Grass

C

CTWC

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 21, 2024
Messages
1,652
Reaction score
1,945
Points
755
Location
Staffordshire
Hi just a quick question. Once a guinea pig is eating grass each day after a slow introduction to avoid bloat if they miss a day do you have to start slowly introducing again?
 
CTWC said:
Hi just a quick question. Once a guinea pig is eating grass each day after a slow introduction to avoid bloat if they miss a day do you have to start slowly introducing again?
Click to expand...
As far as I'm aware grass doesn't cause bloat as it is part of their natural diet.

I think you only have to start introducing grass slowly after the winter months when they haven't been eating it.
 
Storm1974 said:
As far as I'm aware grass doesn't cause bloat as it is part of their natural diet.

I think you only have to start introducing grass slowly after the winter months when they haven't been eating it.
Click to expand...

Hi

It can cause fatal bloat or severe diarrhea when introduced on an unprepared gut and needs - like with all new fresh foods - a slow introduction after a winter break to allow the specialist digestive bacteria to multiply at pace. If you continue to feed a little grass over the winter months (do NOT feed frozen grass!), then the relevant bacteria will be kept going but this won't work for all countries with extreme summer droughts or snowy winters; it is also not necessarily practicable everywhere in the UK.

The crucial break needs to be longer than just 2-4 weeks although I would give the gut a couple of days to get back up to speed after a break of several weeks and definitively build up from scratch after a break of several months.

@Storm1974 : Please read our relevant guide; I've updated it not long ago. It's still stickied at the top of the home page.
Fresh Grass and Lawn Time - Tips for Avoiding Spring Time Deaths

And yes, we have been contacted over severely ill piggies and fatalities; usually at least once or several times every year. There are sadly still too many avoidable deaths happening each Spring. :(
 
CTWC said:
I thought it could cause it.
So if I miss a day or two with them I can carry on with the amounts I've built up to. Brilliant 💐
Click to expand...

Yes, no problem. If in doubt, re-start with grass in a veg mix, a full handful the next day and then out on the lawn once they have already been. That will give the gut microbiome a little wake up call if needed. Once they are used to regular grass feeds/lawn trips, then a short break is not a problem.

Can I at this remind people to not put your piggies out in the full sun without providing a shady patch (NOT tunnels or huts but a sheet pegged over the top of the cage). Temperatures on the ground and in huts are a lot hotter than you think!

See the eye opening results of an experiment in the first chapter in our hot weather guide - and those were taken at 20 C in the shade!
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top