Weekly / monthly food costs per head

[Meerschweinchen_Blackforest]

I was just wondering if anyone keeps track of how much they spend per piggie weekly or monthly. I'm very new to having Piggies in my care and I'm trying to balance my budget and I could do with some round about figures on how much you spend on Hay, pellets and veggies and if anyone else follows a frugal lifestyle and how you manage the costs / keep costs down.

I do have a garden which I am currently converting into a grow space and have some seedlings started, originally the plan was to grow to supplement our diet but now with an extra 3 mouths to feed I need to rethink this. I will be planting an animal lawn which I can have 3 cuts out of per year so I'll be able to harvest my own hay, I have a home apothecary garden which supplies me with fresh herbs and a poly tunnel for growing cucumbers and tomatoes. In the summer months I shouldn't really have too much costs, plus with foraging on top it should be quite cheap.

I am also lucky enough to have a fair bit of storage space so I can store for winter.

Looking forward to hearing your tips and tricks for keeping costs down.

 

[Lorcan]

As far as hay is concerned, if you can supplement it with grass regularly often you'd be fine but I know just how much hay I go through just with two guinea pigs and I'd struggle if I could only get what I'd grow no matter the size of available growing space. You've also got to take into account the chance you might have a spoiled harvest, or that they won't eat that specific grass hay (mine won't eat meadow hay, because it's too soft )

Not that it's a bad idea, but be prepared to supplement it with hay bought from outside. Hay isn't just food, it's also bedding, enrichment, it makes an excellent toilet, the list goes on. It's the one thing you eat too much of instead of too little.

As far as pellets go, I go with what's easiest for to buy. My pair will eat several different types because I don't want them just eating the one and being even fussier than they already, but they don't eat many pellets anyway, it's the tiniest part of their regular diet.

 

[Betsy]

Its a good idea to set up a vet fund as you can guarantee that your piggies will need to see a vet when the money is tightest and you haven't been paid yet. Put a bit away each month into a separate bank account and it'll soon mount up then you know that the money is there when you need it and won't have to worry about an expensive vet bill.