Foraging for my herd questions

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Tara95

Adult Guinea Pig
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The last few days I've been foraging for my herd. I've been collecting fresh Grass, bramble leaves, chickweed, horthorne leaves (giving them a thin branches with it) sticky weed and dandelions! I'm actually really enjoying giving them fresh food and they seem to be enjoying it more than their vegetables plus it's more a natural diet and I get to save a little bit of money as I do spend alot on veg every week! I've been amazed about how many plants they can eat. I'm even putting some of it in the fridge to make it last to the next day. It's something I would like to keep up especially during the summer when I can forage daily. My two questions are 1) if I forage daily and they have a fresh supply of various leaves, plants and grasses how much could I cut down on vegetables? and 2) there's lots of nettles everywhere I'm presuming fresh nettles would sting the guinea pigs so would I need to collect it and dry it out? Also I've recently started going to a market to collect coriander and dill - I'd probably keep up the herbs up as they're so much cheaper from a market and I get so much. Over 300g of corriander for £1 and it's so much thicker and healthier than the supermarket stuff - would highly recommend for anyone the guinea pigs enjoy it much more and it's alot cheaper! I'MVIMG_20210402_144230.webpMVIMG_20210402_160326.webpI'm
MVIMG_20210402_160326.webpve been putting it in a vase to keep fresh. 💞MVIMG_20210402_160357.webpMVIMG_20210402_144146.webpMVIMG_20210402_144050.webp
 
I forage on my daily walk most days, I also find weeds/grass at the allotment too. It’s amazing the amount of different forage you can find in the Cornish hedges down here and it‘s above doggy height too. Most days I pick dandelion leaves, grass, plantain leaves, groundsel, wild strawberry leaves, stickybud (cleavers), speedwell, chickweed, milk thistle, young blackberry leaves and raspberry leaves too, depending upon what’s in season.
I always carry a plastic bag in my pocket so I can pick as I walk, then place in the fridge, it lasts a couple of days and all my piggies love it far more than any veggies I give them.
If I give a handful of forage for two piggies then I tend to give only one handful of herbs/veggies, so I cut down by half. Our piggies always come out for ”grass time” which I tend to keep in a separate bag. Both couples get a handful of grass to share on an evening at “sofa time“ they are carrying on Bill and Ted’s tradition which pleases me x
 
If you can find enough forage for them, they won't need any veggies at all. Gram for gram wild forage has a higher nutritional value and is a more natural diet for them. The main reason veggies are fed in the first place is a substitute for forage.
 
Pound Shilling & Pig said:
If you can find enough forage for them, they won't need any veggies at all. Gram for gram wild forage has a higher nutritional value and is a more natural diet for them. The main reason veggies are fed in the first place is a substitute for forage.
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Yes, that’s absolutely true. In late spring/summer I cut my veggie bills in half x
 
Bill & Ted said:
I forage on my daily walk most days, I also find weeds/grass at the allotment too. It’s amazing the amount of different forage you can find in the Cornish hedges down here and it‘s above doggy height too. Most days I pick dandelion leaves, grass, plantain leaves, groundsel, wild strawberry leaves, stickybud (cleavers), speedwell, chickweed, milk thistle, young blackberry leaves and raspberry leaves too, depending upon what’s in season.
I always carry a plastic bag in my pocket so I can pick as I walk, then place in the fridge, it lasts a couple of days and all my piggies love it far more than any veggies I give them.
If I give a handful of forage for two piggies then I tend to give only one handful of herbs/veggies, so I cut down by half. Our piggies always come out for ”grass time” which I tend to keep in a separate bag. Both couples get a handful of grass to share on an evening at “sofa time“ they are carrying on Bill and Ted’s tradition which pleases me x
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Wow what lucky piggies you have! I will need to get a plant identification app to try and find the others you have mentioned! I'm presuming everything is nutritiously balanced as it's what they would eat in the wild! I've only been doing it for a few days and I've been finding it really enjoyable! Can't believe I've only been giving them grass and the odd dandelion leaf since I've had them as was unaware they could eat so much! :)
 
Pound Shilling & Pig said:
If you can find enough forage for them, they won't need any veggies at all. Gram for gram wild forage has a higher nutritional value and is a more natural diet for them. The main reason veggies are fed in the first place is a substitute for forage.
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Thank you that's great to know! I'm presuming everything is fairly nutritiously balanced!
 
Tara95 said:
Wow what lucky piggies you have! I will need to get a plant identification app to try and find the others you have mentioned! I'm presuming everything is nutritiously balanced as it's what they would eat in the wild! I've only been doing it for a few days and I've been finding it really enjoyable! Can't believe I've only been giving them grass and the odd dandelion leaf since I've had them as was unaware they could eat so much! :)
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There is a pictorial guide somewhere on here that one of the forum members produced, it helped me increase my foraging skills. I will have a look for it for you. It’s always good to look at. I sometimes take a pair of pruners with me too and cut the odd fruit branch like wild plum which we have in some hedges near us.
 
Off topic but I love your herd Tara! And your new littles ones look so much like my ruffles! They are growing well. ❤️
 
Lavinia said:
Off topic but I love your herd Tara! And your new littles ones look so much like my ruffles! They are growing well. ❤️
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Hehe thank you! They are the most confident of the herd by far -always out and about! How is little ruffles getting along?:)
 
Tara95 said:
Hehe thank you! They are the most confident of the herd by far -always out and about! How is little ruffles getting along?:)
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Aww really, that’s amazing that they are so confident! So cute 🥰
She’s not bad, I think she’s going to be a small piggy though, she’s stalled with putting weight on and is maintaining now! Some days she’s super confident and some days she’s more shy!
 
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