[Gpdd] CARE: How much greens

[Glenda English]

Hi Gary and Hershey,

My two girls think they're supposed to have greens all day too.  They can be such "piglets" sometimes.:)  Here's what we do, and it seems to keep them happy and on a bit of a schedule, along with controlled amounts.  In the morning before we leave for work/school, Cookie and Ruby each get 2-4 romaine leaves (depends on how big the leaves are) torn up into pieces and a handful each of parsley sprigs.  DD says they're getting their garnish.  We pile on the hay in their hay bowls and add pieces of apple and cantaloupe for them to nibble on during the day.  They also each have their piggy food in bowls.  My two (ages 9 mos. and 3 mos.) are still in separate cages for while longer.   They have graduated to floor time without  Ruby being in the playpen.  So far, so good. 

When I get home in the evenings, they start wheeking for fresh goodies.  Between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., they get a repeat of the morning's fare.  Every few days, I may add a baby carrot to Ruby's plate, but Cookie won't touch them.  About once a week, they get grass trimmings (if there is any), and they love the extra "green."  Even when we're home on the weekends, we still keep to the am/pm fresh feedings and just refill their hay bowls during the day.  They also get hay and food in separate piles for floor time.  Very rarely will they nibble fruit if we put it on the floor with them.  They like it on their saucers in their cages.  They're kind of spoiled. :)  Some web sites will list certain amounts, like for fruit, but we go with what we know ours will eat.  One wedge of apple each, and 2-3 pieces of cantaloupe.  Then they can nibble as they want it.  Oh, did I mention that they like their fruit chilled?  Very chilled. :)

Hope that helps.  Some of the websites mention twice a day, and that works for all of us.  They love to hear the fridge door open.  The symphony of wheeks starts and gets louder and louder until we walk back over to the cages.

I love how enthusiastic they are about their goodies.  So cute to find them looking up, getting more impatient with each wheeky, wheeky.
Hugs to you and Hershey,
Glenda, Meghan, Cookie, Ruby and (Callie)




________________________________