How do I get my pigs to eat pellets?

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Puzzlepigs

Puzzlepigs

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Hi there
I recently received some samples from science selective and burgess and I was wondering how any of you transferred your piggies from a muesli mix onto pellets. After what I've heard on the forum and realising that my piggies have started picking out bits of food, I have requested samples. They arrived on Thursday, but I'm still wondering how to introduce my pigs to a new food.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
 
When I have an animal come in to rescue... I just put them straight on burgess... Allot of the time people have 'run out' of food or 'forgot' what they feed them... So I never bother mixing museli and pellets...
If your trying to find out what one they prefer I'd just put a bowl full of each in and see what they eat...
x
 
I would put more pellets and less muesli, Bertie used to only eat muesli, but I stuck him out. I had a sample of muesli from a pet shop the other day. The only bits he ate were the grass bits!x) I think the gerbils might have to eat the rest
 
I don't think they like pellets....

I tried giving them just a bowl of burgess excel but they haven't touched it. Will it take them a while to adjust to a different food? I'm worried about ten losing weight because they aren't eating the pellets! I probably need to give it longer but I'm not really sure...
Thanks for your replies!
 
Well you see my guinea pigs ain't stupid, they know when I mix the food together (muesli & pellets) and will only eat the muesli. But yeah they only pick out what they want!
I'm thinking of buying Oxbow pellets, anyone on here has there guinea pigs on them!?
They better than Excel?
 
When i got my piggies they were on meusli and it took me awhile to switch them over, i mixed the two together and gradually decreased it over two weeks until i just had the pellets and then just ignore the angry wheeks :)) they give in eventually and eat it
 
Piggies are just the fussiest things, try to trick them by mixing other food with it ! (:
 
Thanks, I'll try mixing it in this morning with a small amount of muesli. Soon they should realise that they're going to have to eat the pellets to make their Mummy happy! rolleyes - Hmmm... we shall see! :)
 
My pig was on muesil and would only eat 2 types of the museli and leave the rest! I bought Science Selective pellets -Dandelion, Fennel & Nettle and combined the 2 for a bit but my pig actually seemed to love the pellets more! I haven't looked back since. You can get quite a big bag for quite a reasonable price.x
 
Simple answer really is don't give them anything else apart from unlimited good quality hay and some dark green veggies. My adult guinea pigs only get enough pellets to last half the day so that they eat more hay (or not get any fatter in Marmadukes case)- so even the ones that had museli,I for the first 5 years of their lives are pretty keen.. It's not unkind - its healthier for them.

Paula
 
xRachaelx said:
Well you see my guinea pigs ain't stupid, they know when I mix the food together (muesli & pellets) and will only eat the muesli. But yeah they only pick out what they want!
I'm thinking of buying Oxbow pellets, anyone on here has there guinea pigs on them!?
They better than Excel?
Click to expand...

I've had Oxbow ones for mine & they didn't like them much rolleyes

I now mix the Oxbow with Wagg Guinea Crunch & Wagg Optimum pellets & they eat it all :))

They do pick out their favourite bits first but I find they eat the rest straight afterwards. Their favourite is the Wagg Optimum pellets they love them :))
 
I tried mixing but that didnt work so I stuck it out with the burgess and they will eventually eat it. Two of my boys (Fuzzy and Tyler) just seem to get bored really easily so I alternate them between burgess and wagg crunch. My other two (Flinn & Winston) have always been on pellets so I put them straight on burgess and they love it no problem
Personally, I would weigh them (if you're in any doubt that they're not eating or one is eating and the other isnt) as I tried Flinn and Winston on the Wagg and they wouldn't touch it and I tried toughing it out as it worked on the other two but Flinn actually lost weight, he was not touching the dry stuff at all, most stubborn piggie ever rolleyes
 
First of all, I apologise I haven't replied to any of your suggestions, I don't think the email reminder is working.. :{
I gave the pigs the remainder of the little Burgess sample they sent me and they have nearly eaten it all. I got a sample from Science Selective as well, so I have been giving them that mixed with a tiny bit of muesli for a couple of days. They tend to pick out the muesli so I'm going to stop giving them that mixed in as well. I've noticed that they have tried the pellets, so I think I'll just give them a whole bowl of them today.

Their weights are fine, they have actually gone up a bit, so that's good also. I might try them on the Wagg Optimum pellets as they were on Wagg muesli, so maybe that's the route to go, because it might be similar tasting.
The Oxbow pellets seem quite expensive, but if they still are turning their noses up to everything else, I might see if I can get hold of them. I'd prefer them to be on pellets as it would stop their selective feeding and is probably healthier for them too.
Thanks very much for all the suggestions. :)
 
Hang on in there - it's not unkind for them to get a little hungry as long as they have hay to eat.

Paul
 
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