Low calcium diet recommendations?

[fantomeadhesif]

By diet recommendations, I mean specifics. Even with research I don't understand what I'm supposed to do and it's overwhelming. One of my guinea pigs went to the vet and they said they found crystals in his urine and recommended that I change his diet to have lower calcium. Like what can I feed him every day? Is there anything I shouldn't feed him at all (vet recommended removing pellets from his diet and supplementing what's missing from those with other things)? What can I feed him with occasionally? Etc. Please don't recommend resources that don't give extremely specific suggestions for day to day diet, treats, etc. I'm autistic and do not understand things that aren't specific enough. Thank you!

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Hi,
The most important thing for him to have available at all times is hay, this can be timothy, orchard hay, meadow hay or a mixture, so long as it is grass hay and not alfalfa. Alfalfa is not grass, is very high in calcium and does not provide the dietary benefits of grass and so should not be fed.

Pellets are not necessary.

The recommendation for veg is one cup a day but if not feeding pellets this can be increased to 1 1/2 cups a day. It doesn't matter if you feed it all at once or split it up an feed twice (or more) a day. Which ever suits your routine better.

The veg which are safe to feed daily are cucumber, bell pepper (any colour), romaine lettuce and cilantro, so you can give a mixture of these everyday. In addition there are other veg you can give in rotation. A piece of celery can be given 3 or 4 times a week, once a week you can give a slice of apple or carrot, baby corn or a strip of collard greens, or a small amount of other veg you know your piggy likes but do not feed kale, spinach or parsley, all of which are very high in calcium and oxalates.

It is best to avoid all commercial treats as they often contain unsuitable ingredients. If you enjoy hand feeding your piggy treats it would be better to think of pellets as treats and hand feed just one or two a day or better still offer forage as a treat if available such as the odd dandelion leaf or other safe weeds in small amounts.

It is also safe and very good for your piggy to eat fresh grass, so long as they have been introduced slowly.

 

[Piggies&buns]

The above advice is great!

If your piggy is not good at drinking, it is a good idea to feed a little more veg (particularly if you don’t feed pellets) as it provides additional water. It’s good to keep the diet a little wetter so that it encourages frequent urination and to keep the bladder flushing through. It will hopefully help move the crystals that are already there but also help prevent any more from sitting in the bladder.

My piggies don’t get pellets often and instead I feed quite a lot of grass and more than one cup of veg (I usually only fees the main four veggies listed above - cilantro, pepper, lettuce, cucumber). (Of course hay is always available in large quantities)