Pellet free diet-questions

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mkkayla
Supporter in '14

Post   » Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:20 am


Ok, I removed the pellets from my pigs yesterday. I have some questions for those of you who have gone pellet free. Did your pigs lose weight initially? If so, how much? Is there anything I need to make sure I'm including in their diet since I took the pellets away? They get veges twice daily and I'm now using the excel calculator and weighing everything to be sure I get the right Ca:Ph ratio and enought Vit. C, but is there anything else I need to be sure they get? I guess the biggest question is will this help with the urinary issues I'm dealing with?

It's been a little over 24 hours and I've noticed three things: 1) much more hay eaten, 2) fewer poops in the cage, and 3) more water consumption. I guess I expected the hay thing, but I'm not sure why there are fewer poops-it seems if they are eating more hay the opposite would be true. Not sure what to think about the water thing, but I figure its a good thing. Any advice/suggestions welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:35 am


I would also add fresh grass to the diet. It has some vitamin C (no, I don't know how much) and is similar to grass hays in nutrition.

User avatar
Prangus
I gave AGAIN, dammit!

Post   » Sat Jul 09, 2005 9:34 am


It seems like you have everything covered. I've never been able to keep grass in their diet reliably. I live in an apartment and can't seem to get it to grow without molding. I just concentrate on leafy green things way more than other veggies and fruits. My pigs lost a little weight (maybe 30-40 grams each) but it was slow. I don't know why your guys would be drinking more water, but I don't think it's anything to worry about.

I can't say for sure that no pellets will help your pigs, but it really seemed to help Zoe. Before she had blood and grit in her urine almost all the time, and she was passing small clots too. Now she has an episode every few months or so, but even then I never see clots.

User avatar
Princes Slave

Post   » Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:10 am


I did not see much of any change when I stopped offering pellets. However, the decision to stop feeding any pellets was based on Prince's own disinterest in eating them. Before he lived with us, he did not get limitless hay and not much variety or quantity of veggies and ate his pellets. I think he learned that there were tastier things to eat than pellets, once he got established here. I would venture to say that Prince ate very few if any pellets for several months, before I decided that it was silly to keep refreshing his dish of pellets everyday when he wasn't eating them. He seems very content, fat and sassy with his pile of veggies twice a day and all the hay he can stuff in his face.

Josephine
Little Jo Wheek

Post   » Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:24 am


I did notice 30-60 grams of weight loss in some of my pigs. For most, the dip was temporary. Usually, the amount of feces will be about the same, in my opinion. High fiber vs. the garbage that comes from feeding pellets.... Let's see... I think I'm close to 6 years now pellet-free except a couple of months here and there since I was experimenting with the older pigs. Putting them back on pellets did nothing for them, though. The pigs I have now, including one hand-fed baby have survived their entire 5 years+ with me and this pellet-free diet. My baby is 5 years old last February and the other 3 pigs are at least 6-7 years.

Joanna

Post   » Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:26 am


I have always just given pellets in very small amounts and push the hay and veggies. I try to give grass when I can as well.

PattiNYC

Post   » Sun Jul 10, 2005 1:18 am


OK, now you all have my attention! Pellet Free?

I am glad to hear that some cavies are living this way :)

Spike is 2 1/2 and I read LOTS when i first got him. I feed him fresh food twice per day and he has constant timothy hay supply and water. I refresh his 1/8-1/4 cup of pellets every day to ensure his Vit C levels but he rarely ever eats a pellet in his whole life.

I used to give Oxbow C tabs 1ce per day as he would not take the highly praised drops in the water, but now he refuses them so I stopped giving them.

The vet seems pleased with his health and weight (he is 3 pounds) and said based on what I feed him he should be OK without the added C.

Where can I find info about how much and the variations to cut out the pellets entirely?

Pigwig

Post   » Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:54 am


I switched to a pellet-free diet just over a year ago, as I had a few UTI problems in my pigs & two had bladder stones. They all lost a little weight, but they are definitely more lively & sleek now. Their main food is ad lib hay & fresh grass followed by veggies. I have had no UTI problems with them since, but it may be coincidence.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:58 am


If you have Excel, download this calculator which will provide Ca:P ratios and vitamin C amounts. Then you can see if you're already providing quite adequate amounts of C in the vegs.

www.guinealynx.info/calculator.xls

PattiNYC

Post   » Sun Jul 10, 2005 11:15 am


This looks really good, do I put in percentages of a certain volume (like 1/4 cup) or weight (in ounces or grams) or parts like 1 part parsley 2 parts lettuce?

If there's a page that explains, let me know!

THanks so much!!

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Jul 10, 2005 11:22 am


Weight in grams.

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diodora

Post   » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:31 pm


I'm thinking about going pellet-free for weight control issues. My sow Pooh has gone from 1100g to 1250g since I adopted her in January.

Do you think 150g in less than 5 months is cause for concern?
If so, is there anything else I could do?

She has a large cage and is allowed to free-range for about 3-5 hours a day, so I think she gets enough excercise. I just don't know why she is getting so fat.

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