How much veg, really?

[SpinningNickel]

OK, so Machu is about 6 months old, and up until now has always just been given a couple pieces of veg that he likes as and when. I've been researching a lot about their veg intake and trying to get him on good, balanced, regular menu, but I'm seeing samples like this which would suggest it could cost nearly as much to feed my 775g pig as it does me! I've tried chopping up that amount of veg as well and it's RIDICULOUS. My kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off in the middle of an allotment.

Firstly, how much do they really need? I've seen guidelines that say 1C max, others say 1C minimum! Surely their hay and pellets gives them most of what they NEED nutrient-wise, and am I right to think the volume is less important than a good calcium/phosphorous ratio?

Secondly, anyone have any ideas how to get him a good ratio when he won't eat anything GREEN besides grass and parsley?! Haven't tried spinach yet, but literally almost everything green gets rejected: romaine, courgette, cucumber, cabbage, broccoli, assorted leaves... and of course leafy greens have all the calcium! What else can I try?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[sport_billy]

Here are 2 links to factsheets on the Guinea pig helpline, one giving basic diet info http://guineapighelpline.com/DietBasicFactsheet.pdf and one giving an idea on foods http://guineapighelpline.com/FruitandVegFactsheet.pdf

Also here is a great link to a sticky on the forum which gives you an idea on what foods to feed and frequency halfway through the post http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30297

Have you tried Red,Yellow,Green Bell Peppers? De-seed and cut a chunk off, they are high in Vit C and low in Calcium. Celery leaves tend to be loved also.

 

[Sue_P]

I feed my two rodents enough fruit and veg to keep an anorexic human healthy.

 

[PAMELAKT]

I spend a fair amount of veg too, Rodney lives like a king!

They are meant to have a cupful a day each I believe?

Not that I measure with a cup...

How odd he doesn't like anything green! Does he like peppers? Coriander is good... Altho Green ;/ argh!

 

[gogoguineas]

I think it's 50g per pig per day but not 100% on that and it may depend on the exact veg you are feeding...?/

 

[SpinningNickel]

How odd he doesn't like anything green! Does he like peppers? Coriander is good... Altho Green ;/ argh!

Peppers are ok, but he'd much rather have the yellow ones! Celery used to be great but now not so sure. He's had mint leaves and a few sprigs of parsley over the last couple of days, and this time round he's even left half of that! If it's green and it's not grass, he doesn't want to know.

Thanks, I have all those charts and such saved, it's just that so far every veggie meal he gets is really LOW calcium because he won't eat his bloody greens! Little imp. :/

 

[Chappers]

Ours get 60g each a day, 30 morning and 30 evening.

Apple makes up 10g twice a week other than that, it is all veg.

They get three different foods on a morning and three on a night. 10g each per piggie.