Vitamin C in hay?

[Claire W]

For my own peace of mind and sanity and so that I can stop worrying about something else, can someone please confirm that piggies get vitamin C from their hay? My girls seem to have gone off peppers again and I’m worried they’re not getting enough vitamin C

 

[Piggies&buns]

Dont worry Claire.
There is also vit c in every type of vegetable - not just peppers - and also in their pellets.
Also some in their hay

 

[Claire W]

Dont worry Claire.
There is also vit c in every type of vegetable - not just peppers - and also in their pellets.
Also some in their hay

Thank you. It’s just I’ve read that guinea pigs can lose their teeth due to vitamin C deficiency so I’ve been worried that’s how Ella’s incisor has broken

 

[Wiebke]

For my own peace of mind and sanity and so that I can stop worrying about something else, can someone please confirm that piggies get vitamin C from their hay? My girls seem to have gone off peppers again and I’m worried they’re not getting enough vitamin C

Hi

There is vitamin C in pellets, in every veg (not just in peppers), quite a bit fresh growing grass and fresh dandelion at this time of year (please introduce slowly) and even a bit in hay although not loads; still considering the quantity they eat each day it does all add up. Offer a bit more coriander, grass and dandelion if you can.
Your girls won't develop scurvy just from a few days off pepper. It takes a whole lot more.

 

[Claire W]

Hi

There is vitamin C in pellets, in every veg (not just in peppers), quite a bit fresh growing grass and fresh dandelion at this time of year (please introduce slowly) and even a bit in hay although not loads; still considering the quantity they eat each day it does all add up. Offer a bit more coriander, grass and dandelion if you can.
Your girls won't develop scurvy just from a few days off pepper. It takes a whole lot more.

Thank you. I’ve started introducing them back to grass ready for them to go out when the weather warms up

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. I’ve started introducing them back to grass ready for them to go out when the weather warms up

Readygrass doesn't count as preparation for the lawn season. It is not fresh grass, which is what the gut microbiome needs to adapt to. It is dried grass and falls under the hay category; just that it is too rich to feed like hay and shouls be rather seen as an enrichment in the hay category.

 

[Claire W]

Readygrass doesn't count as preparation for the lawn season. It is not fresh grass, which is what the gut microbiome needs to adapt to. It is dried grass and falls under the hay category; just that it is too rich to feed like hay and shouls be rather seen as an enrichment in the hay category.

It’s fresh grass that they are having albeit not much as our lawn isn’t great from the winter weather, I don’t feed ready grass

 

[Wiebke]

It’s fresh grass that they are having albeit not much as our lawn isn’t great from the winter weather, I don’t feed ready grass

Just gradually up the amount as the season develops. It gives their gut microbiome time to adjust and up the percentage of digestive bacteria that specialise on processing grass. Grass at this time of the year is richest in vitamin C.

 

[Claire W]

Just gradually up the amount as the season develops. It gives their gut microbiome time to adjust and up the percentage of digestive bacteria that specialise on processing grass. Grass at this time of the year is richest in vitamin C.

Thank you, I will do

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, I will do

Fresh grass is of course also ideal for keeping the teeth ground down, just as much as any grass hay - the are the same silica rich fibre.