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Food, How Much?

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Potatoez

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello all!
I am new to guinea pigs and I was curious how I should be feeding my furry friend. I was (seemingly mis-) informed by the lady at the local pet shop that I should provide my guinea pig with unlimited pellets as they do not over eat. However I keep reading that they only need 1/8 cup a day, which is a bit less than my guinea pig has been munching down daily. I always give him unlimited timothy hay which he also eats, but I wouldn't say it's the majority of his diet by any means. I keep trying veggies also, but so far he won't eat them. I assume he has never been offered them before. Advice?
Thanks everyone!
 
How old is your piggie? I'm new to this too but i think young piggies need more pellets than adults. Keep trying with the veg, I'm sure he will eat it when hes settled in.
Theres also a food thread at the top of this board with great feeding advice
 
Hi there. Firstly, it's great to ask questions here, no matter how stupid you think they maybe. And yours isn't stupid either.
You are correct, pellets shouldn't be unlimited, pigs can become obese. Hay is unlimited as they need it for their teeth to keep them ground down (so to speak). How old is your piggy? It can take time for a youngster to get used to veggies, I've found very often they watch the older piggies eating them.
Is your piggy on his own or has a mate? Definitely keep trying different veggies though.
 
Hi and welcome!

You feed young and still fast growing guinea pigs about double the amount that adults need, about 1/4 of a cup (or as we recommend, about 40g since all other measurements differ in various countries). Please weigh your piggy weekly throughout its life; the growth should start to slow down around 4-8 months old, sooner if you overfeed, later if you don't.


You may find our guide helpful: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...or-a-balanced-general-guinea-pig-diet.116460/
 
Hi there. Firstly, it's great to ask questions here, no matter how stupid you think they maybe. And yours isn't stupid either.
You are correct, pellets shouldn't be unlimited, pigs can become obese. Hay is unlimited as they need it for their teeth to keep them ground down (so to speak). How old is your piggy? It can take time for a youngster to get used to veggies, I've found very often they watch the older piggies eating them.
Is your piggy on his own or has a mate? Definitely keep trying different veggies though.

I don't really know how old he is, which is totally my fault because I didn't really ask when I got him (I had so many other questions! Hah). I should probably find a guinea pig friendly vet to take him to for a first time check up and get a better idea about that? :) He is currently on his own, although I'm hoping to find him a friend eventually.
 
Hi and welcome!

You feed young and still fast growing guinea pigs about double the amount that adults need, about 1/4 of a cup (or as we recommend, about 40g since all other measurements differ in various countries). Please weigh your piggy weekly throughout its life; the growth should start to slow down around 4-8 months old, sooner if you overfeed, later if you don't.


You may find our guide helpful: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...or-a-balanced-general-guinea-pig-diet.116460/

Thank you! I will start weighing him and check out the guide :)
 
Hey, don't worry about the veggies yet. Sometimes it can take a while for them to eat veggies, keep offering him them daily.

I got a new boy very recently and he wouldn't eat any veg because i don't think he's really been fed them before, he's slowly but surely realising i'm not trying to poison him and is starting to eat them ;). My girl Luna wouldn't touch anything eccept cucumber for weeks because that's all she was ever fed before, but now she'll stuff her face with anything I put onfront of her :)
 
Go slowly on veg and be patient; especially with piggies that are not used to them. They learn what is safe to eat by what is in the milk they suckle and then from taking foods from their elders. Unfortunately, your piggy hasn't got that experience and has to learn the hard way. It is usually easier when you have got two, as then the "I want what you have" reflex kicks in. Your little one should eat more hay if there are less pellets.
 
I bought a scoop today so I can properly measure his food. Fun tip: Dollar Tree here in the US sells "coffee scoops" in two packs, each scoop is 1/8 of a cup. Handy!
 
Hi and welcome!

You feed young and still fast growing guinea pigs about double the amount that adults need, about 1/4 of a cup (or as we recommend, about 40g since all other measurements differ in various countries).

Is the 40g for an adult, or for a young pig? My two babies are eating pellets and veggies but haven't eaten as much hay as I expected.
 
Is the 40g for an adult, or for a young pig? My two babies are eating pellets and veggies but haven't eaten as much hay as I expected.

The 40g (ca. two handfuls per piggy per day) is a guideline for youngsters, grown adults get about 10-20g (half to one handful). Don't fret if your piggies don't eat as much. You can give them additionally a handful of alfalfa hay with their normal hay until they are about 4 months old, provided that the pellets you are feeding are not already alfalfa based. My own youngsters have all grown up with their family on an adult diet and are ideal sized and weighted, perfectly healthy adults now. I always get compliments from my vets.

Guinea pigs often need a bit of time to settle in and make any changes to the diet. They will catch up as soon as they have got used to their new home and the food. Guinea pigs become mature adults with 15 months old, so you still have got way to go! ;)

You may find this thread here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...or-a-balanced-general-guinea-pig-diet.116460/
 
Update: Yesterday I wrapped a small piece of lettuce around a couple pellets. At first he unwrapped it and ate only the pellets, but later he ate the lettuce too! Today I gave him another piece of lettuce with no pellets and he ate it within 15 minutes. Excited about this progress!
 
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