Guinea Pig Question

Question
I know guinea pigs are supposed to look a little chunky but I don't want mine to become overweight so I was wondering how much grain and hay/alfalfa cubes and veggies should I feed them. I've looked online but nobody says like1/2 cup or 1cup so could you let me know. Is it normal for one of my guinea pigs to be afraid of me but squeals when he hears my voice and hears the fridge open. He runs away in his house when I come to let him run around every other day for half an hour to 1hour.

Thanks,Tricia

Answer
Let's address the run away issue first. It's absolutely normal for a guinea pig to behave that way. In fact most of them do. They are 'flight' animals, meaning they run if they think they sense danger. Once you have them in your arms they're back to being cuddle bugs and happy to sit on your lap. So don't feel as though your pig doesn't like you. That's not the case at all.

They quickly learn the sound of the refrigerator or a plastic bag because they know that sound is followed by goodies. In my caviary I have about 65 pigs and the refrigerator in the garage is kept full of carrots, etc for them. It's quite a chorus when they all start squealing at the same time when the door opens or they hear the sound of a plastic bag, knowing they're about to get good stuff.

As for their weight, they are not like rabbits that need to be watched for obesity. They need to free feed, meaning they eat all the time. Don't try to limit their diet as far as their pellets and grain go. I don't give mine a lot of veggies but it's got nothing to do with weight concerns. Mine are show and breeding animals and I want the mainstay of their diet to be alfalfa pellets, hay and grains. That keeps their coats in top condition and keeps them healthy.

Many of the diet limitations you read about have more to do with the amount of greens and other vegetables they should have. You don't want to overdo those foods. Just fill the dishes daily with good quality pellets and keep fresh water in front of them all the time. Mine love rolled barley and I find it keeps the weight on them which is what I want. There is a bigger concern with underweight in cavies then there is with overweight.  

Cavies are fairly sedentary by nature.  They don't need a lot of exercise.  Rabbits on the other hand do. The metabolism of a rabbit is much faster than a guinea pig. When kept in coops that don't allow them to get the exercise they need they get fat and that leads to health problems. Even in large cages guinea pigs spend a great deal of time napping and just 'hanging out.' That's what makes them such great pets. They're quite happy just to sit on your lap or hang on your shoulder to get stroked.

On a show table a rabbit is disqualified for being over the expected weight for their breed. Unless they're rollie pollie fat guinea pigs are considered better if larger. I don't mean soft and floppy fat of course, but that's seldom a problem with guinea pigs. Cavy judges must disqualify a pig for being underweight for their class.

Just keep the right kind of food in front of your pigs all the time.  Alfalfa cubes or hay are both excellent for keeping the teeth properly worn and satisfies their need to graze. Don't overdue fruits and veggies. Feed only the kind of guinea pig pellets without the colored things or seeds in it. That's just eye candy for the owners but has little or no nutritional value. Give them some parsley, Romaine lettuce and a few carrots every few days. Make sure their food and water is always fresh and they will always be healthy and happy.