Feeding too many greens and carrots?

[Goldie]

I usually feed my piggies lots of greens and carrots during the winter months and thought I was feeding them really well.

Recently, I have read that feeding them too many greens is too high in calcium and too many carrots are bad also.

I am confused now. I like to feed mine lots of variety but I don't feed them lettuce and in the winter months I usually feed them spring greens, cabbage (although they are fussy with it), carrots, cauliflower and its leaves, raw beetroot, spinach, parsley to name but a few.

But am I doing wrong?

 

[MemberY]

This is such a worry for me too!

After much research I have put mine on a low calcium diet which means greens, parsley etc are very much limited and certain other veg such as spinach I avoid altogether.

I have noticed since doing this that the wee stains are much less "white" and they still seem to be happy with their food!

I am persevering with coriander, keeping up with lettuce, peppers, cucumber, chicory, fennel etc and cut right back on greens, parsley, mint and so on. I give dill as a treat and greens only once a week and only a little. Better this now than a big vet bill and pain for our furries later.

 

[jane28]

It must be me but every animal i have had dont like the fancy veg! I have tried with them all but they like carrots, spring greens as base veg...

I feed a bit of dark green veg and a small carrot twice a day along side a stick of celery and the special veg of the day (usually celeriac or pepper), its does my 3 fine and the animals ihave had previously have lived till old age without health problems...
I think moderation is the key...

 

[tanya1]

one of my piggies has had bladder problems and i was originally told to only give low calcium foods.

but i have since found out it is more important to have the correct calcium/phosperous ratio in the diet.

i found i had to add quite alot of green stuff to the diet to try to get the balance right.

I say "try" as it is really hard to get the balance right in this country, especially in the winter because we have a limited supply of the right sort of lettuces.

the guinea lynx site has loads of info on diet and health heres the link

http://www.guinealynx.info/sitemap.html

 

[rebecca79]

The understanding i have about carrots is to only feed in small amount as they are high in Vit A which fed in too high quanities can be harmful to guinea pigs.

 

[helenllama]

i need to get my boys eating a larger variety. for example they will only eat the outer leaves of a cabbage.
they prefer organic veg to shop bought but they will only eat about 6 or 7 different foods, the main group though is green and leafy.
they will eat apple and grapes, but that is it as far as fruit goes, but they only get 1 apple between the 4 of them a week and split into two portions. same with herbs one packet each of coriander and parsley split into two portions so twice a week