Pellets?

[ButterFinger05]

Hello! I'm new here and don't own Guinea Pigs yet so please put up with me.
So obviously they need unlimited hay, and green leafy veggies to get the Vitamin C. But do they need pellets? If so, I can buy it. But i just want to make sure. And if so, what would you recommend? Thank you!

 

[Jennifer D]

Hello! I'm new here and don't own Guinea Pigs yet so please put up with me.
So obviously they need unlimited hay, and green leafy veggies to get the Vitamin C. But do they need pellets? If so, I can buy it. But i just want to make sure. And if so, what would you recommend? Thank you!

I like to supply pellets myself, although I've heard that it isn't necessary if you are diligent about the proper feeding of hay and vegetables, but I personally think pellets are an easier way to go. I feed mine Harrington's Optimum Guinea Pig Pellets, which I can get here in Canada at Walmart for $8.00. My guinea pigs go crazy for them! I've tried them on pellets from Petland (Which like everything at Petland, were a complete waste of money!) and they nibbled them but weren't really too into them. I feed them grass hay which I buy by the bale from a local feed store and that will last me half the year. I'm sure you won't have a problem finding hay in Texas lol The biggest thing to remember about pellets (And hay) is that you don't want any alfalfa in the ingredients- it's very high in protein and can cause health issues in guinea pigs if fed routinely. The Harrington's Pellets don't contain alfalfa and I'm told that they are a decent food. Hopefully you can get them at Walmart's there as well. Another veggie that is high in Vitamin C is red and yellow bell pepper. That's what I tend to feed mine for Vitamin C intake. I give my pigs 1/3 cup of pellets every day and they don't seem to quite finish it all- that's between two pigs. I give them a handful of hay in the morning and a handful at night and that seems to be the perfect amount for them. They are meant to have unlimited hay and they don't quite finish that every time either so I know I'm in the right amount for hay feeding. Good luck!

 

[ButterFinger05]

Thanks for typing all that out! It was very helpful!

 

[Maisy and Poppy]

Hi and !
For pellets I feed pets@home guinea pig nuggets and selective guinea pig nuggets. Selective they prefer and pets@home gives Poppy a shiny coat! Poppy is in the pic as my avatar!

 

[Candice Warner]

As @Maisy and Poppy said Pets@Home pellets give piggies a shiny coat. My girls love them very much.