COVID-19 Veggies during Covid19

Grouchydaddybear

Grouchydaddybear

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Good morning all!

I'm having a hard time finding information on this as obviously it is the unthinkable...

While currently we are all okay in the UK and not quarantined ect, we are increasingly thinking about our little piggies in case this happens.

What are peoples plans to continue to feed their piggies fresh veg if they are unable to buy it?

Now I'm not just saying because you can't go out so get someone to get it for you. We are thinking about the completely other end of the spectrum, shops are closed and deliveries of fresh veg aren't happening.

We don't have a garden and so if we even started to grow veg on windowsills, it won't be ready in time for sure. Also, we live hundreds of miles from friends and family so really we know noone in our area.

Great to hear if anyone else has thought about any plans.

Matt!
 
I think the best thing then, would be to stock some bell peppers now,

Stock hay now

Get a few tubs of multivitamin like pro c to syringe with water.
 
I've planted some coriander, parsley and grass seeds in window box planters on my window sills, but there is no indication that even badly affected countries are running out of fresh food or closing food shops- apart from the irrational toilet rolls and hand sanitiser panic buying, there is no indication that fresh produce is in short supply anywhere!
 
Thanks for your tips!

SkyPipDotBernie said:
I think the best thing then, would be to stock some bell peppers now,

Stock hay now

Get a few tubs of multivitamin like pro c to syringe with water.
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We have a lot of hay so we arent worried there as well as pellets and bedding. I love the idea of bell peppers, they last a while for sure! Thanks!

PigglePuggle said:
I've planted some coriander, parsley and grass seeds in window box planters on my window sills, but there is no indication that even badly affected countries are running out of fresh food or closing food shops- apart from the irrational toilet rolls and hand sanitiser panic buying, there is no indication that fresh produce is in short supply anywhere!
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I absolutely love the idea of grass seeds in a window box! We can definitely do that and can even be good for the future too! We are looking at this idea now and even thinking about planting some watercress and coriander for variety!

Thank you so much! :)
 
I'm not really making plans. I will carry on picking up veg in the normal way and if we go on lockdown and it is impossible to buy veg then hopefully it won't be for too long. Hay is 80% of their diet anyway so as long as I don't run out of that that's the main thing. In an absolute emergency the piggies would have to make do just like us humans
 
Grouchydaddybear said:
Now I'm not just saying because you can't go out so get someone to get it for you. We are thinking about the completely other end of the spectrum, shops are closed and deliveries of fresh veg aren't happening.
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I panic-ordered more hay for my girls yesterday and hope it'll be delivered (I live in Belgium and we're very near lockdown). (And yes, while other people hoard toilet paper, I buy hay. Only other guinea pigs slaves will understand.)
I guess that's the one thing they really need to survive. They may pout if I'm unable to provide fresh veggies for a few days, but they'll survive so long as they have hay. (And I have some pellets, and vit C just in case).

Storing veggies is complicated; after a week in the fridge, they tend to get dry anyway.

That being said, when I get too stressed, I remind myself that even in Italy, where things are very bad, the stores are open for food and medicine. ::fingers crossed::
 
So my personal opinion is that Hay is my priority. Its a massive 80% of the diet and they need to graze to keep everything moving.

Vit C is added to nuggets and whilst it may of deteriorated somewhat in storage there is likely to be some to sustain piggies in the short term.

I've had lots of foster piggies come in that were on atrosious diets and whilst its not great and obviously needs fixing many of the piggies had no signs of ill health at all.

Obviously as good pet parents we should feed the ideal, but if thats not possible because of means beyond our control then all we can do is our best. In an emergancy your piggies will make do.
 
Herbs, cut again lettuce and grass come up quickly when planted indoors (window ledge/greenhouse). Staggered planting is a good idea to keep supply coming. I've got basil, parsley and corriander on the kitchen window ledge at the moment and will keep replanting. It will only be enough for a daily treat rather than the quantities of veg mine are used to but I do have lawns.
 
