Pea Flakes?

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samim21

Post   » Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:53 am


Hi everyone,

I've noticed that some people like to buy pea flakes as treats for their guinea pigs. Has anyone tried these? Are they safe for guinea pigs?

If anyone has suggestions for other types of dry treats, I'd be interested in hearing about them. My girls diets are already set in general, but I'm always looking for new things to give them that won't upset their tummies that are low in calcium.

Thanks!

SSLee

Post   » Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:13 pm


I give pea flakes to my piggies twice a week. It is made of dried peas and is supposed to be given only as a treat as too much is fattening. Do not buy the Exotic Nutrition brand, which is what I bought, as the pieces are very small and many cases, just crumbs. They are so small if I try to give it to my piggies directly, I will be at risk of getting bitten accidentally. I have to add it into the pellet dish and my piggies eat those before they eat the pellets. The flakes from JR Farms are much larger and I believe are the ones in the Little Adventures YouTube videos. JR Farm is located in Germany so it is harder to get the product here. I am looking at the site epetdiscount.com and it shows free shipping worldwide.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:58 pm


I'd just caution to be very careful with any sort of 'dried' treat. Because some of these can expand in the gut, there is the potential to cause bloat or even a bowel obstruction if over-fed. I've actually had it happen, and for that reason I no longer buy that type of product.

samim21

Post   » Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:04 pm


I see. Treats are definitely not worth risking bloat or other GI problems. Thanks for the heads up!

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pigjes
Cavy Comic

Post   » Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:47 am


I give dried peas to any pig who needs extra calories, and it has worked like a charm. Heart pigs tend to be too skinny, so any fattening food, like white oats, dried corn, worked great so far. I do buy real dried vegs, not by any store brands, so no preservatives, added starch, colorants, etc. Some online EU stores specialize in real dried vegs for rodents, I figure the US has these stores too.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:38 am


I don't know precisely what type of peas these are but if they are field peas (a legume), they are, if I remember right, higher in protein and perhaps a better choice than the dried corn or white oats. I have done some research on chicken diets and with organic feeds, dried field peas are usually added. Flaking them would likely make them more palatable to guinea pigs. Plain peas that we eat would likely not be anywhere as nutritious.

samim21

Post   » Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:06 pm


Since one of my pigs is still ill (second vet visit today) I am definitely looking for foods that might help her recover her appetite. Hopefully we'll find out what's wrong definitively today, but foods for post-treatment appetite recovery outside of her normal diet (and critical care) might be nice to have in mind.

My other guinea pig would probably also love some new treats to try. I'll look into field peas as an option. Thanks!

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:41 pm


Again, just be careful with how much of it you feed. As I alluded to, I had a guinea pig a few years ago who developed severe bloat when fed too many dried cranberries and he actually died from complications as a result of that. A year or so later, another guinea pig developed bloat when regularly fed a dried veggie treat (which included flaked peas) that I had hoped would help him gain weight. Fortunately he recovered after the treat was discontinued, but I have sworn off dried fruits and vegetables as a result of those two experiences.

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pigjes
Cavy Comic

Post   » Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:35 am


Being careful with any food for pigs is always the key indeed. Since I have no access to a decent low calcium pellet that any pig actually likes, I mingle the one brand I can find with several low calcium dried vegs for their bowl, but I steer away from any veg which can cause bloat. This has worked since 2009. When I have pigs who can use some extra calories, the veg selection gets adapted.

samim21

Post   » Wed Apr 10, 2019 3:21 pm


I was thinking in terms of something to give them once a week max. I like the oxbow vitamin C treats and the bell pepper treats, but it would be nice to have something else or something that I could make at home. Even if someone has a recipe for homemade timothy hay treats (like compacted hay or something? Idk) that would be interesting to try.

Edit: also just an update because I mentioned it in my last post, my sick pig is doing a little better. She got Baytril a week and a half ago for a UTI and it just TANKED her appetite. UTI is gone (bladder looks way better on ultrasound), so reproductive issues visible on ultrasound, and she just started eating a bit on her own again (yay!). Looks like it was just a bad case of upset tummy. 0/10 would NOT recommend baytril. If one of my girls gets another infection, we'll definitely try bactrim instead. Can't wait to stop with the critical care!!

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed Apr 10, 2019 3:37 pm


Fuzzies Kingdom has some interesting, all-natural herbal treats that you could try:
http://www.fuzzieskingdom.com/

Glad to hear that your sick girl is doing better!

samim21

Post   » Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:04 pm


Thanks sef! Those look interesting! Maybe I'll order some for Philly's bday in May :)

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