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Post by guineap1gl0ver1 on Feb 26, 2018 1:36:20 GMT
I just got puff from a pet store near me today. They said he is about 6 months and he has been there for 3 months. I went home and gave him two slices of cucumbers. So I called and asked on my way to get more veggies for him and my other piggy. So maybe I thought he didn't like cucumbers and maybe he liked something else. They answered I asked and said they only gave him pellets, hay and veggie treat snacks (I'm guessing the compressed fake veggies) but not fresh veggies. So now 6 months later he just smelled a veggie. We I was there talking to the manager and she feed her own guinea pig veggies. So I know she knows guinea pigs get veggies. What do I need to do to get him to eat veggies.  |
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 26, 2018 1:57:45 GMT
Ooh, he's gorgeous! Not to worry. If he wants to eat veggies, he will. He will pick which ones he likes. He hasn't be exposed to them before, so they're a whole new thing to him. Just put pieces of different veggies in the cage, and if he doesn't eat them by the end of the day, toss them out and try again the next day. He will become familiar with them, at his own pace. Also, veggies and fruits are purely treats. Pigs don't need them as part of the diet, which should be 80% hay and 20% pellets, with unlimited fresh water. So don't worry if he isn't eating veggies. He's just skipping dessert  This is a link to the GuineaLynx fruit and veggie nutrients charts: www.guinealynx.info/chart.htmlAvoid foods high in Vitamin A, Calcium and sodium. Go for foods high in Vitamin C. The charts have all that information |
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Post by Bean on Feb 26, 2018 9:36:38 GMT
I'd just keep offering small bits of a variety of veg too - I'm sure his interest will be piqued at some point! Is your other pig going to be a companion for him? Often it's having competition for food that makes them try stuff as they think if someone else looks excited about it, there must be good reason! This is a great page on Guinea Lynx about diet. Mine get veggies twice a day and it's a great way for them to get vitamins and nutrients fresh at the source, as well as making their diet more interesting. I rarely feed fruits as they're higher in sugar than is ideal for them. Pellets are really designed to be a complete feed if they're not getting a variety of fresh foods as they have the vitamins and minerals added (provided they're stored correctly), so I'm sure your guy will be fine in the meantime if he's eating his pellets. He's definitely a cutie! |
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Post by guineap1gl0ver1 on Feb 26, 2018 16:43:06 GMT
I'd just keep offering small bits of a variety of veg too - I'm sure his interest will be piqued at some point! Is your other pig going to be a companion for him? Often it's having competition for food that makes them try stuff as they think if someone else looks excited about it, there must be good reason! This is a great page on Guinea Lynx about diet. Mine get veggies twice a day and it's a great way for them to get vitamins and nutrients fresh at the source, as well as making their diet more interesting. I rarely feed fruits as they're higher in sugar than is ideal for them. Pellets are really designed to be a complete feed if they're not getting a variety of fresh foods as they have the vitamins and minerals added (provided they're stored correctly), so I'm sure your guy will be fine in the meantime if he's eating his pellets. He's definitely a cutie! Mine get 4 small slices in the morning and night. My 1 year old is a fatty he loves his veggies. This one is my other one. I split the cage almost in half but my 1 year old has a bigger half. Just so they can smell each other.  |
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 26, 2018 16:47:17 GMT
Midwest cage. Good choice. If I ever go with a store bought cage again, it will be a Midwest.
While I give my pigs mini treats during the day, depending on what I have, and what I'm doing, I usually only give them treats during meals. They have a treats bowl, and I put veggies in it for the meals we eat sitting at the table. Pigloo City is in the dining area, right by the table, so they know when we're sitting down to eat.
The one fruit I give them is a blueberry each, once a day. Blueberry has some extra sugar in it, but it's also a super fruit, so I figure one berrie each a day will do more good than harm.
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Post by Bean on Feb 26, 2018 19:05:43 GMT
Oooh look at that handsome boy, he's stunning! What do they make of each other through the divide? Interested, excited, agitated, indifferent?!
