Question about veg

[TMKG]

Hi! I'm completely new to all of this. I just took over caring for an 8 y/o guinea pig from my mom because I was worried he wasn't getting enough attention/being taken care of properly, but I didn't know the first thing about guinea pig care going into it. After spending several hours doing research (especially from this website!) I feel like I have a bit of a better grasp. However, I have a quick question about the list of edible veg for guinea pigs from the "Edible And Forbidden Veg And Fruit List With Vitamin C Grading" post.

I tried the example plate of veg for him, but out of the six varieties I offered (cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper, cilantro, celery, and lettuce), he only ate the celery and lettuce. I tried a second time with the same results. I'm worried he isn't eating enough - he doesn't seem to snack on the hay very often - so I decided to turn to some more threads to see what else I could be feeding him. I now have a list compiled from the high vitamin C and low vitamin C options, but I'm confused; would I feed him these options every day? Or should high vitamin C foods be fed every other day?
Also, should I be feeding him the veg in the am and pm? Or just once a day?

Thanks much for any advice given!

 

[joanne marie]

Hi TMKG, maybe take him to the vets for a health check ask them to check his teeth etc. I have read that a cup full of veg with vitamin c each day for each guinea pig. I give mine fresh hay in the morning then veg mid morning then a snack of a night (cucumber) and always keep there dried food topped up, but anyone correct me if i am wrong because i also have been wondering if I'm feeding them the correct amount. xx

 

[Swissgreys]

The best place to start is with our comprehensive diet guide here:

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

However please remember to weigh your piggy weekly at the same time to keep an eye on their weight and overall condition.

If you have just taken on an 8 year old piggy it may take him a while to adjust to new foods and a different routine.
Plus if he hasn't had some of the foods before it will take him time to get used to them, and he may never acquire the taste for certian foods if he hasn't had them beforre.

What was his previous diet like?
Eight is quite old for a guinea pig, so to rule out medical issues like teeth problems a quick health check with a piggy vet would also be a good idea.

 

[TMKG]

The best place to start is with our comprehensive diet guide here:

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

However please remember to weigh your piggy weekly at the same time to keep an eye on their weight and overall condition.

If you have just taken on an 8 year old piggy it may take him a while to adjust to new foods and a different routine.
Plus if he hasn't had some of the foods before it will take him time to get used to them, and he may never acquire the taste for certian foods if he hasn't had them beforre.

What was his previous diet like?
Eight is quite old for a guinea pig, so to rule out medical issues like teeth problems a quick health check with a piggy vet would also be a good idea.

His previous diet just consisted of a bowl full of Menu Care Complex brand pellets, a handful of hay daily, a small piece of lettuce, and carrots (which I had to stop my mom from feeding him every day. She didn't realize how bad they could be in large quantities). I still have the pellet bag with me. However, I've read that pellets with seeds and treats in them are bad, because the guinea pig will just dig for the treats, and also because seeds are a choking hazard. I've resorted to manually digging through the pellets to remove seeds and treats so he gets the necessary nutrients and so I can use up the rest of the bag, but when I check back in with him, he has his bowl tipped over and has barely eaten anything.

I'm definitely trying to get him to a vet for an overall check up! But the initial location I tried to put an appointment in hasn't gotten back to me, and everything else is booked up for about a month and a half.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[TMKG]

Hi TMKG, maybe take him to the vets for a health check ask them to check his teeth etc. I have read that a cup full of veg with vitamin c each day for each guinea pig. I give mine fresh hay in the morning then veg mid morning then a snack of a night (cucumber) and always keep there dried food topped up, but anyone correct me if i am wrong because i also have been wondering if I'm feeding them the correct amount. xx

I'm currently trying to get him in with a vet, for sure! Everything just seems backed up around me at the moment, so I'm still searching.
Full cup of veg with vitamin c each day for a guinea pig, got it! There's a farmer's market right by me that sells fresh vegetables, so I at least have easy access to new foods to get him to try!

Thanks so much!

