Hey everyone. I wanted to know if the pellets I use are good or bad. I recently lost a pig and I am fact checking the questionable things. I can't for the life of me understand the nutritional facts for smart pet select's guniea pig pellets. Can anyone help me out on that?
Now, I have 1 pig left that was bonded to the other. This is her first day without him and she comes out on her own, eats a bunch of hay, drinks tons of water, all her veggies , small bits of pellets and Indiana Jones anything placed in her cage to discover. She has popcorned twice in a row when I buried my sweet baby boy for him to finally rest and go to piglandia. Buried him right behind the wall because there is a long patch of ground right outside following the house so he can watch out for her up there. I told her he is in a better place now and popcorned 2 times in a row and walked back into her hut. It is like she understands:)
I just wanted to know if a pig does get depressed after a passing of another pig, does it happen in that same second or does it take a few days? I have rearranged the cage and removed some things as well to give a different feel to it.
Couldn't remove the water bottle because when I did, she didn't drink anything from the new spot. The second I put it back in the spot she always went, boom instantly started drinking. I also got a stuffed animal piggy proofed and cleaned completely just in case as well.
I read the "alone" page but is there anything else I can do as well. I already get her for cuddles and associate that with food like lettuce and pellets. I am always in the same area as my chair and computer is there. She gets all of my attention. All I need to do is turn my head and see her. Always talk to her and call out her name or any movement I hear her do. Family also comes by as well and the cage was already in a busy spot of the house.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Question about the pellet I use and depression on pigs
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Sef
- I dissent.
I assume you mean Small Pet Select. The nutritional analysis is below:
Crude Protein: Not Less Than 14.0% Crude Fat: Not Less Than 2.0% Crude Fiber: Not Less Than 25.0% Calcium: Not Less Than 0.4% Calcium: Not More than 0.6% Phosphorous: Not Less Than .25% Salt: Not Less Than .25% Salt: Not More than 0.75% Vitamin A: Not Less Than 8,650 IU/lb Vitamin D: Not Less Than 400 IU/lb Vitamin E: Not Less Than 86 IU/lb Vitamin C: Not Less Than 400 mg/lb
We generally suggest to owners who have had guinea pigs with bladder stones that they reduce the amount of overall calcium in the diet. In looking at these pellets, the amount of calcium is listed at a minimum of 0.4% and a maximum of 0.6%. That's not too bad; Oxbow is higher at min. 0.35% and max 0.75%. Obviously the "max" number should ideally be as low as possible. KMS Hayloft brand, for further comparison, has a minimum calcium percentage of 0.31% and a maximum calcium percentage of 0.54%. It's considered one of the "better" brands in terms of lower calcium.
What concerns me more about SPS is the type of calcium being used:
Ingredients: Timothy hay, soybean hulls, soybean meal, sodium bentonite, wheat middlings, molasses, calcium carbonate, lignin sulfonate, soybean oil, barley, salt, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate, zinc amino...
While the evidence is highly anecdotal, some of us here have theorized over the years that there could be a connection between the calcium carbonate in certain brands of pellets (also sometimes listed as "limestone") and bladder stone formation in pigs who are prone to forming stones. Brands that do not use calcium carbonate as a calcium source include Oxbow and KMS Hayloft.
Bladder stone formation in small animals is still not very well understood. Lowering overall calcium in the diet may be a good preventive measure for your remaining pig, but keep in mind that no diet has been proven to prevent stones in pigs who may be genetically predisposed or have other risk factors.
Again, I'm sorry for your loss.
Crude Protein: Not Less Than 14.0% Crude Fat: Not Less Than 2.0% Crude Fiber: Not Less Than 25.0% Calcium: Not Less Than 0.4% Calcium: Not More than 0.6% Phosphorous: Not Less Than .25% Salt: Not Less Than .25% Salt: Not More than 0.75% Vitamin A: Not Less Than 8,650 IU/lb Vitamin D: Not Less Than 400 IU/lb Vitamin E: Not Less Than 86 IU/lb Vitamin C: Not Less Than 400 mg/lb
We generally suggest to owners who have had guinea pigs with bladder stones that they reduce the amount of overall calcium in the diet. In looking at these pellets, the amount of calcium is listed at a minimum of 0.4% and a maximum of 0.6%. That's not too bad; Oxbow is higher at min. 0.35% and max 0.75%. Obviously the "max" number should ideally be as low as possible. KMS Hayloft brand, for further comparison, has a minimum calcium percentage of 0.31% and a maximum calcium percentage of 0.54%. It's considered one of the "better" brands in terms of lower calcium.
What concerns me more about SPS is the type of calcium being used:
Ingredients: Timothy hay, soybean hulls, soybean meal, sodium bentonite, wheat middlings, molasses, calcium carbonate, lignin sulfonate, soybean oil, barley, salt, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate, zinc amino...
While the evidence is highly anecdotal, some of us here have theorized over the years that there could be a connection between the calcium carbonate in certain brands of pellets (also sometimes listed as "limestone") and bladder stone formation in pigs who are prone to forming stones. Brands that do not use calcium carbonate as a calcium source include Oxbow and KMS Hayloft.
Bladder stone formation in small animals is still not very well understood. Lowering overall calcium in the diet may be a good preventive measure for your remaining pig, but keep in mind that no diet has been proven to prevent stones in pigs who may be genetically predisposed or have other risk factors.
Again, I'm sorry for your loss.
Alright, thank you for the info. I only give about 2 scoops of 1/4 of a tbsp depending if a large pellet got inside the scoop, then probably not much or a whole bunch of small broken pieces, then just a lil bit to compensate.
I appreciate it, no worries.
Also, do you know anything about the timeframe of depression happening on pigs? Does it happen immediately or after some time?
I appreciate it, no worries.
Also, do you know anything about the timeframe of depression happening on pigs? Does it happen immediately or after some time?
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