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Post by mcbrooke1 on Feb 27, 2018 6:17:15 GMT
When I first rescued my little guinea piggies in July of last year, they were already 2 years old and had NEVER had fruits or veggies before in their lives! I was concerned too because neither of them were in interested in eating any. VERY SLOWLY - they started to eat some of the Romaine Lettuce and for about 4 months, the only things they would eat are romaine lettuce, carrots, and in time cucumber skin slices. As time passed, I was able to add in red and green peppers. Zelda will only eat the red ones and Tizzle will only eat the green ones. Cracks me up. And those 5 veggies have been the staple the last 7 months. UNTIL - my 2 little piggies got very sick and one had surgery - so they have and continue to spend a lot of time in the hospital and ER. I just found out recently that at the hospital, Tizzle and Zelda are fed cilantro, parsley, and basil. These little piggies had been eating other veggies behind my back Now they go bonkers for cilantro and parsley when I surprise them with it. The fresh basil leaves... not so much. Total dud. It's taken 8 months to come this far with the veggies. I would say give it some time. And introduce the veggies very slowly and one by one to see how they react to them. Be selective what you give them - some veggies are prone to cause gas and bloat which is very serious. I'm 8 months in and my pigs still will not eat fruit - the only thing they will nibble on is a small apple wedge. Which they have maybe once or twice a month. I just make sure they get Oxbow Vitamin C treats to chew on and I choose veggies with Vitamin C. My advice is be patient, I suspect Puff will be loving veggies in no time. I was very worried for the first week or two. But slowly but surely, they started eating veggies and now - their palette has expanded! I know that a lot of piggy parents have a huge range of veggies they feed their little ones, but outside of baby carrots, my vet currently has me feeding them only green veggies. Puff is adorable and I just love that name!!!! |
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Post by jolovespiggies on Feb 27, 2018 9:07:13 GMT
He is absolutely beautiful love.
Hugs
Jo xx
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Post by gremlin40 on Jan 12, 2020 6:43:16 GMT
Awe what a cutie!
I got my lil guys to eat veggies by eating them with them lol.
Seriously, I sat with my guinea guys and chowed down while they both watched me, then I offered them some. They paused and sniffed...nibbled...Same with fresh banana...just a tiny bit for a treat.
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Post by amber89 on Jan 13, 2020 9:03:50 GMT
I would totally believe that it worked.
Considering that they learn by seeing other members of their heard eating, your strategy is a brilliant one.
I was also considering to do that with mine, but i absolutely hate veggies. LOL
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Post by 3piggles on Jan 15, 2020 2:14:45 GMT
Why not? I've never had trouble getting pigs to eat veggies, but that's a great way to get the reluctant ones to try them. Good advice and info 🤗
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Post by aridicus on Jan 16, 2020 11:08:26 GMT
IF the person that originally bred them, did NOT give veggies/fruit to the mom before the pups were weened from her, or not often enough, you'll end up with pigs that have zero clue what they are looking at when presented with a veggie. If you drop a piece of lettuce, carrot, etc., into a cage and the pig lets out a loud, singular wheek then tries moving to other side of cage, or runs and hides while trying to break line of sight, it most likely never even saw one before and is actually SCARED of it.
1. If the pig is young, can hold in one hand and rub the whisker area and cheek with the index finger on that hand. This emulates their nursing days where they'd be side by side with a sibling, going for the same nipple. While rubbing the whiskers, hold the veggie near the nose then quickly pull it away if they show interest. Repeat that several times. It mimics another pig that's already eating it, "taking" it back or moving away with it. Pig will ideally want to nibble on it which you can let it after a few pull-aways or it shows genuine interest in it. It might nibble delicately, then lose interest (while being held) or just chomp into it, or try and take it. Any of those scenarios are fine. Probably won't eat more than a few chomps then lose interest. Just put it back in the cage (with the veggie in the food bowl) and leave it be. Next time you feed it a veggie, can repeat the steps again.
