# Guinea Pig Poo Root Tabs?



## Ben M (26 Feb 2014)

Hi, I've been thinking of putting some root tabs in my planted nano, and have come across the idea of using guinea pig poo instead. As I have 2 guinea pigs I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this, and if there are any problems it can cause?

Cheers,
Ben


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## Alastair (26 Feb 2014)

Wouldnt have thought so as people use rabbit droppings to fertilise the substrate.  Worth a shi..... cough! shot.


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## Ben M (26 Feb 2014)

Haha, I might try it then.


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## Martin in Holland (27 Feb 2014)

I would watch out with a heavy bio load fertilise in a tank, as we always try to minimise this with WC


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## Alastair (27 Feb 2014)

Martin in China said:


> I would watch out with a heavy bio load fertilise in a tank, as we always try to minimise this with WC


If ben only uses a very small amount buried quite deep in the substrate I doubt it would be any problem. Im hoping Darrel will chip in as to whether its ok or not.


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2014)

I would be careful. I think guinea pigs don't produce urine, it being locked up as urea based salt in the dung. Thus you would be putting urea in your tank which can/will break down to ammonia with obvious consequences for your live stock and filter bacteria.


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## Edvet (27 Feb 2014)

I can confirm GP's do produce urine


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## Alastair (27 Feb 2014)

Edvet said:


> I can confirm GP's do produce urine


Me too ha ha. Felt it first 'hand'


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2014)

Edvet said:


> I can confirm GP's do produce urine


My bad then.


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## dw1305 (27 Feb 2014)

Hi all, 





ian_m said:


> I think guinea pigs don't produce urine, it being locked up as urea based salt in the dung.


 Interesting, I didn't know that, but I've never kept Guinea Pigs. 

I don't think it will matter as long as you don't over do it. Rodents and Lagomorphs are very efficient at retrieving the nutrients from their food, they have an enlarged caecum and eat their own soft faeces, so the hard pellets are largely indigestible structural carbohydrates (lignins etc) having had 2 passes through the digestive system. 

If the pellets contain some urea it may actually be an advantage. Because they are in the substrate any ammonia resulting from the microbial decomposition of urea: (NH2)2CO + H2O → CO2 + 2NH3) should be scavenged pretty efficiently by your plant roots. 

cheers Darrel


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## Alastair (27 Feb 2014)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,  Interesting, I didn't know that, but I've never kept Guinea Pigs.
> 
> I don't think it will matter as long as you don't over do it. Rodents and Lagomorphs are very efficient at retrieving the nutrients from their food, they have an enlarged caecum and eat their own soft faeces, so the hard pellets are largely indigestible structural carbohydrates (lignins etc) having had 2 passes through the digestive system.
> 
> ...



Awesome that.  Was hoping youd jump in darrel. Im sure its put the ops mind at rest. Think ill raid my little girls Gerbil cage


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## Edvet (27 Feb 2014)

dw1305 said:


> eat their own soft faeces, so the hard pellets are largely indigestible structural carbohydrates (lignins etc) having had 2 passes through the digestive system.


 The soft feaces they eat is usualy only produced early in the day, they eat that in order to gain some Vit K and B. Not all food passes twice.


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## James O (27 Feb 2014)

You guys really know your shi.......(cough)


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## Greenfinger2 (27 Feb 2014)

Hi All, When i am out for a walk i will look even more like a nutter picking up rabbit poo The Wife thinks i am mad now picking up stones and twigs 
Fantastic thread by the way


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## Tim Harrison (27 Feb 2014)

There's a dude on another "planted tank forum" who is a proponent of organics in the substrate. He produced a thread "Toxic Ten" one of which was dog poo He mixes it with soil and caps it with about 2.5cm of very fine sand creating anaerobic conditions, and swears that in a well balanced system it is beneficial


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## Fern (27 Feb 2014)

Would it be beter to dry the poop out first?
Don't have guinea pigs now, but did a long time ago, lovely little animals, and this is an interesting idea!

Edit: just seen the above post, really couldn't do that.........ughhhh


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## Tim Harrison (27 Feb 2014)

Only if you don't want to to get your fingers dirty...either way always wash your hands afterwards...

Drying maybe a good idea for larger scale terrestrial applications...as manure dries the nutrients concentrate on a weight and volume basis...but I'm not sure it'd be of any advantage in an aquatic environment, especially given the small amount we're talking about.


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## Fern (27 Feb 2014)

Oh right, thanks. Was just thinking about any posible nasties being introduced to the tank, if the poop was....recently passed.....


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## Tim Harrison (27 Feb 2014)

Oh...you mean to kill parasites and the like...just heat it up in a friend's oven to about 140 degrees C, gas mark 1


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## Fern (27 Feb 2014)

Troi said:


> .just heat it up in a friend's oven to about 140 degrees C, gas mark 1


Good call 
I don't think my family would ever eat a oven cooked meal again if i did that in our oven 
But what they don't know, won't hurt them ...


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## James O (27 Feb 2014)

Just don't burn it for goodness sake. You'll never get the smell out of the carpets & furniture


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## Lindy (27 Feb 2014)

Troi said:


> ..just heat it up in a friend's oven to about 140 degrees C, gas mark 1


That would smell very special


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## Ben M (27 Feb 2014)

Thanks everyone. I can also confirm guinea pigs do pass urine, as I have had the odd soaked t shirt from holding them when they've had an accident. So it sounds like it may be a good idea to go for some of the soft pellets and dry them out. I won't go mad, I was just thinking of putting some under my crypts.

Cheers,
Ben


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## Martin in Holland (28 Feb 2014)

Fern said:


> Good call
> I don't think my family would ever eat a oven cooked meal again if i did that in our oven
> But what they don't know, won't hurt them ...



Lets hope they won't read this forum than


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## Alastair (28 Feb 2014)

Troi said:


> Oh...you mean to kill parasites and the like...just heat it up in a friend's oven to about 140 degrees C, gas mark 1



Toasted log.........very nice


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## Edvet (28 Feb 2014)

Fern said:


> Oh right, thanks. Was just thinking about any posible nasties being introduced to the tank, if the poop was....recently passed.....


 I don't think there are any parasites you would have to worrie about. The fish would love the worms


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## Tim Harrison (28 Feb 2014)

Alastair said:


> Toasted log.........very nice


Haha...more like dry roasted guinea pig tuds...Apparently they're Peru's most favourite vegetarian bar snack...


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## Alastair (28 Feb 2014)

Troi said:


> Haha...more like dry roasted guinea pig tuds...Apparently they're Peru's most favourite vegetarian bar snack...



Probably more nutritious than the crap on supermarket shelves though mate.


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## Fern (28 Feb 2014)

Troi said:


> Apparently they're Peru's most favourite vegetarian bar snack


...........and they also eat guinea pigs............


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