grass after I've cut it

Yes, you can! Just remove any large accumulations of fermenting cut grass that may have accidentally landed in the run area in order to prevent bloating.
 
Thanks very much. I thought I could but just wanted to be sure
 
It's not a stupid question, and yes cat (or dog or fox) wee and poo are most definitely to be avoided. If you know that animals like this are in the vicinity (even if you can't see the "evidence") don't put your piggies out on that grass.
Uhh I've been putting my piggies out on the lawn all summer, and I get cats and foxes visiting (no dogs). What am I going to do? I do inspect the area beforehand...
 
quick question I thought taking guinea pigs out on the field or grass increases the chance of them getting lice/mites/ringworm and how could u avoid this
 
There is not a great more risk of them picking up any fungal or parasites (skin parasites are species speicific anyway), but I wouldn't take guinea pigs out on a field that is open to cattle, dogs and foxes etc. as dog pee is poisonous.

Where are you located? It is certainly not the time of year to put any piggies out on the grass at the moment in the northern hemisphere.
 
There is not a great more risk of them picking up any fungal or parasites (skin parasites are species speicific anyway), but I wouldn't take guinea pigs out on a field that is open to cattle, dogs and foxes etc. as dog pee is poisonous.

Where are you located? It is certainly not the time of year to put any piggies out on the grass at the moment in the northern hemisphere.

I live in the West Midlands and I wasn't going to put any guinea pigs outside, I don't even own any yet I was just asking for information because I read somewhere that they get those types of stuff
 
I live in the West Midlands and I wasn't going to put them guinea pigs, I don't even own any yet I was just asking for information because I read somewhere that they get those types of stuff

Piggies can get fungal or skin parasites anywhere, even indoors, more likely when their immune system is subdued either from stress or after an illness. If you have them diagnosed and treated promptly and appropriately, they are not a major problem. ;)
 
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