Angela99
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi. I'm using only organic veggies because of pesticides. I get sick if I eat conventional peppers! Just curious about other people on here who have had guinea pigs live a long life... your thoughts?
Organic Veggies Only Or Conventional?
- Thread starter Angela99
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Betsy
Anniversary Herd
My lot just get ordinary veggies they are now 2 years old (well Betsy and Velvet are just over 2 years Christian, Dennis and Meg are nearly 2 years). My Rainbow piggies Lenny and Gizmo lived to five and five and a half ordinary veggies.
Guineautopia
Forum Donator 2024/25
I’ve always given standard veggies, only time they get organic is if it’s on offer or reduced. I’ve done this for 20 odd years and had piggies live to age 7. My current oldest piggies are 5.
I would however wash certain veg to get of the pesticides.
I would however wash certain veg to get of the pesticides.
Mother Hubbard
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Same here. Straight but washed thoroughly. Otherwise my food bill would be higher!
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I use normal veggies for mine unless I can get to a farm shop.
They’re all thriving
They’re all thriving
eileen
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normal veggies,washed prior to giving them to my cavies.ive one that is seven years old,and several are 5 years old !
flowerfairy
Senior Guinea Pig
I eat mainly organic veg so do mynguinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters.
Angela99
Junior Guinea Pig
Thanks! Appreciate the feedback. Do you use a certain veggie wash? Or just rinse with water? So far I've just bought organic... I'm so concerned ... new pet parent
Guineautopia
Forum Donator 2024/25
Just wash with tap water the same as you would for your own veg or salad.
If you want to and can afford to buy organic, that is fine for the piggies also.
If you want to and can afford to buy organic, that is fine for the piggies also.
RosieMaia
Teenage Guinea Pig
I tend to only buy organic, seasonal veggies, for fear of excess pesticide, herbicide and nitrate residues. I wash, peel the veggies deeply (where possible), cut in pieces, soak in water to remove some of the nitrates, rinse again and then feed the pigs. The process doesn't take as long as it sounds, to be honest.
The fact that I try to only buy organic, seasonal veggies makes winter feeding somewhat challenging. During the winter, I resort to veggies grown organically in greenhouses and in actual soil, but I avoid hydroponically-grown veggies at all costs.
I think I may be the only one in the forum who does that (OCD? Maybe!
) but excess nitrate intake has been implicated in bloat and other intestinal upsets/IBS/cancers of the GI tract (and not just in piggies). So... if anything like that should happen to one of my pigs, I'd rather know I've done everything in my power to prevent it.
The fact that I try to only buy organic, seasonal veggies makes winter feeding somewhat challenging. During the winter, I resort to veggies grown organically in greenhouses and in actual soil, but I avoid hydroponically-grown veggies at all costs.
I think I may be the only one in the forum who does that (OCD? Maybe!
) but excess nitrate intake has been implicated in bloat and other intestinal upsets/IBS/cancers of the GI tract (and not just in piggies). So... if anything like that should happen to one of my pigs, I'd rather know I've done everything in my power to prevent it.
Angela99
Junior Guinea Pig
Wow! Thanks! You soak organic veggies? My piggies font eat much veg aside from Organic wheat grass, organic red pepper, organic parsley and organic cucumbers ... oh and carrot! They won't eat any lettuce. I feel limited but they eat a lot of hay. Should I soak these veggies? I'm similar... I want to make sure I do my very best to prevent any health issues.I tend to only buy organic, seasonal veggies, for fear of excess pesticide, herbicide and nitrate residues. I wash, peel the veggies deeply (where possible), cut in pieces, soak in water to remove some of the nitrates, rinse again and then feed the pigs. The process doesn't take as long as it sounds, to be honest.
The fact that I try to only buy organic, seasonal veggies makes winter feeding somewhat challenging. During the winter, I resort to veggies grown organically in greenhouses and in actual soil, but I avoid hydroponically-grown veggies at all costs.
I think I may be the only one in the forum who does that (OCD? Maybe!
Angela99
Junior Guinea Pig
I removed food in the picture from previous owner... horrible for them. I've learned a lot in a week since I've had them... researching whats best.
RosieMaia
Teenage Guinea Pig
Yes. Soaking reduces the NO3 (nitrate) levels in plants. All commercial vegetables and fruits, organic or not, will be fertilized to improve the crops' output, and piggies aren't used to consuming such high levels of NO3 in the wild.
What's good about organic produce isn't the lower levels of NO3, but the fact that the plants are actually grown in soil, not hydroponically, and aren't treated with pesticides and herbicides as much.
Again, I'm conscious I may be overdoing it a little, few people on the forum seem to share my concerns.
Best of luck to your new piggies, they're very cute and must be so very lucky with a caring owner like you!