OXBOW PELLETS WONT EAT! WHAT TO DO?

[Angela99]

Hi. My 1.5 year guinea pigs won't eat Oxbow pellets. They were on some terrible junk pellets with previous owner. Then I got pellets from Hay guy who doesn't share ingredients but they loved them And Now I'm trying really hard to get them Oxbow and my little Buttercup keeps turning his food bowl upside down! See photo
I tried Garden Select and now the Organic. Do I keep trying? Will they give in? Or do I order the pellets again which I don't know ingredients...

 

[piggieminder]

Get some of the ones they like mix in a few of the ones they don't and gradually introduce new ones. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't but they can be little devils for anything new. I don't feed just one type of pellet in case I get a supply problem for this reason.

 

[Swissgreys]

I also have a food bowl flipper, but he does still eat the pellets - he just like to play with them a bit first.

Some piggies eat more pellets than others, and as long as they have an unlimited supply of fresh hay and a daily serving of vegetables they won't starve, but like @piggieminder I actully feed my lot a mix of 2 different pellets, in case one is unavailable.

Firstly I wouldn't feed the ones from the Hay guy if you don't know what is in them. Often when piggies really love something it is becasue it is full of things they shouldn't really have (honey is a good example). They can be a bit like us humans in that respect - we would usually choose chocolate over an apple!

So I would pick 2 decent brands and feed a mix of those.
If they are really hungry (and have hay and fresh) they will eat them.
Good luck - piggies can be picky little things.

 

[Rae13]

Just buy something else and dump the Oxbow. It's hardly a huge investment, a bag of food. Oxbow is too high in calcium anyway.

 

[Flutterby]

I agree with @Swissgreys

 

[Lizzie.1987]

They might end up eating if they see there’s no alternative but if you want a decent alternative my two love the pets at home brand nuggets. I get them the alfalfa rich ones with rosemary and mint. It makes for an interesting aroma but they adore them.