Guineas not liking fruit?

Marc c

Marc c

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all..I’ve had my 2 Guineas for 3 weeks now & no problem their appetite on the veg front! However they simply not keen on any fruit that I’ve tried....banana they wouldn’t touch, same with an apple & strawberries...& as for the orange, well they ran & hid! Any possible reasoning for this? As I thought all guineas like some form of fruit, mine just don’t seem keen on any...any tips on what I could try them with? It would only be an ocassional treat as don’t want to overload with the sugar content, is this normal for pigs not to want any or is it just me..any tips?

P.s. both pigs not eating fruit

Many thanks
 
If they’ve never had it before, they might not realise that it’s safe to eat.
I gave mine strawberry for the first time today and one of them acted like I’d tried to poison her; took one look at it and fled ! Once she saw the other two giving it a go, she did too. But she is quite a cautious eater. Took three or four tries for her to eat coriander and she still acts like tomatoes are the devil. They’ve all got a taste for pear though
 
Guineapigfeet said:
If they’ve never had it before, they might not realise that it’s safe to eat.
I gave mine strawberry for the first time today and one of them acted like I’d tried to poison her; took one look at it and fled ! Once she saw the other two giving it a go, she did too. But she is quite a cautious eater. Took three or four tries for her to eat coriander and she still acts like tomatoes are the devil. They’ve all got a taste for pear though
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Haha yes they are funny little things aren’t they...when I put the orange in they literally bolted the other side of their cage & hid, think it might of been the smell..I’ll try a pear & see how that goes, thanks for the advice
 
Marc c said:
Hi all..I’ve had my 2 Guineas for 3 weeks now & no problem their appetite on the veg front! However they simply not keen on any fruit that I’ve tried....banana they wouldn’t touch, same with an apple & strawberries...& as for the orange, well they ran & hid! Any possible reasoning for this? As I thought all guineas like some form of fruit, mine just don’t seem keen on any...any tips on what I could try them with? It would only be an ocassional treat as don’t want to overload with the sugar content, is this normal for pigs not to want any or is it just me..any tips?

P.s. both pigs not eating fruit

Many thanks
Click to expand...

Hi!

As fruit should not necessarily be part of a guinea pig diet, or at the best in very small quantities as an occasional treat, you need not worry.
Peppers and fresh herbs contain more vitamin C and are also good for trace elements. Too much fruit fed too often can cause potentially fatal lip infection (cheilitis). And no, by far not all piggies like fruit! Guinea pig guts are not laid out for much fresh food; it can cause fermentation and digestive problems like bloating or diarrhea. Over 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, hay and even more hay for a long and healthy life.

Please take the time to read our diet guide, which includes an illustrated fruit-free a sample diet.
By the way, many of my piggies live well to 7-8 years old without much in the way of fruit.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

As fruit should not necessarily be part of a guinea pig diet, or at the best in very small quantities as an occasional treat, you need not worry.
Peppers and fresh herbs contain more vitamin C and are also good for trace elements. Too much fruit fed too often can cause potentially fatal lip infection (cheilitis). And no, by far not all piggies like fruit! Guinea pig guts are not laid out for much fresh food; it can cause fermentation and digestive problems like bloating or diarrhea. Over 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, hay and even more hay for a long and healthy life.

Please take the time to read our diet guide, which includes an i=illustrated fruit-free a sample diet.
By the way, many of my piggies live well to 7-8 years old without much in the way of fruit.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
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That’s great thanks.... yes unlimited hay is always on the menu...the fruit was only a once a week treat... but not sure I’ll bother now, think I’ll stick with the peppers, thanks for your time
 
Have you ever tried giving some parsnip. My sow loves it, but its not an everyday veg because its a root veg. I think its bad too often.
 
Mine
SkyPipDotBernie said:
Have you ever tried giving some parsnip. My sow loves it, but its not an everyday veg because its a root veg. I think its bad too often.
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My lot will eat a small bit of parsnip but only peelings they treat it like poison if I put chunks of it in. Silly Piggies.
 
A lot of guinea pigs take time to recognize new food items as something edible. They are cautious if they haven't come across it before. If you keep on offering new items, one may eventually try them and the other may follow suit.
 
My pigs have never really liked actual fruit either but they love the peel. They like the occasional blueberry or strawberry. Orange peel, apple peel and oh my god don’t get me started on banana peel. You can’t crack a banana anywhere in this house without them screaming the place down! :))
 
Cavy Kung-Fu said:
My pigs have never really liked actual fruit either but they love the peel. They like the occasional blueberry or strawberry. Orange peel, apple peel and oh my god don’t get me started on banana peel. You can’t crack a banana anywhere in this house without them screaming the place down! :))
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Not tried mine with orange peel I'll have to try that. Mine like banana peel too. What REALLY gets them excited is a rare treat of melon skin.
 
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Betsy said:
Mine

My lot will eat a small bit of parsnip but only peelings they treat it like poison if I put chunks of it in. Silly Piggies.
Click to expand...
Bernie will not touch it, like poisin to him aswell, he runs off and hides
 
The only fruit mine eat is apple. OH takes his down the garden to eat in the shed, the piggies can smell it any where in the house on the first bite! He says sharing an apple with 6 piggies means he loses half of it!
 
Mine hates banana, but he'll gladly demolish anything else I've tried, goes nuts for blueberry. Same applies to veg but he detests celery, if I try to give him some of that he throws it out of the bowl in disgust
 
My piggies arent too keen on fruit, some enjoy an occasional grape or apple slice and most of them like watermelon rind with only a bit of the melon left on in summer, but one of our piggies (Lady Piggle) wont eat fruit at all. Peppers and leaves are much better for them anyway!
 
Mine love apple which is a rare treat as are strawberries.
Blueberries are poison as far as mine are concerned as is banana .
Melon skin is now acceptable but I rarely give mine fruit anyway and root veg is also an occasional treat
 
Mine are true piggies. They eat fruits like blueberry, apple, watermelon, melon, and etc.
I read somewhere not to feed them fruits with seeds so I have never tried to give them strawberries. I also have never tried to give them banana. Cheap fruits like banana are for me to eat and not my piggies, :xd:
 
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