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Post by SiLamb on May 12, 2015 17:56:47 GMT
Hubby suggested using our FoodSaver. I plan on using that the next time I open a bag which I'm close to doing.
Thanks piggles.
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Post by 3piggles on May 12, 2015 18:41:28 GMT
That's what we have, and the pellets stay fresh for a long time
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Post by terrijanson on May 13, 2015 15:53:34 GMT
Do you have to give a vit C supplement? I thought they got enough from the vit C enriched pellets and I give green/red pepper and vegies high in vit C. I thought this was ok, but now after reading this thread, I'm not sure??
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Post by 3piggles on May 13, 2015 16:10:30 GMT
Yes, that's fine, terrijanson. I give the syringe of orange juice to keep the pigs used to taking liquids from a syringe, and I use orange juice for the C and because the pigs like it. I never used a supplement, though some people do.
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Post by terrijanson on May 13, 2015 22:56:53 GMT
Oh I'm glad. I was starting to get worried that I was not supplying enough C for them. I have switched to oxbow natural science pellets and I'm told they are GMO free.
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Post by Bean on May 14, 2015 9:55:12 GMT
I've never supplemented either - mine get a small amount of pellets, but get daily greens/ veg which definitely cover that requirement.
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Post by 3piggles on May 14, 2015 15:42:36 GMT
I think the C supplements may have come about as 1) a way to sell more products, and 2) a response to some of the lesser brands of pellets, that don't have much C. Kaytee and L&M are two brands to avoid, in the US. Not sure how the different brands rate in Canada or the UK.
My syringe feeding the morning orange juice has created a series of pigs who love taking liquid from syringes. None of them like Baytril, which is really foul stuff, but most other meds are welcomed.
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Post by bootygurl on May 16, 2015 0:35:00 GMT
I'm headed to vet tech school in the new year (very excited and will be taking an extension course on small animal care. I will ask the small animal professor when I meet him/her about the effects of calcium in vit C supplements. I don't use supplements. We have easy access to peppers and other fresh veggies so they get daily fresh veggies. The food I use is called Health Diet and it has added C. I keep it in a sealed tub so it doesn't lose its potency.
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Post by 3piggles on May 16, 2015 20:42:15 GMT
Jicama (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachyrhizus_erosus) has a great deal of C, but I'm not sure if it's good for guinea pigs, or if guinea pigs like it. A little bit would go a long way. It's from the legume family, which is why I don't know about feeding it to piggies. Calcium and vitamin A are the two things to avoid with piggies, which is why carrots are only fed in limited amounts. Guinealynx has a fruit/veg chart with a breakdown of nutrients important to guinea pigs. It's worth having when shopping for piggy veggies: www.guinealynx.info/diet_vegs.htmlI think the idea of pellets losing C is as much about once it's in the bowl, as how it's stored. Storing in a sealed container will keep the C in the pellets until they are served. Once served, and the pellets are exposed to the air, the C goes quickly. Not only is the 1/8-1/4 cup per pig serving size good for their weight, if a very limited amount of pellets are put in the bowl at one time, fewer lose their C before the pigs can eat them. My pigs eat very few pellets, and I've cut their serving down to about 1/8 cup per day for the two of them. I still have a few to toss each time I clean the cage. I do think it's best to provide C in a variety of ways, simply because it's impossible to tell how much C pigs are getting from the pellets, either from how many they eat, or how good the pellets were when eaten. Just because the pellets are being eaten doesn't mean one pig isn't eating most of the pellets, and getting most of the C, while the others aren't. I just don't like giving a synthetic supplement, when I can give them veggies with the C, instead.
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