Just been to the shops and basically everything I feed my piggies are gone.
Fresh supplies maybe not be stopped.
But all them ejits hoarding and bulk buying are gunna cause problems for my piggies
 
Helen C said:
I panic-ordered more hay for my girls yesterday and hope it'll be delivered (I live in Belgium and we're very near lockdown). (And yes, while other people hoard toilet paper, I buy hay. Only other guinea pigs slaves will understand.)
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:)) Bless you
 
Just ordered 5kg box of meadow hay from Haybox. We have another 2.5 kg box of meadow hay, four 1.13kg bags of Oxbow Orchard Hay, one 2.55kg bag of Oxbow Hay Blends and hubby just ordered 2 bags of Oxbow Timothy hay. I think that would cover the piggies at the moment. We can't stock up on fresh salad and veggies coz it'll just go off after a couple of days. So what we are currently doing is having it ordered online every 2 or 3 days to be delivered. I do buy cucumber the most though for the piggies.
 
I have plenty of hay in - 2 large bags of Meadow hay from B&M, 3 smaller bags from B&M and from The Range. I have nuggets, Hay cookies and 2 packs of that Dandelion Salad mix stuff...

The pigs will not be happy if their veggies stop but as long as they have Hay, they will be ok - Won't they? I don't want to panic at all...
 
The only question is, if we got into lockdown in the UK, we don't know how long itl last, so its best for you to go way ott on stock rather than hoping you have enough. But that's the main reason why stockpiling is happening with toilet paper. Its a tough one really, cause its selfish but sometimes you got to be
 
The pigs will not be happy if their veggies stop but as long as they have Hay, they will be ok - Won't they? I don't want to panic at all...
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Yes they will.

Mine are already on rations as yesterdays shop managed to source 2 bags of kale and the smallest bag of sweet peppers.
 
amy104 said:
Yes they will.

Mine are already on rations as yesterdays shop managed to source 2 bags of kale and the smallest bag of sweet peppers.
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i have been out today and it was way busier than normal - although i don't usually food shop on a Friday I managed to get everything for the piggies..... plenty of stock etc... long may it last!
 
It's really quiet at my local shopping centre (has been all week), plenty of fresh veg at the moment. It's a shame cucumbers won't keep, they were reduced to 9p today!
 
piggieminder said:
It's really quiet at my local shopping centre (has been all week), plenty of fresh veg at the moment. It's a shame cucumbers won't keep, they were reduced to 9p today!
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no veg keeps well does it really :no: shame they can't have frozen veggies ( i know they can't - just saying )
 
I don't normally feed pellets but I've bought a bag to have on standby, and I'm going to be ordering some liquid vitamin C in case I get too sick to go and pick grass and wild plants, although luckily I live a few houses down from a nature walk that often has lots of free piggy food!
I need to get some more hay and shavings as they're due a clean out but I don't think I'll be stockpiling shavings. I have bathmats in an emergency. I don't think getting hay will be much of a problem around here but I have a few bags extra just in case.
 
Eriathwen said:
I don't normally feed pellets but I've bought a bag to have on standby, and I'm going to be ordering some liquid vitamin C in case I get too sick to go and pick grass and wild plants, although luckily I live a few houses down from a nature walk that often has lots of free piggy food!
I need to get some more hay and shavings as they're due a clean out but I don't think I'll be stockpiling shavings. I have bathmats in an emergency. I don't think getting hay will be much of a problem around here but I have a few bags extra just in case.
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Where will you get the liquid c from? is this essential? sorry - i just don't know so just asking....
 
artcasper said:
Where will you get the liquid c from? is this essential? sorry - i just don't know so just asking....
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A few places online do it, iherb had it but is now out of stock, should be on Amazon though! I'm only getting it as I want my Osteodystrophy pigs to have some just in case, they seem to get a bit stiff on a normal amount. An extra slice of bell pepper each is usually enough but if vets end up closing I figured it's better safe than sorry.
 
Grouchydaddybear said:
Good morning all!

I'm having a hard time finding information on this as obviously it is the unthinkable...

While currently we are all okay in the UK and not quarantined ect, we are increasingly thinking about our little piggies in case this happens.

What are peoples plans to continue to feed their piggies fresh veg if they are unable to buy it?

