Food and Products can be purchased Directly from Palm View Shelter please book a few days in advance so your order can be prepared. Collection via appointment ONLY.
Guinea Pig Dry Mix- is made up fresh to order at Cavy Courtyard and delivered to Palm View Guinea Pig Shelter.
Often pre packed guinea pig food varieties are unsuitable, offer no nutritional value, cause tooth
cracking, choking or are old and taste terrible. Brands, often bought from the supermarkets in
particular, are mostly packed with fillers such as bird seed - weighs the box down but consists of
nothing really that helps a guinea pig's diet.
The difference with Palm View Guinea Pig mix, speaks for itself - our guinea pigs are well conditioned, healthy, beautiful coats and are also rehabilitated on our mix as soon as they enter our shelter. A guinea pig's dietary requirements and intake have been taken into account to ensure they are receiving adequate fibre to assist in healthy gut flora, good digestion and oats etc to add condition to those in need of extra bulking. Guinea Pigs love the taste and are eager to empty their entire bowls - no wastage.
Palm View Guinea Pig Mix is available in 2 large sizes -
Loyalty Cards will also be supplied for GP Mix and Hay, buy 5 quantities of food and get your 6th for free. - Even honouring the Super Size quantity!
Large Bag $10 (will generally last 2 pigs 4 - 6 weeks)
Super Size $30 - 60 litre rubbish bin, filled with fresh mix - client to supply the 60 litre bin -
Bunning's Willow Brand is only $14
Below is a photo of the Large Bag of Oaten Hay and the Large Size Guinea Pig Mix - these quantites are purchased at low prices from Palm View Shelter - please sms or email for your order! This quantity generally lasts for 6 weeks for 2 adult pigs - sometimes longer.
LAUCKE MICRO PELLETS
Palm View's Guinea Pig Mix and Rodent Mix also contains Laucke Micro Pellets. These pellets alone are a complete balanced meal for guinea pigs and can be fed as their staple guinea pig mix. I personally prefer to still offer the blended chaff and grain mix as the pigs absolutely love it - I have chosen to add the pellets into my mix as an extra bonus.
PIG OUT is an Affiliate of Palm View Shelter and is now available for food collections in various Brisbane based areas - If you are not local to Palm View Shelter - Pig Out suppliers are based in ASHGROVE and NORMAN PARK. Offering the same quality guinea pig mix and hay. Prices will vary Between - Please email Palm View Shelter for your closest Pig Out Spot!
HAY - an absolute essential part of their diet
Did you know that guinea pigs require hay in an unlimited supply? This means their hay rack
should always remain full at all times. Guinea Pigs have a particular gut system where they need to constantly have fibre/roughage, passing through in order to remain healthy. Hay also aids in good digestion and importantly, wears down their constant growing 'Back teeth'.
The long fibre strands allow adequate grinding and chewing motion - this cannot be achieved by
wooden chew toys and man made pet shop products.
Palm View Shelter, always has the best Hay we can possibly find, not only to feed our
own pet pigs but also for shelter pigs and
client's pigs.
Hay will always vary depending on the
season, weather patterns and what is
available.
Guinea Pigs can eat a wide variety of hays but not all hay will be available to purchase or may not be found in all areas. Some hay varieties that are suitable are Grassy hay, oaten hay, barley hay, Timothy Hay or Orchard Grass by Oxbow, Rhodes Grass, Meadow Grass etc - we try to not feed Lucerne, Alfalfa or Prime as the calcium content is quite high and I have had first hand experience with Pigs and Bladder Stones, Bladder Sludge, Kidney issues, Excess Calcium etc... so is best to be fed in smaller amounts if any.
Currently we have a beautiful Grassy Hay - hay racks can also be purchased from the shelter by
request.
Hay is available to purchase in a large 56 litre bag for $6
Loyalty Cards also apply to hay sales.
NOTE - DUE TO MY HEALTH ISSUES, there will be a change in the preperation of hay sales - they will now be sold per slip of hay rather than the bag, to avoid any dust.
FRESH GRASS - VEGIES - HERBS & SALADS
Check out our Fresh Favourites - OUR - Menu List under Bon Apetite.
