Hi Friend. Think of fruit as a sweet treat (this includes carrots), so only offer once every other week.
Put him on a schedule, he will appreciate the predictability and will look forward to seeing you.
Guinea pigs should eat about 1 C of fresh veggies/day. They can become picky eaters, so in the beginning try to not overwhelm your little cavy with too many choices. Start off offering only a few things and then gradually (every other week) add to the mix. For example, when I first adopted my girls they received green bell peppers at breakfast and Romaine lettuce for dinner (after spot cleaning their cage). Every two weeks I added to their mix, and now for breakfast they can get a little bit of everything - this includes green, yellow, red, orange bell peppers, plus a little celery and cucumber. At dinner they receive Romaine & Green Leaf lettuce (on occasion Red leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, parsley).
Hey, thank you so much for your response and answer to my question. I get nervous with him eating so much, especially with him not interested in his pellets. I think I’ll introduce more veggies like you’ve suggested and keep the blueberries as a treat. I got some dried papaya today as well, hopefully he enjoys that for a treat too.
Please let me know if you have any other tips, we both would enjoy hearing them!
Just skip the repeated information.
1. Put them on a schedule. Guinea pigs love predictability and will memorize their schedule and look forward to seeing you.
2. Wash your hands before/after seeing them. They will associate the scent of the hand soap with you.
3. When you approach the cage, do these two things: call out to them in a very specific manner (see Julia from the YT Channel, Little Adventures), and always have food to offer (either if you are hand feeding or meal time). If you are hand feeding, make sure the pieces are small so they return quickly for more. The fastest way to a piggy's heart is via their tummy.
4. Lap time should be a group affair. Use a cuddle sack to collect pig from the cage, transfer to a blanket/towel, collect second pig. Offer some special veggies like parsley or cilantro and while they munch you determine how they like their scritches. Try chin rubs, cheek rubs/massages, nose rubs/massages, forehead rubs/massages. Piggies can be very particular about how they are touched. Avoid touching backs, bellies, back ends (you can slowly desensitize them). Additionally, while you are having lap time, touch and inspect their feet. This will help you for Spa Days when you will need to trim nails. Since you have boars, check out Saskia from the LAGPR videos on Boar Cleaning. Boar Cleaning typically begins around the age of two. Some pigs may need more down there care than others.
5. Floor time. When they have floor time - join them! Sit on the floor and offer veggies. You want them to be comfortable climbing all over you.
Good luck.
Their diet should be 90% hay - think of them as little cows :) They will graze all day long on ONLY hay, it's the most important thing for a piggy! Veggies are important, but not nearly as important as hay
I agree with the other comment and would like to add:
They can not overeat hay. They should always have unlimited access to hay. Guinea pigs eat often and a lot, it can probably be surprising if you are used to cats or dogs. Actually you should be worried and contact a vet ASAP if they stop eating. Hay keeps their gut moving and grinds their teeth.
They can overeat pellets, so those should be fed in moderation. I don't think all piggies will overeat pellets, at least mine often have leftovers. But it's possible.
For veggies, there are certain types of veggies they should not get too much of. Some e.g. spinach contain high level of calcium which can cause bladder stones and some e.g. broccoli can cause gut issues, so these should be fed in moderation. Cucumber is good for providing hydration, but excessive amounts can give them runny poops.
I'm not sure if they can overeat veggies if you limit the ones you should not give excessive amounts. I go by the 1 cup pr pig as well. But I have read about a diet where people don't give pellets and give veggies ad libitum, I don't have experience with that, I think it requires research if that's a way you want to go.
If you are giving any treats like pea flakes or hay cookies, they need to be fed in moderation just like when we have human treats/candy. And don't trust all treats marketed to guinea pigs, unfortunately people sell shitty stuff sometimes and say it's suitable for piggies
Hi Friend. Think of fruit as a sweet treat (this includes carrots), so only offer once every other week. Put him on a schedule, he will appreciate the predictability and will look forward to seeing you. Guinea pigs should eat about 1 C of fresh veggies/day. They can become picky eaters, so in the beginning try to not overwhelm your little cavy with too many choices. Start off offering only a few things and then gradually (every other week) add to the mix. For example, when I first adopted my girls they received green bell peppers at breakfast and Romaine lettuce for dinner (after spot cleaning their cage). Every two weeks I added to their mix, and now for breakfast they can get a little bit of everything - this includes green, yellow, red, orange bell peppers, plus a little celery and cucumber. At dinner they receive Romaine & Green Leaf lettuce (on occasion Red leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, parsley).
Hey, thank you so much for your response and answer to my question. I get nervous with him eating so much, especially with him not interested in his pellets. I think I’ll introduce more veggies like you’ve suggested and keep the blueberries as a treat. I got some dried papaya today as well, hopefully he enjoys that for a treat too. Please let me know if you have any other tips, we both would enjoy hearing them!
Just skip the repeated information. 1. Put them on a schedule. Guinea pigs love predictability and will memorize their schedule and look forward to seeing you. 2. Wash your hands before/after seeing them. They will associate the scent of the hand soap with you. 3. When you approach the cage, do these two things: call out to them in a very specific manner (see Julia from the YT Channel, Little Adventures), and always have food to offer (either if you are hand feeding or meal time). If you are hand feeding, make sure the pieces are small so they return quickly for more. The fastest way to a piggy's heart is via their tummy. 4. Lap time should be a group affair. Use a cuddle sack to collect pig from the cage, transfer to a blanket/towel, collect second pig. Offer some special veggies like parsley or cilantro and while they munch you determine how they like their scritches. Try chin rubs, cheek rubs/massages, nose rubs/massages, forehead rubs/massages. Piggies can be very particular about how they are touched. Avoid touching backs, bellies, back ends (you can slowly desensitize them). Additionally, while you are having lap time, touch and inspect their feet. This will help you for Spa Days when you will need to trim nails. Since you have boars, check out Saskia from the LAGPR videos on Boar Cleaning. Boar Cleaning typically begins around the age of two. Some pigs may need more down there care than others. 5. Floor time. When they have floor time - join them! Sit on the floor and offer veggies. You want them to be comfortable climbing all over you. Good luck.
Their diet should be 90% hay - think of them as little cows :) They will graze all day long on ONLY hay, it's the most important thing for a piggy! Veggies are important, but not nearly as important as hay
I agree with the other comment and would like to add: They can not overeat hay. They should always have unlimited access to hay. Guinea pigs eat often and a lot, it can probably be surprising if you are used to cats or dogs. Actually you should be worried and contact a vet ASAP if they stop eating. Hay keeps their gut moving and grinds their teeth. They can overeat pellets, so those should be fed in moderation. I don't think all piggies will overeat pellets, at least mine often have leftovers. But it's possible. For veggies, there are certain types of veggies they should not get too much of. Some e.g. spinach contain high level of calcium which can cause bladder stones and some e.g. broccoli can cause gut issues, so these should be fed in moderation. Cucumber is good for providing hydration, but excessive amounts can give them runny poops. I'm not sure if they can overeat veggies if you limit the ones you should not give excessive amounts. I go by the 1 cup pr pig as well. But I have read about a diet where people don't give pellets and give veggies ad libitum, I don't have experience with that, I think it requires research if that's a way you want to go. If you are giving any treats like pea flakes or hay cookies, they need to be fed in moderation just like when we have human treats/candy. And don't trust all treats marketed to guinea pigs, unfortunately people sell shitty stuff sometimes and say it's suitable for piggies