Now I'm not just saying because you can't go out so get someone to get it for you. We are thinking about the completely other end of the spectrum, shops are closed and deliveries of fresh veg aren't happening.

We don't have a garden and so if we even started to grow veg on windowsills, it won't be ready in time for sure. Also, we live hundreds of miles from friends and family so really we know noone in our area.

Great to hear if anyone else has thought about any plans.

Matt!
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Hi!

In a pinch your piggies can go without fresh veg for several weeks. They do the exactly same when they are seriously ill and need syringe feeding fibre, sometimes over longer periods.

Food shops will be exempt from closure even if any other shops are being closed down in your area or a wider part of the country. Please don't make things worse by panic buying and then ending up with a lot of spoiled and wasted fresh food that others would have urgently needed.

Network with your neighbours so you can help each other out with shopping trips if necessary. You won't be ALL ill at exactly the same time and can supply each other in turn if necessary.
Not everybody will catch the virus in the first place (in any illness there is a certain percentage of the populations that is naturally immune to it; usually around 10%) and the majority of people will just be feeling rather off for about 5 days or not have much in the way of symptoms. Only a percentage will develop secondary complications that need hospital treatment.
People who are over an infection and are no longer contagious can increasingly help those still in quarantine during and after the peak. The more you network, the better you can help each other through this on the local level.
This is something that is going to take several months to get through; it is not a matter of buy now and then be covered for the duration.

As to veg, just make use of what is available at any time and don't be too fussy. Your piggies will survive. What I would however recommend is to have some extra hay in as that is their main diet and may not be supplied during bigger closures.

Worried about Covid-19 (coronavirus) transmission risk to your cavies and care during illness?
 
artcasper said:
I meant the vitamin c :doh: but I am not worried like you said previously..
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Hay contains some vitamin C and so do pellets - it just doesn't all disappear in the process. Keep in mind that fresh grass is high in it, which is the reason why guinea pigs are not making their own in the first place.

If necessary, get some Oxbow vitamin C or some human one if you are going for a longer spell without vitamin C and access to fresh veg or grass. But don't overdo it just because you are panicking right now. Keeping food supply lines open as much as possible is one of the main concerns of any government in the coming months.
I would strongly recommend that you get some herb pots which contain lots of plants and plant them out into more pots to allow them to bulk out and start a cut-and-come round. Herbs are very good source of vitamin C.
 
Pea shoots are an easy thing to grow on your windowsill and can be eaten by piggies and humans. And for humans, radishes are about one of the easiest and quickest veg to grow, ready in about four to six weeks. (Not suggesting that there won't be enough fresh veg available, just offering tips!)
 
Wiebke said:
Hay contains some vitamin C and so do pellets - it just doesn't all disappear in the process. Keep in mind that fresh grass is high in it, which is the reason why guinea pigs are not making their own in the first place.

If necessary, get some Oxbow vitamin C or some human one if you are going for a longer spell without vitamin C and access to fresh veg or grass. But don't overdo it just because you are panicking right now. Keeping food supply lines open as much as possible is one of the main concerns of any government in the coming months.
I would strongly recommend that you get some herb pots which contain lots of plants and plant them out into more pots to allow them to bulk out and start a cut-and-come round. Herbs are very good source of vitamin C.
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I have plenty of hay! I am rubbish at growing anything.... Just spoke to a neighbour and I said ' if you grow any herbs let me know for the piggies '.... my dad is good at growing stuff so will get him on the case for me... just in case lol!
 
Skullblits said:
Just been to the shops and basically everything I feed my piggies are gone.
Fresh supplies maybe not be stopped.
But all them ejits hoarding and bulk buying are gunna cause problems for my piggies
Click to expand...
make sure you have hay and pellets in, and maybe get a bit c supplement. grow coriander, for vit c 👍
good luck
 
i will buy some bales of hay,the indoor piggies will have to be on fleece.maybe go foraging when the weather gets better,i usually do this in the spring and summer and reduce there veg intake ! i will be knocking on my neighbours doors to see if any help shopping needed.keeping myself well so i can help at the hospitals as i am a nurse !this maybe means more community spirit and thinking of others becomes a priority again.
 
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