How many of you weigh out your veg everyday?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joey&Gizmo

Joey&Gizmo

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Sep 21, 2009
Messages
3,738
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Location
South Wales UK.
Ive been looking into the ratewatchers diet as Gizmo has some bladder issues and i know that the rule seems to be 50g of veg per pig per day. So i devised menus using the ratewatchers diet and then measured out 10g of each veg until i reached 50g, I was amazed to see how little 50g is! :{ I have been feeding way more then 50g! :x I know that the diet is 2 feedings of veg per day but they will both gobble this up in a few seconds. rolleyes I'm worried they wont get enough when i switch.

So my question really is does anyone be careful and weigh their veg or do you just eye ball it?

:))
 
I just feed mine what I think is appropriate mind you none of mine need their diest controlled for ay reason.
 
Must admit I weighed mine out until a couple of days ago - but I use the same tub and when its full I know thats about 125g which is half their 250g (5 piggies) per day...... but then they get extras when they ....ermm... ring for it cos one of mine is a skinny pig and I think they are meant to eat more.....and she rings a bell when she wants her piggy slave (ie me)
to feed her extras
x
 
Ive not been advised to change their diet but it maybe the cause for Gizmo's bladder issues, as ive been seeing the white marks in the cage more often now, which i have read could be down too much calcium. Thats why i looked into the ratewatchers, i do feed all the veg on the list anyway just bigger portions! :)
 
CandyFloss said:
Must admit I weighed mine out until a couple of days ago - but I use the same tub and when its full I know thats about 125g which is half their 250g (5 piggies) per day...... but then they get extras when they ....ermm... ring for it cos one of mine is a skinny pig and I think they are meant to eat more.....and she rings a bell when she wants her piggy slave (ie me)
to feed her extras
x
Click to expand...

I'm filling the nero 4 bowl full to the top and looking at that now it seems over 100g! Somedays there was some left at the bottom but not much. Maybe i just need to cut down a little. @)
 
Joey&Gizmo said:
Ive not been advised to change their diet but it maybe the cause for Gizmo's bladder issues, as ive been seeing the white marks in the cage more often now, which i have read could be down too much calcium. Thats why i looked into the ratewatchers, i do feed all the veg on the list anyway just bigger portions! :)
Click to expand...

Now you mention it I get white marks in the cage too..... I think I will check out ratewatchers too and make sure they're getting the right stuff...
Thanks for this thread :)
x
 
CandyFloss said:
Now you mention it I get white marks in the cage too..... I think I will check out ratewatchers too and make sure they're getting the right stuff...
Thanks for this thread :)
x
Click to expand...

The veg on the ratewatchers list is quite easy and lots of choice too i was surprised, as you can still feed herbs, kale and carrots that i know are high in CA. Worth a look if your interested. They also say that the aim of the diet is for the pigs to eat more hay and after being on the diet you will see the increase in the amount of hay eaten.

:)
 
I've been following the ratewatchers diet for a while now as one of my piggies has bladder stones so we were advised to watch the amount of calcium she gets. We do have to buy alot of different veg as I think you need to feed something like 10 different types of fresh food a day and we also weigh it out so they get 125g of food in the morning and the same in the evening. The morning feed always looks alot more as they get things like Kale, spinach etc which are light whereas the evening feed is heavier food but never looks like much. I've noticed they go through ALOT more hay and they have all put weight on since following this diet.

Also Athena's problem doesn't seem as noticeable as she used to bleed from the stones but now very rarely does so I'm assuming it is helping.
 
I would find this really hard to feed as I have 11 free range (in a shed) piggies, does anyone else prepare the diet for such a large number?
 
I don't weigh it out, I just give them veg when I feel like it or they're squeaking for some . . . maybe that's bad, but they have no dietary issues.

I probably give them too much somedays, but not as much on other days, and they get a wide variety on different days.
 
