Raising a piggy in India

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sahil4731

Post   » Thu Jun 04, 2009 9:47 am


Cripes. Just now I was told methi and dhaniya are not the same thing. :(

Pimpinpuji

Post   » Sat Jun 13, 2009 5:52 pm


Sahil, if you need more leafy stuff, try some mustard greens! You must get loads of it there! Not so much in Bangalore..

sahil4731

Post   » Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:28 pm


Its more available towards the winters Puja. And its available in plenty here ;)
My cousin in Aurangabad craves for it :)

Pimpinpuji

Post   » Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:06 am


Hello, all!

I just received an email from a fellow GLer, who is based in Mumbai. It reminded me that perhaps I should give some updated information in this thread.

C&C cages:
I could swear I mentioned it, but can't find the post. SO, coroplast is available here under the name of "sun board" or "sign board", and available in different thicknesses (4mm or 5mm is good). It's easy to find in wholesale packing and plastics shops, or some sign making shops will direct you in the right direction. The sign shops probably won't sell to you.

As for the cubes, I use a small dog pen that was custom made into the size I wanted, and is about a foot high. Most bigger pet shops will be able to make this for you! The cubes are now available in luxury home furnishing shops, but incredibly expensive.

Hay:
I tried to look into having Oxbow International open an account in India, but couldn't find a shop that was interested. If you know of an interested vendor, let me know, and I will send you the application. In Mumbai, there are many exporting companies that grow Timothy hay and wheat grass, but these items have to be bought in bulk (1 ton). If approached directly, perhaps a deal can be made?
Do some research online!

Pellets:
There is no local company, but many high end pet shops carry Sunseed and Verse-laga (not sure of the spelling). Make sure the pellets look clean, and are free of any seeds and colored bits. These are not the best brands, but something is better than nothing! Ebay will deliver to India, if you have a credit card to buy online!

Fleece and bedding:
Fleece is not usually sold by the meter here, but it can be bought in blanket form from baby shops, or larger department stores (e.g. Big Bazaar). Wash the blanket a few times, and then check for wicking. Make sure the fleece is 100%polyester, and that the ink does not run.

Please make sure to use good quality absorbent towels under the fleece, or the moisture will not wick. I always keep mats (the woven floor mats that can be bought for about Rs.10) in the high traffic areas, and change them out daily. Humidity can get high, and more moisture can be harmful to piggies' health!

Diet:
In recent times, there have been more and more reports of chemicals being used in the fruits. Piggies in my house no longer get sweet treats, aside from carrot. Please buy your veggies from a trusted vendor. If there is an organic vegetable shop near you, all the better!

I'll add on as I remember what other obstacles were faced.
Good luck to all the fellow piggy slaves in India!

Hari

Post   » Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:20 pm


Pimpinpuji,

Thanks for the help. Please let me know whether we can feed them with paddy straw. When I say Wheat barn, it is the barn (waste) we get after grinding the wheat, and sieving the flour, the light brown colour waste. Even ragi powder can be mixed with it. Is this the website( the online purchase) from India, name please.

Hari

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GP_mum
Supporter in '13

Post   » Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:48 am


Not sure if this is available but I'm from ASEAN and my newly adopted piggies (found out fr previous owner) love screwpine leaves, also known as pandan over here. It's got long sword like green leaves. I have been trying to find out the nutrient content of the leaves with little success. Have been giving them only 1 leaf (shared between 2) daily. My mum grows a bunch in her garden.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:26 am


The waste from the wheat barn would provide roughage but would be a very low quality food. After grasses and grains go to seed, most of the nutrition goes to the seed itself and little is left for the stem and leaves. Some stems are extremely stiff and can cause eye injuries. You need to know this before you try any.

Hari

Post   » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:55 am


Can I give them Baby corn and sweet corn with leaves and cob.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Fri Sep 17, 2010 8:30 am


Corn husks and silks are ok, but the corn itself has too much sugar. That said, mine love the cob, so I sometimes cut all the corn off, scrape the cob and then give it to them. But not often.

Pimpinpuji

Post   » Sat Sep 18, 2010 3:21 pm


Hari, Lynx is right! If you are looking for better quality grasses, grow some wheat grass! It's quite easy, and this forum has tons of threads on how to grow the grass.

Luckily in India, the wheat berries (seeds) are available every where. I'm a tad allergic to the grass, so don't grow it in my house. I can get it from Namdhari's or Nilgiris outlets, though! If you have a "Booster Juice" nearby, ask them who their wheat grass supplier is. I did the same, and got grass flats for a pretty decent price.

About the corn husks, most the pesticides used are present in the husks and silks. If you are getting the corn from a trusted vendor, go for it! Make sure to wash VERY well.

Where are you located?


Also a point I forgot to mention about pellets: Many local stores are starting to market their own pellets - do NOT use them. The ingredients are generally not listed, and the quality of the pelleted food is horrendous!

Pimpinpuji

Post   » Sat Sep 18, 2010 3:49 pm


Here are some pictures!

The sun board:

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Some pictures of how I make my cage, along with accessories that were all bought in India (except the colorful ball for chewing):

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The pouch is made from a t-shirt, and hand sewn since I don't have a sewing machine. It works great! It may not be as good or pretty as the snuggly pouches in other countries, but good enough!

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Clean cages make happy piggies:

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I used to have a cardboard cage before I got the coroplast and fence. If anyone wants to see that setup, let me know!

Lynx, I have no idea how big these pictures are, I sure hope they turn out alright.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Sep 18, 2010 5:41 pm


They are perfect.

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