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Snack From the Flower Pot for Guinea Pigs

It is better not to let guinea pigs directly into the pots, otherwise, they will climb in and attack the roots, causing the plant to die.

Almost everyone likes the shiny green leaves, whether budgerigar or zebra finch, Meerli or mouse. The “creeping beautiful upholstery”, which is originally at home in South America, had first become popular as a warmth-loving pot and hanging plant in German households – until the Papenburg gardener couple Manfred and Nadine Schrape discovered by chance that their daughter’s rabbits were enthusiastic about making the juicy green.

They then had the plant tested for digestibility and then for the ingredients in an institute for animal nutrition. The result: “Callisia repens” is no longer just used for greening rooms, but also as a forage plant for many small animals under the product name “Golliwogg”.

Spray-free

“The studies have shown that Golliwogg is rich in minerals and vitamins. That is why the plant is an ideal supplementary feed for small mammals, birds, and even reptiles,” explains Nadine Scrape. Above all, it is recommended as a healthy green fodder for the wintertime. If you are wondering about the name Golliwogg: There is no abbreviation and nothing mysterious behind it, but simply sprung from the imagination, she reveals. And yet the name is important, as it guarantees that the “crawling beautiful upholstery” from the Scrapes nursery is free from harmful substances, the gardener assures: “Instead of pesticides, beneficial insects, i.e. special mini fly species, ensure that no pests grow in the greenhouse can spread to the plants.” A stick label distinguishes Golliwogg as animal feed and thus distinguishes it from the ornamental plant.

A spot in the semi-shade

If you order one or more pots from the nursery (www.golliwoog.de) or get them from a specialist shop (a pot costs around 3 euros), you should place the heat-loving green plant on the windowsill in winter. It loves partial shade and does not tolerate blazing sun. In summer it thrives outside, on the balcony, or in the garden. It doesn’t get “wet feet”, so it should only be kept slightly damp and watered sparingly in winter, i.e. once a week.

Repot in balcony boxes

It is better not to let guinea pigs directly into the pots, otherwise, they will climb in and attack the roots, causing the plant to die. It is better to plant two or three Golliwoogs together, e.g. in a balcony box, and cut off a few shoots if necessary and serve them as a snack.

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