Gems said:
I've been following the ratewatchers diet for a while now as one of my piggies has bladder stones so we were advised to watch the amount of calcium she gets. We do have to buy alot of different veg as I think you need to feed something like 10 different types of fresh food a day and we also weigh it out so they get 125g of food in the morning and the same in the evening. The morning feed always looks alot more as they get things like Kale, spinach etc which are light whereas the evening feed is heavier food but never looks like much. I've noticed they go through ALOT more hay and they have all put weight on since following this diet.

Also Athena's problem doesn't seem as noticeable as she used to bleed from the stones but now very rarely does so I'm assuming it is helping.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing! Did you first think that the portion sizes were small when you first started the diet? I do love how their is so much choice of veg though. I dont think my boys are going to be too pleased with the portion sizes to start off, but i do have many different types of hay here for them to munch on. :) I suppose thats a good thing that they have all put on weight since being on the ratewatchers i worried mine would lose weight.

Mine works out as 50g in the morning and 50g in the night as its only for the two of them, that correct isnt it?

:)
 
I have just started weighing the girls food because of Velvet's diabetes issue
I was shocked how little 100g was! erm mummy was over feeding mallethead now tho i have two girls that give me a filthy look and then WHEEEEEEEK rather loudly that they've been starved! SIGH........so i'm now slowly reducing and taking out the naughty foods (aka corn which they adore) I think it's best not to do it too suddenly.

That is great news hearing about Athena's stones not affecting her x)
 
I have to admit that I weigh most of the time. rolleyes

But they get more than 50g each a day. I read that they could have up to 70g, my vet even says 10g per 100g body weight. I guess it depends on what you feed for carrots plump out.
 
I gave their first portion of ratewatchers this morning and its gone down a treat. They even have some left over so it cant be that bad then! I too have to cut out sweetcorn. I bet i will still give the extra 'treat veg' now and then, how could i not? :))

This mornings veg was just a little less than i would normally feed, just less carrots and celery, as i fed option 1 from the ratewatchers. :) So thats why the boys approved!
 
I weigh out the veg. When the piggies first came to me I had no idea what amount they should be getting and needed to weigh it. We'd been feeding them way too much! :red

Hay consumption def increased once we reduced the veggies.

I think the idea of "1 cup" veggies can be misleading. For example a cup of lettuce leaves will weigh a diff amount to a cup of carrots.

Some people on this thread mention white stains from piggy urine. It's my understanding that this is normal and only a cause for concern if it's gritty.
 
Joey&Gizmo said:
Thanks for sharing! Did you first think that the portion sizes were small when you first started the diet? I do love how their is so much choice of veg though. I dont think my boys are going to be too pleased with the portion sizes to start off, but i do have many different types of hay here for them to munch on. :) I suppose thats a good thing that they have all put on weight since being on the ratewatchers i worried mine would lose weight.

Mine works out as 50g in the morning and 50g in the night as its only for the two of them, that correct isnt it?

:)
Click to expand...

I was worried that they weren't getting enough but I do a weigh in each week and rather then losing weight they've actually put it on! I make sure I get good quality hay and they have a 2x2 hay loft which is always full of hay for them so they've always got plenty to munch on. Just keep a close eye on their weight to begin with, it might fluctuate a bit until they get used to it but they should start eating more hay to compensate for not eating as much fresh food.
 
Gems said:
I was worried that they weren't getting enough but I do a weigh in each week and rather then losing weight they've actually put it on! I make sure I get good quality hay and they have a 2x2 hay loft which is always full of hay for them so they've always got plenty to munch on. Just keep a close eye on their weight to begin with, it might fluctuate a bit until they get used to it but they should start eating more hay to compensate for not eating as much fresh food.
Click to expand...

Thanks, they also have a 4x1 hay loft a I shape, which is always full of hay. I have 5 different types of hay in their cage so they have plenty of chioce and two hay racks down the bottom. So I'm sure they wont starve! :(|)

Will keep weighing them on their weigh day Thursday and keep notes as always of their weight.

:)
 
I don't have a weighing scales.. wanting to buy one soon though so I know they are getting enough.. But I fill up thier bowl in the morning which is equal to a cup.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top