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What is the lowest calcium diet I can possibly do?

Dilly's Piggies

Dilly's Piggies

Teenage Guinea Pig
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I've been fighting a year long battle with my guinea pigs, I have 9, 4 of them have chronic bladder issues. I've done so much switching and trial & error with their pellets, hay and veggies but nothing seems to change, I don't know what to do. I'm now thinking about cutting out pellets and veggies, and feeding them fresh grass with hay instead, extremely basic. My vet even recommended giving them rain water to drink instead of filtering as it can unbalance the water, I have no idea. Can someone tell me the lowest calcium diet possible I can try and if I'll need any supplements alongside? Thanks, I really am trying my hardest and I feel like a failure.
 
It's not easy is it - one of mine needs a low calcium diet too. The vet sent me the list through from the guinea lynx site and said to stick to veg below the grey lines.

Have you seen that? Corn seems to be one of the lowest. My pigs like the baby corns but not the cobs.

I have seen posters on gpf saying they cut romaine lettuce from their low calcium diet pigs intakes but romaine is under the grey lines so i do give that sometimes. And pepper, bit of carrot.

My pig is terminally ill though with liver problems so, although i am also sticking with low calcium for his sludgy bladder, it's maybe not the end of the world if i have made a mistake with the romaine. Will try and post link to the chart.
 
If you give rain water, filter it aswell. But with summer coming up, its a bit of a strange thing to say
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I feed mainly a hay and grass diet and have had piggies come here with chronic bladder issues, that haven’t had any recurring problems since the diet change.
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I have been copying this diet now since you advised me months ago, and Dots poos have been much better and healthier looking. Their has been advise given on this forum by another experienced member about alot of grass being bad , but Simon our vet says it is the best thing they can eat. So il stick with that
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
I have been copying this diet now since you advised me months ago, and Dots poos have been much better and healthier looking. Their has been advise given on this forum by another experienced member about alot of grass being bad , but Simon our vet says it is the best thing they can eat. So il stick with that
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You introduce it slowly, as you would with any diet change, but it’s the very best thing you can feed.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I feed mainly a hay and grass diet and have had piggies come here with chronic bladder issues, that haven’t had any recurring problems since the diet change.
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Sorry to be a bit thick but what exactly is the grass and hay diet?

Is it grass and hay with nothing else added? The calcium content in grass can be high can't it - especially in limestone areas?

Is it a bought grass like reddi grass you're using?

TIA
 
tabelmabel said:
Sorry to be a bit thick but what exactly is the grass and hay diet?

Is it grass and hay with nothing else added? The calcium content in grass can be high can't it - especially in limestone areas?

Is it a bought grass like reddi grass you're using?

TIA
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She lets her pigs graze alot in her garden on the lawn. @furryfriends (TEAS) . She can tell you more👍
 
Readigrass is supposed to be a complimentary feed, not an everyday feed. Its rich apparently. Its all very confusing. I feed timothy hay , fresh grass, grainless pellets ( 1 tblspoon per pig per day.)and high vit c veg.

Grass is moist so it should be fine
 
Thanks - will be interested to hear! Bit cold here in Scotland for the lawn. I did pick some grass today as the pigs love it and then read it can be high in calcium so i am looking forward to hearing if most grass is ok or not
 
tabelmabel said:
Thanks - will be interested to hear! Bit cold here in Scotland for the lawn. I did pick some grass today as the pigs love it and then read it can be high in calcium so i am looking forward to hearing if most grass is ok or not
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I think the whole calcium thing can get out of hand, it only takes having one pig woth a bladder stone and your brain goes in overdrive. My vet thinks its pellets that are the main cause, alot of people over feed them and dont use the best ones. Its not their natural diet
 
That is interesting! My pigs have always been on oxbow cavy cuisine - I'm not sure if that's a good one or not for calcium. They definitely haven't been overfed on them though as i used to have one of those guinea pig anti tip bowls which was tiny but apparently contained enough pellets, when full, for 2 adult pigs. So i have always stuck to a small amount even though i chucked the bowl out accidentally ages ago.

