Picky Eater

[weebles]

I just recently got a guinea pig and he’s pretty young. i’m concerned that he is a very picky eater and will pick out certain pieces of his food. is this normal? should i try a different food? should i try straight veggies n such? please help

 

[Dystopoly]

I just recently got a guinea pig and he’s pretty young. i’m concerned that he is a very picky eater and will pick out certain pieces of his food. is this normal? should i try a different food? should i try straight veggies n such? please help

Guinea pigs all seem to have very specific tastes, and it’s very normal! My boys both LOVE zucchini, but my girl refuses to touch it. I’ve also noticed they’re INCREDIBLY picky about which hay pieces they want to eat - and I’m sure that would apply to pellets as well. A picky pig is very normal so long as they’re not loosing weight or refusing to eat at all. Most of the time with pellets, you’ll find that they’ve finished their portion by the end of the day.

A good guinea pig diet is about 70% hay (available at all times), 20% fortified pellet diet (usually 1/8 cup for adults), and 10% greens. However, babies under 6 months should have access to a high quality juvenile pellet formula 24/7 as well as both Timothy and Alfalfa hay. Both will have added calcium to support growth.

As for veggies, if you notice they don’t seem to like one, try out some different options to find their favorites! Green/Yellow bell peppers, zucchini, Romaine/Red Leaf/Escarole Lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro are all good things to try!

 

[sport_billy]

For dry food it is best to feed pellets as it stops selective feeding as well as pellets, you need to feed a variety of veg daily and always unlimited hay.

Have a read of the diet guide here Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets