[Gpdd] Announcement--Newbie Questions

[Debbie Ganley]

Congratulations, Lily, on your new baby! You'll have to let us know her name.  But throw out that bag of rabbit food!  It can have a chemical (think it's called ACS) for something that rabbbits get that GP's don't, & the chemical can be harmful to piggies.  She also doesn't need all that extra stuff (seeds & whatnot)--just good quality pellet food.  Doesn't look as appetizing, but it's what they need.  I use Oxbow Cavy Cuisine (you'd probably need Cavy Performance for a baby--a slave with baby experience will correct me if I'm wrong!  Thanks!)  Go on www.oxbowhay.com to order it, or put your zip code in & they'll tell you who carries it in your area, usuallly a vet but I've heard they're branching out to some pet stores.  Your piggie also needs more hay than  the teeny bit that's in the rabbit food--I really don't work for Oxbow, but I use their Timothy Hay (you'd probably need alfalfa---slaves with baby experience???) by the handfuls--stuff used toilet paper tubes with it, get a hay bin if you don't already have one--it's vital to them.  My vet told me to not use the Vit C supplements that go in the water--piggies slurry (spit their food back up into the bottle while they're drinking) so the water can get contaminated & build up bacteria quickly.  Get rid of the powdered Vit C & she'll catch onto the water bottle just fine.  No need to start syringe feeding her water unless something is wrong.  Give her veggies with lots of Vit C--parsley, romaine or leaf lettuce, green pepper, small amounts of baby carrot (too much can cause bladder stones--like 1 every other day)--broccoli is good, anything dark green & Leafy.  
Some pigs like fruit--Potter has her cantelope or honeydew for breakfast, an occasional apple slice, but she's not really a fan of any other fruit.  Oranges are good tho--lots of Vit C.
Good luck with your little girl--buy some GP Pellets & hay tomorrow!  Don't be afraid to ask questions here--no one will laugh, we've all been there & done that.  Deb & Potter