New guinea pigs - introducing veg

[Sally Newbie]

Hi. I'm picking up my 2 guinea pigs on Thursday from the RSPCA. They have only been fed on hay and Burgess pellets. Can anyone give me advice on how to slowly introduce them to grass and vegetables i.e. how much per day starting off and what is best to start with, advancing up to the recommended variety of 50g mixed veg. I would just like a suggested plan for the first few weeks.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Start with herbs - coriander is usually a favourite (not always though!), as they tend to be milder on the tummy. Just a few sprigs for a few days
Then add in something else, some lettuce or bell pepper leave it at that for a few days, then add in something else for a few days.
Just small amounts to get their tummies used to it but also so you can monitor what they like and what they don’t
Same with grass time, start slowly - 10-15 mins for a few days, and then add in another 10 mins. But, if I were you, I would l only do one thing at a time if they aren’t used to grass or veg at all. Don’t put them on the grass and give them veg all on the same day though - it’ll possibly be overload to unprepared tummies. Perhaps just stick to getting veg into their diet and don’t put them on the grass at all for the next few weeks until you know they are fine with veg
Even now if my piggies have been on the lawn all day (and it can literally be 10-12 hours), I don’t give them their full amount of veg that day

Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

 

[Sally Newbie]

Thanks as always @Piggies&buns , your advice has been invaluable as we prepare! Makes sense not to do grass and veg on the same day. The exercise run is on grass so I don't want them to not have access to the run and be confined to their hutch for too long after we've got them. I'll do the "plain" veg as you've suggested and then perhaps after a week (?) when they are used to the hutch and hearing us, put them in the run for 15 mins increasing the time gradually. So any days they are in their run they won't need veg as well will they?

 

[Piggies&buns]

When their tummies are used to it then they can have veg and grass on the same day but as they are new and they haven’t had either then I would definitely take it steady at first.
Any sign of soft poops, then they need to be taken off of veg and grass until poops normalise (feeding only hay and the normal limited amount of pellets to allow the gut to stabilise).
When mine are out on the lawn for long periods, I make sure they have hay available out there as well

(once they’re settled don’t forget to show us pictures!)

 

[Sally Newbie]

I will stick hay on the lawn as well, thank you.