Remove Bowls Between Meals? And Cardboard Toilet Roll Holder Ok To Eat?!

[Mhairi]

My piggies seem to graze all day on their veg and pellets. Should I put their veg/pellets out in their cage for a time limited time only, removing their bowls in between meal times, or is it better that they graze all the time? They also have unlimited access to hay. They never finish off everything that's in their bowls even when they graze all day. Want to make sure they are getting enough essential vitamins etc though. Any advice would be appreciated.

Also, one of my girls LOVES munching through cardboard toilet roll holders. Definitely one of her favourite past times! Just wated to double check that she's on to do this.

 

[Mother Hubbard]

Hi there @Mhairi

Believe me, they will eat all day. I wouldn't be inclined to remove their food bowls, it might start some kind gorging behaviour (if that's even possible). I think the quantity of both pellets and veg should be moderated. From memory, it's 50grams of pellets per pig per day. Mine have veggies once a day which is a selection there is never any leftover. Naturally you wouldn't want any left as it could spoil. A handful per pig is as about as much calculation I do.

Cardboard chewing is no problem, it's natural, they love chewing and destroying stuff with their mouths!. Filling cardboard tubes with hay and creating good sizeable holes is good for boredom too. Make it interesting.

 

[Mhairi]

Hi there @Mhairi

Believe me, they will eat all day. I wouldn't be inclined to remove their food bowls, it might start some kind gorging behaviour (if that's even possible). I think the quantity of both pellets and veg should be moderated. From memory, it's 50grams of pellets per pig per day. Mine have veggies once a day which is a selection there is never any leftover. Naturally you wouldn't want any left as it could spoil. A handful per pig is as about as much calculation I do.

Cardboard chewing is no problem, it's natural, they love chewing and destroying stuff with their mouths!. Filling cardboard tubes with hay and creating good sizeable holes is good for boredom too. Make it interesting.

Brilliant, thank you for that advice.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Hi there @Mhairi

Believe me, they will eat all day. I wouldn't be inclined to remove their food bowls, it might start some kind gorging behaviour (if that's even possible). I think the quantity of both pellets and veg should be moderated. From memory, it's 50grams of pellets per pig per day. Mine have veggies once a day which is a selection there is never any leftover. Naturally you wouldn't want any left as it could spoil. A handful per pig is as about as much calculation I do.

Cardboard chewing is no problem, it's natural, they love chewing and destroying stuff with their mouths!. Filling cardboard tubes with hay and creating good sizeable holes is good for boredom too. Make it interesting.

I believe limited pellets is just for fully grown pigs. I was under the impression that young, growing pigs should have unlimited access.

 

[Kylie80]

So is it ok for them to eat the toilet roll cardboard even though it has that sticky gluey stuff on it that sticks the first layer of paper to it? I have not tried filling the toilet roll with hay yet because i wasnt sure the glue was safe.

 

[GPcrazy]

Pellets should be 10-15g per pig per day, not 50g.
If they graze on that amount all day it's probably fine, but they certainly shouldn't have a big bowlful to graze on continually.
During their fast growing period (younger than 6 months) the daily amount is 20-40g per pig per day.

 

[Flutterby]

I leave my guys bowls in. They get their share of biscuits in the morning and I top their hay up. In an evening they get their veggies and the hay gets topped up again. Their access to hay is unlimited.

 

[DM030819]

So is it ok for them to eat the toilet roll cardboard even though it has that sticky gluey stuff on it that sticks the first layer of paper to it? I have not tried filling the toilet roll with hay yet because i wasnt sure the glue was safe.

Hiya, they're okay to eat toilet rolls, just not 24/7. I've never had a pig eat a full one.

Remember to cut it though as it's been known for pigs to get themselves stuck in them.

 

[Mhairi]

Hiya, they're okay to eat toilet rolls, just not 24/7. I've never had a pig eat a full one.

Remember to cut it though as it's been known for pigs to get themselves stuck in them.

Pip would quite happily munch through a whole one in one sitting!

 

[Kylie80]

Hiya, they're okay to eat toilet rolls, just not 24/7. I've never had a pig eat a full one.

Remember to cut it though as it's been known for pigs to get themselves stuck in them.

Ok. Thanks for that

 

[Dorothy&Coco]

Hi, we leave the girls' bowl in the cage. They finish their veggies pretty fast though so only pellets are left. We leave these, plus they have access to unlimited hay. I think if you are finding there are vegetables left then maybe reduce the portions a little? Or feed twice a day which is what we have found works for us.

 

[Dorothy&Coco]

Pellets should be 10-15g per pig per day, not 50g.
If they graze on that amount all day it's probably fine, but they certainly shouldn't have a big bowlful to graze on continually.
During their fast growing period (younger than 6 months) the daily amount is 20-40g per pig per day.

Thanks for posting this @GPcrazy our girls our 7 months now and I was starting to think we were feeding too many pellets. They have been having 40g per pig each day but often not finishing them. I am going to start cutting it down.