HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Susan Jackson — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:01:29 GMT

Mine loved spinach and broccoli and were just as fussy, but they did love the pellet feed especially the burgess oregano one.

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:32:50 GMT

If he's eating the hay and pellets in sufficient amount, I wouldn't worry. Hay should be in an amount the size of his body, pellets in an amount the size of his head. Use the veg as treats instead of a major part of his diet.

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

kerrywilliams2007 — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:29:08 GMT

Have you tried jars of baby food? The veggie organic ones are good for getting the appetite going!

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Kerry Brennand DipAVN (Surgical) RVN A1 MBVNA — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:01:55 GMT

Can I say a big "THANK YOU" to all of you that have taken the time to response and offer suggestions.....really appreciate all your comments.

His teeth are all fine, no spurs, no ulcers, urinating and defaecating fine - so all thats good.

He likes curly kale, dandelion leaves (but none in garden at mo!!), broccoli but tends to only nibble at it, does like the carrots with the tops on but struggle to get these, hes on hay and pellets - eats both of these well.

He doesnt like cucumber, peppers, peelings, runner beans, cauliflower, grapes, cabbage, tomatoes, celery, basically hes fussy lol!!!!

I have a local veg shop that sells bargain boxes for a pound which are full of veg/fruit going out of date - I often buy these so gives me the opportunity to try different things with him. More often than not I end up throwing alot away he just seems to be very picky and will munch bits. Maybe I am just giving him too much choice!!!! I just thought guinea pigs were good eaters!!! Hes certainly not thin though so hes eating enough!!!!

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

miss jack rat — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:36:59 GMT

My 5 girlies love their carrots with the long green tops, they also love spring greens, peppers, spinach and any root vegetable. (not potatoes of course!) curly kale is at the top to. They also like the boredom breakers from the naturals company. I think they are stocked in most big pet stores and contain no bad stuff! Like someone said before bad teeth and bad husbandry make a big difference i took a little girlie on once who was SO skinny i couldn't believe she was alive. She made it through an anesthetic and had her teeth rasped and was put straight onto excel and mountains of hay, she had a great life with the other girls and I'm glad to have had her for that time.hope you find his favorites soon :)

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Mark Hedberg — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:25:08 GMT

If he's a stray, it might be because all he ever got was lettuce, and he has a hard time recognizing the new, healthier, interesting foods! (Bad husbandry is sadly very widespread.)

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Lynne Vickers — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:18:59 GMT

My piggies favorites were Spinach, Celery - leaves the best bit but liked the stalk too (remember to cut into little pieces so they don't get the stringy stuff stuck in throat), parsley and french green beans. They also preferred the carrot scrapings rather the whole carrot.

They also yummied the timothy type hay from the pet shop, they do all kinds of herby mixes which are really good.

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:16:21 GMT

have you tried Romanesco - I used to have a piggy that loved this and I know when I used to eat it raw it was sweeter than ordinary broccoli.

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Laura James — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 22:12:49 GMT

I also adopted a guinea squig a few years ago. He would do tricks for a bit of curled parsley or cucumber. Also cauliflower leaves and dandilion leaves Is he on a pellet food or a muesli-type food? He may be selective feeding and avoiding the fibre in his diet. After a few failed diets mine loved the excel blackcurrent and oregano flavour pellets. Hope this helps Laura

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Alison Clare Hickman — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:56:15 GMT

Cucumber, celery...herbs such as parsley, coriander...kale, broccoli, grass, hay....

Luv piggly wigglies me. Widgy Pigs rool!

If all else fails, could syringe feed Oxbow Critical Care to keep up with nutritional needs

Vitamin C in his water... usually about one eighth of a (human, fizzy) tablet to his water bowl.

Is his dentition okay? No spurs etc? This could make him a fussy eater...suggest a check up?

Is he urinating and defacating normally?

Does he have a pal? Is he lonely and stressed? Probably not as he is eating, albeit fussily....but a thought for the future if he is on his own?

Can't think of anything else at moment.

Keep us posted on developments... a picture would be good too!

Regards

Ali h

Re: HELP......FUSSY PIGGY!!!!

Louise B — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:53:24 GMT

Innocent smoothies - they love them in small doses and can be a useful way to get more Vit C into them. Well, actually they would drink the cartoon so need to ration them! Not the coconut one. Mine (all 36 of them) used to love grapes, apples and carrots. They also used to love porridge oats made up with water and a drop of linseed oil for their coats (winter only) but not advocating that as a run of the mill diet for them. I used to feed it in winter because mine lived semi-feral in the garden even in heavy snow so I gave them extra rocket fuel to cope Broccoli was another fave.