Hello to all. I just joined this beautiful forum because reading some discussions I got some doubts. I have had a small male guinea pig for a month that is now almost 3 months old. I have read a lot on Italian forums (I am Italian) on guinea pig care and many things are the same as what you recommend in this forum. The only big difference is the amount of vegetables to be given every day. In Italy 200 g of vegetables per day is recommended (for an adult pig) instead here I only saw 50 g per day. A big difference. Can you give me some advice? I don't want to go wrong with my piglet
-
DONATIONS NOW OPEN! TGPF relies on donations to run. If you'd like to donate towards running costs you can find out more HERE
How much vegetables for a guinea pig?
- Thread starter Billy94
- Start date
About 50g is the advised amount but don’t get too hung up on exact amounts. I tend to make up their veggies and fill the jug that I use, it won’t come to an exact amount. Sometimes they may get less, sometimes it may be more. Guinea pigs need to eat more hay than anything else though. Pellets should be kept limited to one tablespoon per day. I’ll add some guides below.
However, one of the most important things you can do for your piggy is to get him a friend - guinea pigs should not be kept alone. They are highly social and should always live with another guinea pig so they don’t get lonely
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Edible And Forbidden Veg And Fruit List With Vitamin C Grading
Cage Size Guide
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
With your piggy being a Male (a boar), he can live with one other boar (you can keep boys in pairs but any more than two together and there will be fights). Or, you can neuter him, have his six week wait to ensure he is no longer fertile, and he can then be bonded with a sow.
Thanks for the replies. I had already read your feeding guides. It is these that have heightened my doubts. Now I'm giving about 150 g of vegetables a day to my piglet. That is, about 75 g in the morning and 75 g in the evening. He always has hay that he eats willingly but I don't give him any pellets. Does this feeding look good?
I know that pigs live better in groups. I want to wait to sterilize him and then take one or two females. It will take a few months though
I know that pigs live better in groups. I want to wait to sterilize him and then take one or two females. It will take a few months though
As long as he doesn’t have soft poops etc, then all you can do is go by what you have been told - given the advice in your country is different to the advice we have - you have to make the judgement call for yourself really.
I would just comment that you say you are advised to give 200g for an adult guinea pig. Guinea pigs start adulthood at 14 months of age. Given Your guinea pig won’t hit adult age for another year yet it’s possible you may be overfeeding veg for his age if you follow your guidelines of your country.
I would just comment that you say you are advised to give 200g for an adult guinea pig. Guinea pigs start adulthood at 14 months of age. Given Your guinea pig won’t hit adult age for another year yet it’s possible you may be overfeeding veg for his age if you follow your guidelines of your country.
Don’t get too hung up on details. If he is leaving some veg, then I’d reduce it. Hay needs to be the biggest part of his diet throughout his entire life.
It’s tricky because the advice you have been given is different to the advice in the uk.
I personally think 150g for 3 month old is too much though. If you would rather follow the advice of your own country, then that is your decision, but basing 200g for an adult guinea pig, then given your piggy is nowhere near adult, then I would be feeding less than 100g at his age. I wouldn’t feed 150g until he is much closer to adulthood - I’d be gauging it for 150g at approx 9 months of age to then increase to 200g once he is over a year old.
As I say though, this is very different to how we do things in the uk. While I don’t weigh out the veg my two guinea pigs get, I can say that they probably wouldn’t get 150g between two of them each day (both my piggies are coming up to two years old and between the two of them probably eat less veg than your single three month old does).
It’s tricky because the advice you have been given is different to the advice in the uk.
I personally think 150g for 3 month old is too much though. If you would rather follow the advice of your own country, then that is your decision, but basing 200g for an adult guinea pig, then given your piggy is nowhere near adult, then I would be feeding less than 100g at his age. I wouldn’t feed 150g until he is much closer to adulthood - I’d be gauging it for 150g at approx 9 months of age to then increase to 200g once he is over a year old.
As I say though, this is very different to how we do things in the uk. While I don’t weigh out the veg my two guinea pigs get, I can say that they probably wouldn’t get 150g between two of them each day (both my piggies are coming up to two years old and between the two of them probably eat less veg than your single three month old does).
Last edited:
this is what I can't understand how there can be such a big difference in feeding with animals that should be the same both in Italy and in the UK. Sorry if I seem boring but I would like to do things well because in the past I had feeding problems with a rabbit and now I don't want to make any more mistakes
There clearly is a difference between the advice, as to why I don’t know, but these are the guidelines we aim for. I can’t say any more than that, you are free to choose whichever you wish but as far as the facts are:
The important thing is that hay makes up the most part of their diet - he should eat more hay than anything else, veggies need only be a small amount of their diet. Too many veggies, can cause tummy upsets (imbalances the gut) and other health issues. They need a high amount of fibre (from hay/grass) in the diet to enable proper function of the gut.
The important thing is that hay makes up the most part of their diet - he should eat more hay than anything else, veggies need only be a small amount of their diet. Too many veggies, can cause tummy upsets (imbalances the gut) and other health issues. They need a high amount of fibre (from hay/grass) in the diet to enable proper function of the gut.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2017
- Messages
- 54,092
- Reaction score
- 76,081
- Points
- 3,465
- Location
- East Riding of Yorksire
Welcome to the forum.
Don’t get anxious about exact amounts of vegetables.
I don’t weigh the vegetables I give mine so some days they probably get a bit more than others.
I’m glad you are planning a companion for your boy soon.
Please can we see pictures
Don’t get anxious about exact amounts of vegetables.
I don’t weigh the vegetables I give mine so some days they probably get a bit more than others.
I’m glad you are planning a companion for your boy soon.
Please can we see pictures