Vitamin D question: Pellet-less diet

lilythepig2017

Post   » Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:39 pm


Hello,
I am going pellet-less in my guinea pig's diet. What Vitamin D supplements are recommended during the winter months?

For the spring/ summer/ fall months I've heard outside for just 15 minutes a day will suffice. Are we talking *direct* sunlight? Or just indirect sunlight outside in shade?


Thanks so much!

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jan 18, 2018 3:48 pm


If you are aiming at vitamin D via the sun, direct sunlight is best. I would sit with your pig in the sun so you ensure your guinea pig does not overheat.

lilythepig2017

Post   » Thu Jan 18, 2018 5:30 pm


thank you for your reply. Ok. that sounds good. During the winter months though will she need a supplement of some kind if no pellets given?

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Jan 19, 2018 10:56 pm


Just curious why you are eliminating pellets altogether. Although not vital if you're feeding a good variety of other foods, it can be hard to get the right nutritional balance.

User avatar
JaneDoe

Post   » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:35 am


Is Vitamin D as important for Piggies as Vitamin C is?

lilythepig2017

Post   » Fri Jan 26, 2018 12:30 pm


Yes I heard vitamin d is important for them as according to research guinea pigs need some vitamin D so calcium goes into their bones, not soft tissues. But how much I do not know.

I found this liquid vitamin D online.
Does anyone know if these ingredients in this look ok? I of course would give a much lower dose.

Nordic Naturals - Vitamin D3 Vegan, Healthy Bones, Mood, and Immune System Function, 1 Ounce (FFP


Does anyone know approximately how much vitamin D a day is recommended? I’m assuming quite a low dose.

Thank you!

lilythepig2017

Post   » Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:00 pm


This one as it is a low-dose maybe better

https://www.amazon.com/UpSpring-Wellbaby-Vitamin-Drops-Baby/dp/B00X4DJ3YY

WICharlie

Post   » Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:55 pm


I'd like to know WHERE you heard this. No guinea pig that I know has ever had a lack of calcium due to low vitamin D intake.

The foods that contain vitamin D (mackerel, etc.) are not eaten by guinea pigs so the only place they get it is from sunshine but an average exposure to sunshine is sufficient. That means that they are in a room that gets sunshine through a window.

Now, with that said, there are guinea pigs with a satin coat that develop a problem with calcium. The problem shows up on an X-ray with the animal's bones becoming brittle. However, giving additional vitamin D does not treat the problem. It's treated by exposing the animal to a full-spectrum light and giving extra calcium. So unless you have a pig with the satin coat, you don't need to worry about it. In fact, vitamin D is fat soluable (sp.?), you can overdose your pig by giving it extra vitamin D. In other words, the pig cannot rid it's body of excess and it will get sick from too much.

So don't give vitamin D to your guinea pig. And to answer your question, JaneDoe, no it is not as important as vitamin C. Whoever told this poster that they need to worry about it is completely wrong.

You do need to make sure your pig gets it's vitamin C! And providing a decent pellet is a way to do that. Daily fresh veggies do help toward that end, but if you have access to a decent pellet like Oxbow, there is no reason why you should go pelletless.
Last edited by WICharlie on Fri Jan 26, 2018 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jan 26, 2018 5:00 pm


Unfortunately, windows block vitamin D. The special lights might help.

Lizards are particularly vulnerable to problems with not enough vitamin D and need those special lights.

I believe vitamin D is added to standard pellets.

WICharlie

Post   » Fri Jan 26, 2018 5:16 pm


Lynx, you are right that windows do block vitamin D, but you are also right that most pellets have the appropriate amount of vitamin D needed by a guinea pig. I believe my point is that a guinea pig on a proper diet (that includes a good quality pellet) will not have any need of extra vitamin D. I don't know the reason why this poster wants to go pelletless, but I think it would be very dangerous for someone to just guess at how much vitamin D the pig should have. I certainly don't know how much they require and I would guess that most vets do not either. I'm sure the actual amount is very, very small. Considering that an overdose can cause confusion, marked thirst and dehydration, constipation, nausea, poor appetite, weakness, weight loss and heart rhythm abnormalities, it is best not something to be fooling around with.

I would say that if someone was worried about it and wanted to get one of those special lights and offer a bit of short exposure it wouldn't hurt anything, as long as the pigs were allowed to move out of the light if they wanted to. But it seems overkill in my book.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:03 pm


I agree with you on the risks of going pelletless if you don't really know what you are doing.

lilythepig2017

Post   » Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:08 am


So I am going pelletless as according to research “Recent studies have shown that the composition of the majority (90%>) of urinary stones in guinea pigs is 100% calcium carbonate. A certain percentage also contain traces of calcium phosphate, oxalate or struvite (1). Pure calcium phosphate or struvite stones are extremely rare”

This means their main source of stones is NOT by food but from an artificial source of calcium. Calcium carbonate . This type never occurs in vegetation to my knowledge but is found in many pellet brands. There are some good brands out there that don’t use this, but they also use molasses etc, that should be in guinea pig food. Most of the nutritional information we use to make pellets came from keeping guinea pigs as a food source or lab animals (i.e how to fatten them or barely keep them alive enough to experiment on them).

Vitamin D is in all pellets so it seems it could be important for them. But I agree, the number must be very small that’s needed as their body mass is small and they wouldn’t have spent much time in the sun naturally as wild cavies. But nonetheless vitamin D is needed in all animals for calcium to be properly synthesized into the body. I was hoping someone had some info on what dose is being put into pellets and I could go from there. But yes, overdosing on them is a very real danger.

Your right. Making sure she gets enough nutrients is challenging. She is eating her veggies and I have lots of herbs and forages with naturally courting vitamins and minerals. Last week she ate all her veggies I gave. This week she is getting picky about them which is making it hard but we will get there.

And of course limitless hay and I recently bought readigrass as well which she loves.

Wild cavies actually do not eat vegetables oddly enough. They only eat grass, leaves, flowers, roots, sticks, herbs. Occasionally nuts and seeds it says which I know has been stated is not advised to be offered to domestic guinea pigs though as it could be a choking hazard. But really I think it’s probably not advisable for most cavies as most do not run around anywhere near the amount that would warrant that level of protein and fat in their diet.

If all else fails for the vitamin d, I will just try and put her outside a couple times a week when weather is nice.
Thanks so much

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