They aren't eating their pellets

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CuteGuineas

Post   » Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:41 pm


I am a new guinea pig owner of two sweet females (aged 2 and 1). They do not appear to be eating their pellets or have any interest in them. The pellets are Oxbow Garden Select for adult guinea pigs. Any idea why this could be or what I can do to get them to eat them?

They do munch their Timothy hay (though from what I am reading here, it sounds like a softer type would be better for them). They also love veggies like parsley and spinach and already beg and "wheek" for them when they hear the fridge.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 6:01 am


If this is a few diet for them, it will take some time for them to get used to it. That said, none of my guys have ever had much interest in the Garden Select pellets by Oxbow (I feed the regular Oxbow adult formula), but every pig is different and yours may eventually warm up to them.

As far as veggies, parsley and spinach are very high in calcium. Both of your guinea pigs are adults, and it's best to feed high calcium foods in moderation to avoid bladder sludge and stones. Here is more good info on diet:
https://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

As a new owner, you may also find a lot of helpful info in the Guinea Lynx Care Guide:
https://www.guinealynx.info/healthycavy.html

As for your question on the water bottle usage...is it possible that you have the bottles hanging either too high or too low?

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 6:26 am


Sorry, meant to say "new diet" (not "few diet").

IssaG

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 3:40 pm


How long have you had them and do you know what their previous situation was like? I was talking to an owner a while back who said the previous owner didn't feed pellets so it took a while for the guineas to warm up to them. It could also be a phase. For the first year I owned my guineas they ate pellets but not much. Now they'll eat nothing but pellets if I let them. So just give them time and be sure to provide Vitamin C through veggies until they decide to eat them.

samim21

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:59 pm


Mine won't eat the garden select pellets either. I would try the Oxbow Adult Guinea Pig formula instead if they continue to refuse to eat them.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:25 pm


Mine liked the Garden Select at first because it was something new. Then she decided she was no longer a fan. I tried mixing them with the Adult and she ate the Adult and left the Garden Select.

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CuteGuineas

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:05 pm


Good to know about too much parsley and spinach; I guess I will have to go on another veggie run to find them something else. I tried bell peppers; they won't eat them. Maybe I will have to try another pellet mix such as the other Oxbow adult mix you mentioned. *Sigh.* They are fussy little creatures; this is getting more expensive than I thought it would be.

In reply to Issa, I have only had them 3 days (feels like longer, haha). I got them from a shelter (where they had been transferred from a previous shelter) and don't know what their situations before that were like. Maybe I could ask the shelter if they have any more information.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Last edited by CuteGuineas on Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
CuteGuineas

Post   » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:11 pm


In reply to sef 1268, you asked: "As for your question on the water bottle usage...is it possible that you have the bottles hanging either too high or too low?"

I don't think so.(?) But now today, the water level suddenly went down a couple inches. So probably they are fine. Maybe this bottle had a different feel than the one they had at the shelter and it took them a couple of days to figure it out?

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Jun 29, 2019 8:00 am


Most guinea pigs like and will eat a variety of lettuces: green leaf, red leaf, romaine, Boston lettuce. I make lettuce the basis of their salads, and then add small bits of carrot, green pepper, cilantro, celery (REMOVE STRINGS), zucchini. They'll occasionally get bits of "grape" tomato (it's a tomato smaller than cherry tomatoes that is supposedly less acidic), and corn husks when they're in season around here. You should pull off all of the outer husks to remove pesticides as much as possible. Very rarely and as a special treat, they'll sometimes get a small bit of orange, but I generally don't feed fruit because the natural sugars in most fruits can cause digestive upset.

Do check out the DIet page:
https://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

Also:
https://www.guinealynx.info/fave.html

Good brands as far as pellets are either KMS Hayloft Timothy or Oxbow Adult. Both are available on Amazon.com or Chewy.com.

Do make sure that the bulk of their diet is comprised of good quality hay.

User avatar
CuteGuineas

Post   » Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:45 pm


Thanks for the ideas and links! I am going to go out and get them a couple of different lettuces tonight, and maybe a few grape tomatoes or baby carrots to mix in, too.

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CuteGuineas

Post   » Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:36 am


Well, they won't eat the grape tomatoes I bought them, either. I guess we will stick with a lettuce mix for now.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:26 am


You have to be patient and offer new foods slowly and consistently, over time. Don't give up just because you tried a food and they turned their noses up at it.

As far as greens, do make sure you are not feeding iceberg lettuce. It has zero nutritional value.

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