2. Another, MUCH quicker way to accomplish the same task, even when dealing with boars/sows, is when you have at LEAST one other pig that's already used to eating veggies and takes them from the hand. Hold the younger pig with one hand, then get your other pig to come to the bars for a veggie. Use something long, like a piece of carrot, cucumber slice, large piece of lettuce, etc.. Hold the pup up to the bars, right in front of your other pig with the veggie between them. Let the otherr pig nibble on it, but do NOT let it take the veggie from you. The younger pig should start nibbling on it within 5-10 seconds so long as other pig is interested in the veggie. Also, if both pigs are housed together, REMOVE the younger one and follow the steps in no.2 where the pig that eats veggies is trying to eat THROUGH the bars and reluctant pig is on other side of bars trying to eat same veggie. This helps pigs that are fearful of it as they can NOT break line of sight and instead see it's "safe."
Method no. 2 works w/o a doubt the fastest. No. 1 works but usually needs subsequent attempts at other veggie feedings. It definitely helps if they are part of a sow herd while still nursing pups, as they'll learn much faster if numerous sows are going into a frenzy at feeding times and they get to witness it.
In the event of an older guinea pig refusing veggies, try method no. 1. It might get fussy, push your finger away, wheek out loudly, etc.. Focus on getting it used to being rubbed by the whisker, then introduce veggies.
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Post by gremlin40 on Jan 17, 2020 11:39:51 GMT
guineap1gl0ver1
Omg try them on kiwi lol.
Make sure to remove the skin... it's rough so it's a choking hazard...
Ps...watch your fingers lol.đź¤
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Post by 3piggles on Jan 17, 2020 23:25:15 GMT
Kiwi is also a nutritional super food. Just keep the serving size small, as each bite packs a lot of nutrients |
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Post by amber89 on Jan 18, 2020 14:58:35 GMT
My pigs won't touch kiwi... Maybe I should try it again. They are such spoiled brats  |
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Post by 3piggles on Jan 18, 2020 22:17:59 GMT
I give them a piece of whatever fruits and veggies I have, rather than buying anything special for them, until they show a preference. Mine don't like tomatoes, but love fennel, bell peppers, Napa cabbage, most lettuces or salad mix items, cucumbers, apples, blueberries, celery, Belgian Endive, and a bunch more things. I haven't tried them with banana, because it gave my late Zippy pig horrible farts, even just a little piece. My late Dallas loved oranges, and would stare down anyone who entered the room with an orange. My girls won't touch them. You're not doing anything wrong, and neither are they. Just as some people are picky eaters, some piggies are picky eaters. Sometimes, if they'll try something new, they love it, but often they'll only eat what they know the like, and look at anything else as if it's from another planet I start out with each pig serving a selection of fruits and veggies, and seeing what they eat and what they don't eat. Eventually I rule out what no one will eat, like tomatoes, and give them what they do eat, that I have. It has to be something I'm eating, too, as I don't buy just for them. |
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Post by rustypete on Oct 14, 2021 11:04:18 GMT
I just got puff from a pet store near me today. They said he is about 6 months and he has been there for 3 months. I went home and gave him two slices of cucumbers. So I called and asked on my way to get more veggies for him and my other piggy. So maybe I thought he didn't like cucumbers and maybe he liked something else. They answered I asked and said they only gave him pellets, hay and veggie treat snacks (I'm guessing the compressed fake veggies) but not fresh veggies. So now 6 months later he just smelled a veggie. We I was there talking to the manager and she feed her own guinea pig veggies. So I know she knows guinea pigs get veggies. What do I need to do to get him to eat veggies. I think with some guinea pigs it just takes time. My recent guinea pigs are from a pet store. I asked the staff member if they had any veg. They said leafy greens. Mostly cabbage. After they settled in I gave some veg. I didn’t have any cabbage so used kale & lettuce. They ate it eventually especially the kale. The next day I did the same and added a small bit of carrot and parsley. They’ve been enjoying the veg as they eat all of it and are acting fine and popping fine etc.. at first they wouldn’t eat it all in one go. But by overnight they had finsihed it all. Perhaps try a leafy vegetable. If that doesn’t work Mabye some guinea pigs just don’t like veg. I used to volunteer in a wildlife park and both their domesticated guinea pigs and wild Guinea pigs prefer there pellets over veg. |
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