My pig has sludge which isn't yet stones but, tbh, i don't think he will go on much longer with his liver problems as he is rapidly losing weight, poor boy. I just don't want him to develop stones to add to everything else and to keep himas comfortable as possible in his final days or weeks.

My vet did advise low calcium veg though so I'm staying away from kale and parsley.

If i am at fault in anyway - it's parsley. That was Benson's favourite thing of all and he probably had far too much.
However, he is an old boy and he has lived a healthy life until recently so will try to keep that in mind
 
tabelmabel said:
Sorry to be a bit thick but what exactly is the grass and hay diet?

Is it grass and hay with nothing else added? The calcium content in grass can be high can't it - especially in limestone areas?

Is it a bought grass like reddi grass you're using?

TIA
Click to expand...

I feed mainly hay and grass, with a small amount of veg and nuggets fed as a treat and scattered in the hay, to encourage foraging.

There is a lot of thought, within the veterinary profession, that stress may be playing a large part in guinea pig urinary tract issues. Rather like the feline idiopathic cystitis, which can be caused by stress. Bladders don't react well to stress and anxiety. Just think about how we are, if we are worried about something. We keep needing to go for a pee. Basically, nowadays a lot of guinea pigs are kept indoors, all year round. They are kept in busy parts of our homes, where there may be other pets, children, loud noises, television and we handle them a lot. For a prey animal, this can be quite stressful. I tend not to handle the guinea pigs very much, as I prefer to watch them interact with one another, rather than sit on me. They spend a lot of time outdoors in a run, with plenty of hidies, so they can feel safe and they are eating a very natural diet. Grass contains a lot of water and it helps keep the bladder flushed. There is a lot more to be looked at with regard to this, but it does make sense to me.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I feed mainly hay and grass, with a small amount of veg and nuggets fed as a treat and scattered in the hay, to encourage foraging.

There is a lot of thought, within the veterinary profession, that stress may be playing a large part in guinea pig urinary tract issues. Rather like the feline idiopathic cystitis, which can be caused by stress. Bladders don't react well to stress and anxiety. Just think about how we are, if we are worried about something. We keep needing to go for a pee. Basically, nowadays a lot of guinea pigs are kept indoors, all year round. They are kept in busy parts of our homes, where there may be other pets, children, loud noises, television and we handle them a lot. For a prey animal, this can be quite stressful. I tend not to handle the guinea pigs very much, as I prefer to watch them interact with one another, rather than sit on me. They spend a lot of time outdoors in a run, with plenty of hidies, so they can feel safe and they are eating a very natural diet. Grass contains a lot of water and it helps keep the bladder flushed. There is a lot more to be looked at with regard to this, but it does make sense to me.
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I am the same with handling my two, i dont do lap time atall now, just floor time where i just sit a a distance and watch them interact.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Animal behaviour is fascinating.
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Yes it is. Cats are my current animal that amaze me. When i go out to pick grass for the pigs at night, both local cats will chase me down and play fight with me, and then dust bath in the flower beds. I have started to rub my head on one of them, like she does to me, and it has made her very friendly towards me now
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I feed mainly hay and grass, with a small amount of veg and nuggets fed as a treat and scattered in the hay, to encourage foraging.

There is a lot of thought, within the veterinary profession, that stress may be playing a large part in guinea pig urinary tract issues. Rather like the feline idiopathic cystitis, which can be caused by stress. Bladders don't react well to stress and anxiety. Just think about how we are, if we are worried about something. We keep needing to go for a pee. Basically, nowadays a lot of guinea pigs are kept indoors, all year round. They are kept in busy parts of our homes, where there may be other pets, children, loud noises, television and we handle them a lot. For a prey animal, this can be quite stressful. I tend not to handle the guinea pigs very much, as I prefer to watch them interact with one another, rather than sit on me. They spend a lot of time outdoors in a run, with plenty of hidies, so they can feel safe and they are eating a very natural diet. Grass contains a lot of water and it helps keep the bladder flushed. There is a lot more to be looked at with regard to this, but it does make sense to me.
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I very much agree with this when thinking of Podrick's issues. He's a very anxious pig naturally so I spend a limited amount of time with him. He's very wary around other pigs and doesn't settle during floor or lap time. He has had cystitis type issues on and off his whole life.

