Getting fed up with spring greens

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brillmini

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Hi Everyone

Our two cuddly girls fudge and truffle are starting to go off their spring greens and I'm really not sure what else to give them as an alternative. This is what their diet consist's of so far:

Romaine - Lettuce they love
Cucumber - they love but I know is mainly just water
Pepper - they love
Carrot - not so keen
Brocolli - will have nibble
Sweetcorn - not too keen but will eat it
Parsley - they love but I keep reading they shouldn't have too much
Kale - they love but same as above
Parsnip - not very keen

Basically what other greens can I feed them? Last night they did have parsely, cucumber and pepper and the plate was clean. Tonight was pepper, sweetcorn and spring greens and the spring greens have been left.

Some help would be great, could I feed them parsely and kale for a while until they go back to liking the greens again?

Thanks everyone xx
 
have you tried cauliflour leaves? and fruit ? apples pears grapes melon banana(little and often, just as a treat) celery? other herbs too, coriander mint ? HTH
 
Have you tried sweetheart/pointed cabbage (which I mainly feed mine)? You can also try savoy cabbage; kale very occasionally; broccoli; cauliflower leaves. White and red cabbage can be fed, but are more likely to cause bloat, so introduce them slowly in small quantities.

Here are more edible foods: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42
 
* can try coriander, they cost about the same as parsley but it's not as high in calcium. You can also try chard they are similar to spring greens.

I do find my piggies go through phases of not eating certain types of food. At the moment they are not eating coriander and carrots.
 
Mine hate normal carrot but eat chantonnay carrots

They also live Tesco value round lettuce, spinach, kale, chsrd, bulls blood, corriandern, green pepper, mini corn , but they won't eat normal veg like broc,caili, etc
 
I've thought of celery then worry about the choking issue with the stringy bits, these piggies are harder to feed than me and the OH I take more time sorting out their food than ours lol.
 
I have added some of the more unusual greens such as raddichio, escarole and chicory to the mix. According to the Ratewatchers diet posted on this forum a diet too high in phosphorus (fruits and root veg.) and deficient in calcium can promote stones. Then there is also the oxalate acid to watch out for. It can all be very complicated and confusing so I go with a variety of veggies. Every once in awhile I will add something they don't like to see if they might now try it. I add only one high calcium food (which is quite often hight in vit. C) to the mix everyday (such as kale, parsley, etc.) and only offer veggies high in oxalate acid (chard, spinach, parsley, etc.) two or three times a week. They probably get romaine and cilantro almost everyday as the base. I have also been able to buy carrots with the tops. We eat the carrots, they get the tops. They hate peppers. My mom always said everything in moderation. For me I can't wait until winter is over so they can eat grass again.
 
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Mine love celery, I just chop it up pretty fine before giving it to them. They love all herbs so far, and pepper & cucumber - but they won't touch cabbage of any sort, although they will eat parsnip which I didn't think they would!
 
brillmini said:
I've thought of celery then worry about the choking issue with the stringy bits, these piggies are harder to feed than me and the OH I take more time sorting out their food than ours lol.
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Celery is fine, if you cut it in chunks. Mine get a chunk each daily.
 
Foodses in favour...

My boys have phases of not liking things, so I've learnt to rotate their shopping list! It sounds like it's quite normal!

I have no idea if they just get bored of the same foods, or if there's something different about the foods I buy at different times of year or where they are imported from etc.

I find that just presenting the food differently sometimes makes them interested again e.g. making carrot slices instead of round pieces or hiding a whole carrot higher up so they have to forage for it.

Another firm favorite is finding a big field full of long grass, harvesting and washing it, and giving it to them in a big pile. Free and very popular!
 
I haven't tried chicory yet this week I'll make sure I buy some and some sweethheart cabbage and coriander. I tried the spring greens pre packed and already chopped up but that didn't work LOL!
 
Ours love celery leaves - just give them a good wash first.

Also you could try carrot tops ( the leaves on the top of the carrots) but believe they may be high in calcium like parsley.
 
sport_billy said:
Ours love celery leaves - just give them a good wash first.

Also you could try carrot tops ( the leaves on the top of the carrots) but believe they may be high in calcium like parsley.
Click to expand...

I was wondering about carrot tops. My girls won't eat carrots but love carrot tops, but didn't know the nutritional analysis.
 
My boys love Coriander, parsley (only occasionally) and cucumber, one also likes celery but the other turns his nose up. Broccoli and romaine lettuce are big hits too, carrots and apples also go down well, but so far no-one likes peppers (red or orange)

As other people have said, they eat better than us humans!
 
They certainly do eat better lol I was in a rush tonight so had beans on toast the piggies got fresh hay, sweetheart cabbage, baby corn & red pepper LOL
 
Coriander and savoy cabbage are good choices and well balanced nutritionally. I wouldn't feed sweetcorn, personally.
 
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