Do you give fresh veg to your guinea pigs?

[MissShapesMissStakes]

My 5 year old male Rex has been to the vets with constipation.

The vet said his diet needed changing. He currently has a handful of nuggets, constant supply of timothy hay and then mixed veg in the evening - varies but within the week they get carrots, kale, baby corn, lettuce, spinach, banana skins, pea shoots, fine green beans.

He suggested they are fine with just hay and nuggets but that if I really wanted to give them anything fresh then 'herby stuff'. Would be best. Apart from parsley I didn't think they could have many other herbs?

What do you feed your pigs? I thought they needed the fresh stuff?

Oh interesting ours have a similar diet to yours. Also raw broccoli, peppers and vet occasionally some apple/strawberry tops. I thought it was the norm to give them veg.

Always fed my guinea on same veg as my rabbit.

My greedy pigs feast on a variety of lettuce, cucumber, carrot, celery, occasional grape, and peppers twice a day!
They also have nuggets and readi grass which they scoff down too... They are fit and healthy to date..

They would be most offended if I took their fresh veg away... 😂 🐹🐹

Ours also love mint which grows wild in the garden, and also parsley and coriander which they get as treats.

Dandelions :).

Ours get salad leaves twice a day, with added cucumber, broccoli, peppers, and small slivers of carrots (they're too sweet for them to have a lot). They have fresh veg every day and I couldn't imagine stopping that.

Mine have fresh veg... and quite the opposite problem. No one warned me how much they poo! DH has taken to sweeping it up off the lawn and rotated the position of the run

Our piggies have parsley every day , curly or flat as it is the favourite . They also get kale , spinach , carrot ( only 1 of them likes that) , peppers, grapes , lettuce ( again only 1 likes it) and sweet corn . There would be uproar if someone stopped the parsley supply .

Like pp my guinea pigs are greedy boys! They love all kinds of herbs from parsley to coriander and leftover thyme and rosemary from roast dinners. They also like cabbage, peppers, cucumber, little gems, carrots, kale and spinach. They've never been constipated and have fresh veg and herbs with hay and pellets.

Thanks everyone. I just think it feels wrong that they shouldn't be having fresh veg. The vet said they were getting too much sugar and carbohydrates. But they aren't overweight.

Just not sure what to do now. Poor guys expect their fresh stuff.

The constipated one poos lots. It's just that some of it gets held up and all gets stuck. It stinks and must be sore for him. Vet said he got a lot of it out. And he's now on fibre stuff for two weeks.

I'm thinking I'll just maybe limit the fresh stuff for a few days, keep up the fibre, and then gradually add to their fresh veg but not as much as before (it really seemed the right kind of amount looking at websites though).

Let's be honest - eating is their only real joy in life.

maybe cut down on the sweeter veg, carrots, apples, peppers should be given in moderation only

I tend to stick with the greens with my lot - similar to you once a day and it's Kale, Broccoli, little gem lettuce, Romaine Lettuce (lettuce is occasionally though), they go crazy for cucumber, parsley, mint and basil are big hits. Mine are in an indoor run so I grab handfuls of fresh grass for them from the garden - when the weather allows (mustn't be cut grass) dandelion leaves too.

Once a week I do them a colourful tea with whatever we have left over - they have anything from blueberries, cherry tomatoes, carrots, peppers, apple and very occasionally I'll chuck in the ultimate treat of a bit of banana. Given with the greens but scattered on top.

oh and meant to say mine love spinach and rocket too! I go to the co-op late on and grab a few bags of the reduced salad bags a few times a week.