Food daft questions

[Sally Newbie]

Hi folks.
So have had new guinea pigs for 4 days. They have lots of meadow hay, handful of Burgess Excel pellets and the 50grams veg per day. So far they have had cucumber, 2 sprigs each watercress, 2 sprigs each parsley, lettice (not iceberg) and handfuls of grass. But they LOVE their veg, feel awful at giving them such a small amount! They take the veg from my daughter's hand they want it so much. Is there any veg I can give more quantities of that won't harm them?
Second daft question - they are surrounded by hay as bedding and piled in corners. If they were hungry they would eat more of it surely? I have seen some posts about how people's piggies wouldn't eat certain types of hay but surely they wouldn't starve would they if they have loads of hay, they are not that daft?!
And I'm guessing the forage counts towards their veg allowance? Would love just to tip a load of dandelions in their but I'm guessing not if > 50g?....

 

[Betsy]

There is no such thing as a daft question! Mine just have meadow hay that comes in a farm bale from the local farm shop. I don't buy any other hay so as long as it's good quality hat it'll be fine for your piggies. Veg wise I give whatever I have in the fridge. I'm not too fussy about exactly 50g per pig I give them about a cup full each. Some days they more and some days they get less. I am fussy about how many pellets they have and that is strictly 1 tablespoon per pig per day and no more. Pellets should only be around 5% of the diet with hay being 80-90% and veg filling the rest.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I do similar to Betsy. They may have an occasional veg for 3-4 times one week but then not have it for a month or so. Just cos I feed what we have buy also like to sometimes buy bits we don't generally eat so the pigs have a good variation
Grass doesn't count as their veg so feel free to up the fresh grass. Just do it gradually though as overindulging can lead to stomach upsets.

And lastly, don't be tricked by the way they look at you:
1. They have been fed
2. They are not starving
3. See no. 1
4. Their cagemate seriously didn't eat everything
5. Give in once and the wheels will never stop
6. Just to reiterate... See no. 1

 

[Sally Newbie]

I'm giving more grass as I want them out of the hutch this week whilst the weather is ok into their run. Will do 15 mins first day and then up their time out by 1/2 hr (?) each day so they don't stuff themselves. LOved your post @Lady Kelly , made me smile, they were nudging my daughter's hand yesterday for food and she is in love with them. Will remember: They. Have. Been. Fed.
But I did think the grass counted towards their veg, seen that elsewhere on the forum or is it just reduce their veg if they are on grass?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Dandelions should be kept limited, I wouldnt tip a load of them in there, they are a high calcium forage
Mine get a cup of veg per day, I don’t weigh 50g. Some days it may be slightly more, some days it may come out as less.
I reduce their veg if they’ve been on the grass all day. Mine can be on the lawn for 10-14 hours a day, so if they’ve eaten gras throughout the day and then get their normal amount of veg, it can sometimes cause them to have soft poops. I therefore reduce their veg as I know what does and doesn’t work for them.
Yes if they were hungry they would eat the hay!