Please Note - Guinea pigs cannot make or store vitamin C in their bodies, for this reason, they will require vitamin C to sustain their body on a daily basis. This is EASILY achieved by ensuring they are also given fresh grass and vegies, herbs, salads etc, daily.
It is not necessary or advisable, to give your guinea pigs vitamin and mineral supplements, when an appropriate diet will contain all they will require. Seek an Exotic Vet's opinion if you feel as though your guinea pig may be suffering from a vitamin C deficiencyor any other dietry problems. I have added our shelter menu as a guide to purchasing guinea pig friendly vegies etc from regular Woolies/Aldi or Coles supermarkets.
Grass is at the absolute top of the list for keeping guinea pigs healthy - it contains heaps of nutrients, vitamins including vitamin C and is delicious for them to eat.
Marmalade, has been diagnosed with a severe Vitamin C defiency. Her back leg joints, have fused together and she is unable to bend them - this is an incredibly painful disease that could have been prevented.
Scurvey is very commonly seen in shelter guinea pigs, from a very early age. This is due to being on very poor diets in their previous home.
Please ensure this simple part of their diet is met.
Guinea Pigs are best kept off the ground and closer to your family - such as a verandah hutch, indoors or patio hutch. This is to create (and to keep), a better relationship and bond with your
animals and family. They have a less chance of being 'forgotton' and have a better chance of a
longer, happier life and survival with more protection against the weather elements, health
issues and predators.
Inappropriate housing, resulting in 3 very ill guinea pigs.
Guinea Pigs that are left to their own
defenses in a lawn style hutch, tend to fall
victim a lot quicker to illness, stress and
weather related issues - such as heat
stroke, death from cold or fungal
issues/mange issues - weakened immune
systems etc.
By housing your guinea pigs in a hutch off the ground - they can also be kept dry and
have less chance of ingesting bacteria from dirt floors etc. There are a few varieties of bedding materials that are cheap and suitable for guinea pigs.
Palm View Shelter, due to the flood situations eaof 2011, were forced to use Organic sugar cane mulch, as Wood Shavings were unavailable for quite some time.I have found that the Organic Rocky Point Brand, has been fantastic and I still use this as bedding in sections through out my shelter. It has remained dry, is cosy and has no smell - plus not much mess on the floor, light weight and easy to add to the garden after use.
Lately I have been purchasing a different brand sold at Masters.
The only problem I find with the sugar cane mulch is it can sometimes make white pigs a bit grubby.
Other Options for Bedding is Woodshavings - Hysorb and First Choice Brands are the most
common. If you are able to apply the shavings fairly thick, they will do a much better job at
remaining absorbant and keeping your pets, clean and dry. My shelter always uses Hysorb for indoor hutches.
Shavings are now available again to purchase from my shelter - by order only, due to limited
supplies - prices have also gone up a few dollars as I am also paying more to purchase them. Please order in advance.
Other bedding options which are suitable, are recycled newspaper kitty litter which can be
purchased from Big W, Woolies, Coles, Kmart etc - this bedding style is good but not as cheap as
shavings/sugar cane mulch. Some people also prefer to use fleece or towels for the base of their guinea pig hutch. It really is your own personal choice.
Guinea Pigs are prone to various mite and skin issues. By routinely checking your guinea pig's health, coat, body weight and skin, will allow you to find any issues before they pose as a serious
health problem.
My shelter uses Ivomec for treatment against internal mites, parasites and worms. Ivomec can
be purchased directly from Palm View Shelter or postage can be arranged.
Administering Ivomec is a simple process and lasts a long time.
Ivomec is very effective in killing off mange mites etc and is highly recommended in the event of
an infestation.
Bathing in Fidos Fre Itch Concentrate Rinse, is also a fantastic way to eradicate any external lice,
static lice, parasites etc that are on the hair or skin of your guinea pig.
the tiny black dots are static lice
Fidos Fre Itch Concentrate Rinse can also be purchased from Palm View Shelter when available.
Guinea Pigs are also prone to Fungal Infections, fungal is contagious to other guinea pigs, animals
and people - it is a spore and can be quite difficult to clear up if left untreated.
Palm View shelter uses Malaseb anti fungal shampoo to clear up fungal conditions in guinea pigs.
This sow is suffering from severe fungal and mange mites.
