Pelletless

[Furries]

I feed my guinea-pigs Oxbow pellets in the winter when they can't go out on the grass, but last year didn't bother feeding them any pellets during the spring, summer and autumn months (until the snow in November). The grass is full of edible weeds and I pick them other weeds plus give them stuff out of the garden. Does anybody else avoid feeding pellets?

I now have two dogs and don't feed them any commercial dog food at all and they're much healthier for it - lovely glossy coats, bags of energy, no dog-breath (an indicator of periodontal disease) and clean white teeth from gnawing bones (no cleaning on mine or the vet's part).

I'm just wondering if pellets are really necessary for gps if they get a wide variety of foods and access to sunshine? I also have two rabbits: I was given a booklet from the vets and they said pellets weren't a necessary part of a rabbit's diet. Just wondering if I'm falling into the same trap with gps that I used to with dogs - that I need to feed a commercial diet so they don't get any imbalances, when humans are given the complete opposite advice: to stay healthy avoid processed foods as much as possible (and pellets are processed foods) and eat as wide a variety as possible of fresh, wholesome foods.

What are other's thoughts?

[Not wishing to start a flame war btw.]

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

I feed my guinea-pigs Oxbow pellets in the winter when they can't go out on the grass, but last year didn't bother feeding them any pellets during the spring, summer and autumn months (until the snow in November). The grass is full of edible weeds and I pick them other weeds plus give them stuff out of the garden. Does anybody else avoid feeding pellets?

I now have two dogs and don't feed them any commercial dog food at all and they're much healthier for it - lovely glossy coats, bags of energy, no dog-breath (an indicator of periodontal disease) and clean white teeth.

I'm just wondering if pellets are really necessary for gps if they get a wide variety of foods and access to sunshine? I also have two rabbits: I was given a booklet from the vets and they said pellets weren't a necessary part of a rabbit's diet. Just wondering if I'm falling into the same trap with gps that I used to with dogs - that I need to feed a commercial diet so they don't get any imbalances, when humans are given the complete opposite advice: to stay healthy avoid processed foods as much as possible (and pellets are processed foods) and eat as wide a variety as possible of fresh, wholesome foods.

[Not wishing to start a flame war btw.]

Hi just wondered what you fed your dogs...I'm liking the idea of no doggy breath, my dogs have dried complete and they stink of fish! >>>

 

[Furries]

Hi just wondered what you fed your dogs...I'm liking the idea of no doggy breath, my dogs have dried complete and they stink of fish! >>>

What they would eat in the wild: raw meaty bones, raw meat, raw green tripe, raw offal.

http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/showcontent.toy?contentnid=175912

I can PM you more information, if you're interested. Yes, I do realise that it's a contentious topic, but I changed my dog over to a raw diet 6-months-ago and I would never go back to feeding kibble.

I don't worry about whether I'm getting a balanced diet; I just eat a wide variety of fresh foods and so the same applies to my dogs.

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

hmmm interesting, i will have a read of that tonight, thanks.

just one more thing, is it expensive as we currently only have one salary coming in.

Thanks again.

 

[flintstones]

I feel pellets are only necessary in the Winter as indoor pigs cannot absorb D3 from the sun but it is however in pellets so far I have not been able to source a D3 supplement so like you feed pellets in the winter although it is limited, more a special treat.

In the summer I don't give pellets as they get to graze in the sun.

 

[Furries]

hmmm interesting, i will have a read of that tonight, thanks.

just one more thing, is it expensive as we currently only have one salary coming in.

Thanks again.

No, much cheaper than kibble. There are specialist meat suppliers if your local butcher can't help you with bones, etc (but you'd need a freezer). I've heard good things about these two: http://www.thedogfoodcompany.co.uk/products.html and http://www.daf-petfood.co.uk/wb/pages/products/frozen-food.php

You feed 2-3% of the dog's bodyweight per day, but at least 50% of that is comprised of raw meaty bones (which are usually cheap). We feed our 27 kilo greyhound for about 2.50 a week; half of what it was costing us to feed her on Burn's.

 

[Furries]

I feel pellets are only necessary in the Winter as indoor pigs cannot absorb D3 from the sun but it is however in pellets so far I have not been able to source a D3 supplement so like you feed pellets in the winter although it is limited, more a special treat.

In the summer I don't give pellets as they get to graze in the sun.

Thanks. The only reason why I feed pellets in the winter is because of vitamin D. How often do you give pellets in winter - a small amount every day or a few times a week?

 

[CiaraPatricia]

And outdoor pigs could need pellets in the winter to keep them warm and fat I'd give some every day to keep their energy levels up in the winter.


Pelletless diets are fine, actually better than fine if done right, that's much more natural. Just keep an eye on their weight (weigh them every week, they will probably lose some but if it's too much then up the pellets). And give them less and less pellets gradually. Make sure they get a good variety of foods, especially lots of hay and lots of greens and grass and weeds, and they get all of that so I'm sure they'll be fine

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

No, much cheaper than kibble. There are specialist meat suppliers if your local butcher can't help you with bones, etc (but you'd need a freezer). I've heard good things about these two: http://www.thedogfoodcompany.co.uk/products.html and http://www.daf-petfood.co.uk/wb/pages/products/frozen-food.php

You feed 2-3% of the dog's bodyweight per day, but at least 50% of that is comprised of raw meaty bones (which are usually cheap). We feed our 27 kilo greyhound for about 2.50 a week; half of what it was costing us to feed her on Burn's.

wow, could be worth me doing it then as i have a whippet and whippet/lab cross. ta again for info x

 

[Furries]

wow, could be worth me doing it then as i have a whippet and whippet/lab cross. ta again for info x

We have a whippet too! We've not had him long, so we're still transitioning him over to a raw diet (he's a bit more faddy than our grey).