Anselmo wasn't a skittish pig and he was the only pig I've had who had bladder stones. So I do think there are other causes. However, he never had an issue until I moved to Leicester. Within a fortnight he was crying when peeing. I blamed the change in water from soft to hard. But could the stress of the move contributed to it.

It would be really interesting to find out more.
 
@Jaycey I also think stress has paid a part in Nigel's recent bladder issue. He's never had bladder problems before, but his little friend, Ted, recently passed away and Nigel has now been bonded with another piggy, who he is very happy with. However, it has been a stressful time for Nigel, especially as he is blind/deaf.

I am not saying that all bladder issues are stress related, but I think many are.
 
Just want to check on this grass issue .. I usually start introducing grass into my GP's diets in the spring … but I've had to stop as we've had a few frosts recently - I am right in saying Guinea Pigs shouldn't eat grass that has been in a frost aren't I?
 
Veggies Galore said:
Just want to check on this grass issue .. I usually start introducing grass into my GP's diets in the spring … but I've had to stop as we've had a few frosts recently - I am right in sayIing Guinea Pigs shouldn't eat grass that has been in a frost aren't I?
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The guinea pigs at TEAS have picked grass all year round. Obviously not when it is frozen but if the temperature is above freezing, I pick grass for them.
 
Veggies Galore said:
Just want to check on this grass issue .. I usually start introducing grass into my GP's diets in the spring … but I've had to stop as we've had a few frosts recently - I am right in saying Guinea Pigs shouldn't eat grass that has been in a frost aren't I?
Click to expand...
I always thought that it was just if it was actually frozen not if it has been frosted and then defrosted if you know what l mean! I wouldn't put them out to graze if the lawn had been frosty overnight but l have picked grass once it's warmed up
 
Veggies Galore said:
Let's try this another way .... is this good advice ?
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I tend to only pick it once it has defrosted. However, when needing grass, if this is the only thing a piggy will eat and it is frozen, I have picked and brought in and waited for it to defrost at room temperature.
 
I’ve had two piggies now with ongoing IC. Ellen has had it for over 3 years now.

I feed peppers, cucumber, green bean, little gem, coriander twice a day and a little mini corn coblet as a treat. They have filtered water and a tablespoon of Harrington’s pellets a day as well as plenty of hay. Sadly my grass hasn’t been fit for consumption all winter but it’s starting to grow again now. I did run the diet past my vet when my first piggy presented with IC and she said it’s perfect for bladder pigs.

Ellen has sadly had a lot of stress since living with me as in her 4 years, she has sadly lost 3 friends :( The piggies do however live in their own room which is quiet and away from the rest of the animals and noise. When I have her and her neutered husboar out for lap time, I place a fleece blanket by my side on the settee and have a quick cuddle with them at the same time as they much prefer to be with each other than with me.

Thankfully Ellen’s (and previously Emma’s) IC has always been on the mild side
 
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Ok, so now things are a bit calmer, can someone please tell me why it is bad to feed un naturally thawed out grass ? For example picking it and bringing it indoors and then a quick blow on a low hair dryer setting.

Is this any different to morning as of lately, where we have frost, but the sun later on in the day allows you to let your pigs out on a dry lawn? Would be interesting to find out. Cheers.

If anything is bad, i will stop doing it. After all i am no expert with guinea pigs, i do post alot of threads asking questions as you will have seen.👍
 
maybe this link will explain the blade damage that can be caused by even a light frost.

Light Frost Effects on Grass

I'd be concerned myself that picking grass while still frosted could further damage the cells in the grass.
 
Veggies Galore said:
maybe this link will explain the blade damage that can be caused by even a light frost.

Light Frost Effects on Grass

I'd be concerned myself that picking grass while still frosted could further damage the cells in the grass.
Click to expand...
Thanks il take a good look at this, sorry if you took me the wrong way, any problems in the future( hope not) just p.m. i dont like upsetting anyone. I just want to get along with people.
 
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