 

[Siikibam]

I would try and get a better pellet - i.e. not a mix with seeds etc. Max one tablespoon per day. And do give him time to get used to the change in diet. You’ll just have to be persistent I’m afraid. Another thing that piggies learn is what to eat. If he’s been living alone for this long then he may be partly unsure that the other food is safe to eat. But also if he wasn’t eating those veg before then that’s also contributing to his pickiness. Hope you can get an appointment soon. Weigh him weekly and see if he’s maintaining his weight as well.
Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[AutumnThePig]

My Autumn used to be the same way with veggies. I would try to be persistant with her. Eventually, she did start eating more veggies. What made her not picky anymore was getting another piggie friend who would try to eat all the veggies first!

 

[piggl]

Hi TMKG, maybe take him to the vets for a health check ask them to check his teeth etc. I have read that a cup full of veg with vitamin c each day for each guinea pig. I give mine fresh hay in the morning then veg mid morning then a snack of a night (cucumber) and always keep there dried food topped up, but anyone correct me if i am wrong because i also have been wondering if I'm feeding them the correct amount. xx

Hi i just wanted to ask if your pigs have access to hay all the time just because you said fresh hay in the morning - I was also wondering is dried food referring to nuggets/pellets x

 

[joanne marie]

Hi i just wanted to ask if your pigs have access to hay all the time just because you said fresh hay in the morning - I was also wondering is dried food referring to nuggets/pellets x

Hi they do have access to hay all the time i put some fresh in then morning plenty of it and then of an evening although I'm not sure if this is the correct thing to do it may be that i am giving them too much! But i cant see what harm plenty of hay will do but please anyone correct me if i am wrong. Also i did try mine on nuggets and they didnt seem to like them now i give them guinea pig muesli which they seem to prefer!xx

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi they do have access to hay all the time i put some fresh in then morning plenty of it and then of an evening although I'm not sure if this is the correct thing to do it may be that i am giving them too much! But i cant see what harm plenty of hay will do but please anyone correct me if i am wrong. Also i did try mine on nuggets and they didnt seem to like them now i give them guinea pig muesli which they seem to prefer!xx

Please don’t feed muesli. It encourages selective feeding and contains items which are not healthy and not suitable such as seeds which are a choking hazard. They will prefer muesli over pellets because muesli is sweet and sugary and basically junk food. I would highly recommend you stop the muesli and switch to a plain pellet. They may not like pellets at first, but it is by far better for them - choose a grass based pellet and feed just one tablespoon per piggy per day. Pellets are the least important part of their diet in any event - in order of importance hay first, then veg, then the tiniest amount of pellets

They can never have too much hay - the more the better. Mine get a hay top up around four times a day

 

[joanne marie]

Please don’t feed muesli. It encourages selective feeding and contains items which are not healthy and not suitable such as seeds which are a choking hazard. They will prefer muesli over pellets because muesli is sweet and sugary and basically junk food. I would highly recommend you stop the muesli and switch to a plain pellet. They may not like pellets at first, but it is by far better for them - choose a grass based pellet and feed just one tablespoon per piggy per day. Pellets are the least important part of their diet in any event - in order of importance hay first, then veg, then the tiniest amount of pellets

They can never have too much hay - the more the better. Mine get a hay top up around four times a day

Thanks i wasnt aware of that, the one i have states no added sugar and is produced by pets at home i have attached a picture

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks i wasnt aware of that, the one i have states no added sugar and is produced by pets at home i have attached a picture

I really wouldn’t feed it at all - the ingredients aren’t great. Pea flakes should only be considered as a very occasional treat. The grains (wheat, straw pellets, maize) should be avoided and aren’t great for guinea pigs. It also contains alfalfa which is high in calcium (we all try to limit calcium intake as it can be linked to stone formation)

 

[joanne marie]

I really wouldn’t feed it at all - the ingredients aren’t great. Pea flakes should only be considered as a very occasional treat. The grains (wheat, straw pellets, maize) should be avoided and aren’t great for guinea pigs. It also contains alfalfa which is high in calcium (we all try to limit calcium intake as it can be linked to stone formation)

thanks very much sorry piggies but your back on pellets! haha