Grazers

[JessJ]

Should guinea pigs have "meals"? My girls seem to be more grazers...they always have hay and I give them pellets and lettuce first thing in the morning. Then they "squeak" throughout the day so I give them lettuce....just read up on lots of other healthy veggie choices so I'll be adding those in. Should I give them their daily veggies all at once or throughout the day?

 

[Betsy]

Mine have a set veggie time. At around 6-7pm. I know some people like to give morning and evening veg. It just depends on the routine you get in. I wouldn't give mine veg throughout the day even if they ask for it..... and they do! I open a packet of crisps wheak WHEAK! I open the patio door wheak WHEAK! I walk past the hutch or the run wheak WHEAK! Well you get the idea....GP's are forever hopeful!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

I tend to give them their meal in the evening too, occasionally I'll give them a snack if they're unable to go outside but generally one meal

Yes I'd definitely cut down the lettuce and give veggies higher in vit C (they need high levels as they can't produce their own) and less water

 

[DM030819]

In the wild they would graze all day, so in a domestic environment it should be the same. That's why we give them access to hay 24/7.

I think that most people tend to feed their pigs veg either once a day, or twice simply to work around their schedule. I'm out of the house most of the day so couldn't give them more regular veg meals even if I wanted to.

A problem I can see with feeding them veg throughout the day is that it might put them off the hay, and they concentrate more on eating the veg, which isn't what we want. My boys love veg time and will come out of the hay to eat it. I think if they had veg throughout the day they would spend less time grazing on the hay and eating the veg.

 

[SarahWonderland]

I personally give my piggies veggies and fruit every morning and evening so a breakfast and dinner situation. They are used to the routine and wheak every morning when they hear me come down stairs. Though they Wheak at the fridge door opening, a container, a plastic bag, me walking past with my own food haha they will always beg for more.

 

[sport_billy]

We feed morning and night. hey have unlimited hay and pellets throughout the day

Have a read of this - Edible And Forbidden Veg And Fruit List With Vitamin C Grading

It helped us no end when we started with piggies

Aim for 1 cup of mixed veg split into breakfast and tea. Unlimited hay at all times and a small bowl of pellets morning and night.

Diet should be 80-85% good quality hay, 10-15% veg, 5% pellets

We feed typically per pig
Morning: 2 chunks Cucumber, Celery, 1 quarter of Red/green/yellow pepper (deseeded)
Tea: 2 chunks Cucumber, 2 x little gem Lettuce leaves or 10 sprigs Coriander (then switching in cabbage/parlsey) instead
and add carrot, broccoli, spinach occasionally

 

[JessJ]

Thank you all so much!

 

[flowerfairy]

Useful thread. Mine have hay all day and grass every time they wheek with herbs and vegetables as occasional snacks spread out over the course of the day.