Is There Any Definitive All Encompassing Knowledge On Good And Bad Vegetation?

[Kim G]

Apologies if this has been asked before thousands of times. I am new and we sadly lost a piggy suddenly, ( see my other post re lettuce)

When we took over the care of Fang and Pestilence from my son, ( sorry for names too he chose them!) we tried to research and be good piggy parents. The problem is that there is so much conflicting advice out there from seemingly knowledgeable people.. and I was left a bit confused and worried about giving them something bad for them, which is perhaps why I relied on grass and Tesco salad mixes too heavily in winter and when the lawn dried up.

I had heard that there was a question mark over carrot so I only fed it occasionally... and I never got an answer re bindweed - they accidentally ate it several times an seemed to head specifically for it when they could ( but they didn't have any this year as garden is better maintained this year!)

But I never heard that lettuce is bad for them

So many people you talk to out there seem to have conflicting advice - how do you know for sure?

 

[Wiebke]

There is no ultimate guide to the best diet. When you dig around, most veg, herbs and fruit have their own problems. The trick is basically to feed a mix and feed everything in moderation.

Try to include one high vitamin C veg or herb in your daily mix, like a slice of pepper/capsicum of any colour, a sprig of coriander/cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, fennel or basil. Broccoli (floret or chunk of stem) or a small quantity of spring greens are also a good source of vitamin C and magnesium.
These veg you feed daily: slice of cucumber and pepper, chunk of celery, sprig of coriander/cilantro, 1 French bean.
Most veg and herbs listed in our food thread you can feed safely 2-3 times a week in rotation as part of a mix.
Fruit (including tomato) should be on the menu no more than twice a week.
These high calcium veg should be only an occasional treat: spinach, kale, all Asian cabbages.
Please stay off all fatty(seed)/dairy/sugary(honey) shop treats and take into account that dried forage including readigrass should only be fed as an occasional special treat in pinches.

Please only introduce one new food at a time and don't expect your piggies to take to everything. what you end up feeding depends on what your piggies eat and what is practical for you to buy/feed. There are always fashions, warnings and new insights that will change recommendations. But it is very confusing for the newcomer!
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...veg-and-fruit-list-with-vitamin-c-grading.42/

As to edible herbs, a forum member is currently working on an illustrated thread with edible garden weeds, which will hopefully be ready sometime in autumn. Until then the rule of thumb is, if in doubt, don't feed it! Thankfully, most weeds and garden/house plants won't do major harT in small quantities. The truly poisonous plants often taste badly (like foxglove or moss). The most dangerous lawn weed is creeping buttercup (all plants from the buttercup/ranunculus family are poisonous).

I hope that helps you?

 

[Kim G]

Yes, thank you, thank you, thank you. I think I worry so much and in being over cautious you can end up giving a too restrictive diet.. Perhaps a little more confidence and definitely variety is where I went wrong.. I have fed cucumber and they always hve the broccoli stalk ( I did it more to get rid of it and felt I was offering inferior fodder but they always ate it!)

I have read and printed out the list and learned a lot from that - thank you again

 

[Hermes]

Just so you know, bindweed should be considered toxic and not given as a food plant.

 

[adelhide]

but they are rodents, and i know people hate to hear that but its true, so it is suprising what some of them can eat without a problem, while other get sick, i know i feed mine chickweed, and they love it never show any signs of sickness. i would also like a FULL list of all VEGETATION not just veggies and fruits, all plants that they can eat. i have mentioned in previous posts that i live on a water plant nursery, so we have many many plants that may in fact be very good for them, as some do like to swim, and most of the plants are bog or shallow water, however i know that some of the plants we have can kill a full grown adult man (i use men as they filter poisons quicker) in about 5 mins if i remember correctly (though i doubt it) from ingesting a piece the size of a 5 cent coin, (i live in aus sorry if anyone's confused by that). and i have also read many conflicting posts about what you can and cant feed them, how often and whatnot, so it make you a little disbelieving about what they ALL say, because none can get together and say this this and this DEFIANTLY, the others need more research. and its really annoying when they wont agree that they need more research.

 

[Deleted member 114675]

There is no ultimate guide to the best diet. When you dig around, most veg, herbs and fruit have their own problems. The trick is basically to feed a mix and feed everything in moderation.

Try to include one high vitamin C veg or herb in your daily mix, like a slice of pepper/capsicum of any colour, a sprig of coriander/cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, fennel or basil. Broccoli (floret or chunk of stem) or a small quantity of spring greens are also a good source of vitamin C and magnesium.
These veg you feed daily: slice of cucumber and pepper, chunk of celery, sprig of coriander/cilantro, 1 French bean.
Most veg and herbs listed in our food thread you can feed safely 2-3 times a week in rotation as part of a mix.
Fruit (including tomato) should be on the menu no more than twice a week.
These high calcium veg should be only an occasional treat: spinach, kale, all Asian cabbages.
Please stay off all fatty(seed)/dairy/sugary(honey) shop treats and take into account that dried forage including readigrass should only be fed as an occasional special treat in pinches.

Please only introduce one new food at a time and don't expect your piggies to take to everything. what you end up feeding depends on what your piggies eat and what is practical for you to buy/feed. There are always fashions, warnings and new insights that will change recommendations. But it is very confusing for the newcomer!
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...veg-and-fruit-list-with-vitamin-c-grading.42/

As to edible herbs, a forum member is currently working on an illustrated thread with edible garden weeds, which will hopefully be ready sometime in autumn. Until then the rule of thumb is, if in doubt, don't feed it! Thankfully, most weeds and garden/house plants won't do major harT in small quantities. The truly poisonous plants often taste badly (like foxglove or moss). The most dangerous lawn weed is creeping buttercup (all plants from the buttercup/ranunculus family are poisonous).

I hope that helps you?

Excellent summary. Thank you for finding the time to write it. I find a lot of new guinea pig owners struggle with their diet and info on weeds will be very useful.

My boar is seperated at the moment and this has brought to light that he is not eating many Vit C rich veggies. I have assumed up until now that he has been having his share. However, he doesn't touch peppers or tomatoes. He likes Oxbow vit C tablets though

 

[nicky]

but they are rodents, and i know people hate to hear that but its true, so it is suprising what some of them can eat without a problem, while other get sick, i know i feed mine chickweed, and they love it never show any signs of sickness. i would also like a FULL list of all VEGETATION not just veggies and fruits, all plants that they can eat. i have mentioned in previous posts that i live on a water plant nursery, so we have many many plants that may in fact be very good for them, as some do like to swim, and most of the plants are bog or shallow water, however i know that some of the plants we have can kill a full grown adult man (i use men as they filter poisons quicker) in about 5 mins if i remember correctly (though i doubt it) from ingesting a piece the size of a 5 cent coin, (i live in aus sorry if anyone's confused by that). and i have also read many conflicting posts about what you can and cant feed them, how often and whatnot, so it make you a little disbelieving about what they ALL say, because none can get together and say this this and this DEFIANTLY, the others need more research. and its really annoying when they wont agree that they need more research.

Do guineas like to swim or just do it for survival?

 

[Wiebke]

Do guineas like to swim or just do it for survival?

While a few piggies like to paddle in very shallow water they can stand in, the vast majority doesn't and wouldn't go near; the divide goes about down a similar line to a few piggies loving baths while most don't.