Safe sticks?

Pantalaimon

Pantalaimon

Junior Guinea Pig
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I have a pig who is very nibbly and gets through the ridiculously overpriced shop-bought wood chews faster than I can buy them. In the past I can remember providing my pigs with safe branches from outside, but I can’t remember what species?

Is there a list of safe branches I can provide them with? I think it was Apple and maybe beech? (My trees are all 100% chemical free).
 
Apple, pear , willow I’m sure there’s lots more …..
 
My German guinea book says beech too, it doesn't mention willow either way.
Also picea abies, I never can get my conifers sorted out, hence the Latin name.
 
Willow, hazel, pear and apple are all fine

picea abies Is Norway spruce which is unsafe - Evergreen branches cannot be fed due to toxicity
 
Thanks for the responses!

I think it was hazel and apple I gave before. Are the leaves ok too?

I know beech leaves are ok in small amount when new (they are edible for humans too), but are the branches?
 
Apple leaves are fine but high in calcium so don’t feed many and don’t feed often

Beech - It seems it is mostly considered safe but I have also seen it mentioned as unsafe … not sure what to think on that one, it’s not one I have myself so can’t speak from experience
 
Piggies&buns said:
Beech - It seems it is mostly considered safe but I have also seen it mentioned as unsafe … not sure what to think on that one, it’s not one I have myself so can’t speak from experience
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My German info says beech is safe, except for beech nuts because they contain too much oxalis.

Otoh maybe don't put much store in German info since Norway spruce said to be safe, whereas apparently it’s not.
 
YvonneBlue said:
My piggies love Willow, especially at this time of year when they have young fresh leaves. My local park don't mind me harvesting from their weeping willows as they have to trim them back every year.
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I know willow is loved by most creatures, I’m just cautious because of the aspirin. When my sheep get unwell, they strip the bark off willow trees.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
My German info says beech is safe, except for beech nuts because they contain too much oxalis.

Otoh maybe don't put much store in German info since Norway spruce said to be safe, whereas apparently it’s not.
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It would make sense for it to be safe, it is safe for us and we are pretty weird creatures when it comes to which leaves we can/can’t eat.

I’m sure I used to feed them the new leaves that come in in the spring.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Apple leaves are fine but high in calcium so don’t feed many and don’t feed often

Beech - It seems it is mostly considered safe but I have also seen it mentioned as unsafe … not sure what to think on that one, it’s not one I have myself so can’t speak from experience
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That’s what I remember. Thank you for confirming.

I’m sure I used to feed small quantities of beech when the leaves were new in the spring. Perhaps it is like bamboo and the answers are really mixed. I’ve always fed the bamboo in my garden without issue, but there are so many species that some may be unsafe.
 
Pantalaimon said:
It would make sense for it to be safe, it is safe for us and we are pretty weird creatures when it comes to which leaves we can/can’t eat.
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Safe plants for one animal are supposedly not always safe for another animal! Germans eat the new tips of Norway spruce branches in the spring, it tastes lemony. Maybe it's not specially good for humans after all, but since we're so much bigger than guineas it doesn't do us in?
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
Safe plants for one animal are supposedly not always safe for another animal! Germans eat the new tips of Norway spruce branches in the spring, it tastes lemony. Maybe it's not specially good for humans after all, but since we're so much bigger than guineas it doesn't do us in?
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Oh absolutely. We can eat avocados after all!
 
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