What can I Feed my guinea pigs?
Always provide unlimited access to hay for your guinea pig whether it is healthy or sick. This is the staple of their diet that aids digestion and keeps their teeth at the proper length. Timothy hay, orchard grass, meadow hay and botanical hay are some of the most common varieties used for healthy guinea pigs.
Can I give my guinea pig oat hay?
Oat hay is high in fiber and low in calcium. High fiber hays are great for promoting gut health. It can also help with weight gain. If you aren't feeding fresh vegetables daily, now would definitely be a good time to start if your guinea pig needs to gain weight. It is recommended that they have 1 cup every day as it provides essential vitamin C.
What can I give my guinea pig for an upset stomach?
It can be helpful to add water and create a mush to encourage pigs with a poor appetite to eat. Vitamin C (Important!) Vitamin C is often supplemented even with healthy guinea pigs, so if your pet is recovering from illness or needs to gain weight, extra vitamin C is very important.
How to help your guinea pig gain weight?
How to Help Your Guinea Pig Gain Weight 1 Guinea pig weight range. One extremely beneficial investment that everyone with small pets should... 2 Many underlying diseases can result in weight loss... 3 Be careful with adding new foods to the diet. 4 Guinea pigs gain weight slowly. It might seem counterproductive,...
What should I feed my weak guinea pig?
0:363:276 Tips for Feeding a Sick Guinea Pig - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd its favorite food are carrots might still be easier to start with something soft such asMoreAnd its favorite food are carrots might still be easier to start with something soft such as cucumber or tomato.
Why is my guinea pig so skinny?
Weight loss can be a sign of illness or a lack of nutrients and weight gain may mean you are overfeeding pellets or vegetables. If you are unsure of your guinea pigs body condition, then have them checked over by your vet.
How do I keep my guinea pig from getting skinny?
keep offering them a balanced diet of unlimited hay and appropriate amounts of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and pellets (you can always add more pellets to their diet if you think they need it), too; don't overdo any sugar foods or you'll have an obese guinea pig on your hands.
How do I fatten up my guinea pig?
How To Help Your Guinea Pig Gain Weight Safelyconsult a vet.offer a balanced diet.feed Critical Care.serve oats.weigh your pet weekly.provide alfalfa hay.handfeed separately.supply pea flakes.More items...•
Why can I feel my guinea pigs spine?
If you're unable to feel her spine or ribs, your guinea pig is likely overweight. Conversely, if her spine and ribs are quite pronounced she is probably underweight. Either way, the overall health of your cavy is at risk and needs to be addressed by a veterinarian.
How can I help my malnourished guinea pig?
For malnourished, sick, or underweight guinea pigs, you can temporarily offer alfalfa-based, instead of timothy hay-based, pellets. Both KMS and Oxbow have alfalfa-based versions used for younger animals. It can be helpful to add water and create a mush to encourage pigs with a poor appetite to eat.
How do I know if my guinea pig is malnourished?
Signs to look out for that may indicate pain or illness in guinea pigs include:Reduced appetite or difficulty eating.Weight loss.Drooling.Drinking more water than usual.A change in the frequency and/or consistency of faecal pellets (e.g. diarrhoea or the absence of faecal pellets)More items...•
Are pea flakes good for guinea pigs?
Wheeky Pea Flakes make a healthy snack and are a great source of protein for small pets. We recommend feeding these as a treat only, due to the high protein count, and limiting to 1-2 tsp per day max per pet. Wheeky Pea Flakes can also be used to help underweight rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters gain weight.
What are the signs of a guinea pig dying?
Lack of Appetite. Guinea pigs that are very ill will refuse to eat, and may show signs of weight loss if the appetite loss has persisted for some time. ... Bad Urine and Feces. ... Fever. ... Respiratory Problems. ... Eye Condition. ... Poor Coat Condition. ... Mobility Issues. ... Lethargy.More items...
How do I know if my guinea pig is malnourished?
Signs to look out for that may indicate pain or illness in guinea pigs include:Reduced appetite or difficulty eating.Weight loss.Drooling.Drinking more water than usual.A change in the frequency and/or consistency of faecal pellets (e.g. diarrhoea or the absence of faecal pellets)More items...•
What is the best pellet diet for guinea pigs?
A good quality pelleted diet, such as Oxbow Essentials Cavy Cuisine Adult Guinea Pig Food or KMS Haloft's Timothy Choice Pellets should be regularly offered to guinea pigs at approximately 1/8 cup per day. Not all pellets are created equal, so be sure to follow the guidelines when choosing a brand. As vitamin C content is important, pellets can be a good source of this, but vitamin C content can degrade over time. Some brands offer stabilized vitamin C; be sure also to check the expiration date. Guinea pigs that are prone to bladder stones should not eat pellets.
How to help guinea pigs lose weight?
If you’ve taken your pet to the vet and received a diagnosis, or if your guinea pig’s weight loss is not so dramatic and there are no other signs of illness, you can prepare a diet that can help them put on weight. However, keep in mind that guinea pigs have very fragile gastrointestinal (GI) tracts that are kept in check with the foods they constantly consume. When you introduce different foods into their diet, do so very gradually. If they receive too much of anything new that isn't hay or healthy pellets, the flora balance in their system can quickly become upset.
Why Is My Guinea Pig Losing Weight?
After these steps are taken, your recovering guinea pig might benefit from foods that promote weight gain and healing.
What Is the Appropriate Guinea Pig Weight Range?
One extremely beneficial investment that everyone with small pets should make is a kitchen scale with values of grams, ounces, and pounds. When illness is suspected, weighing the animal daily can be a critical step to determine whether an emergency vet visit is warranted. In general, a healthy guinea pig's weight is cited as:
Why is my guinea pig not eating?
Anorexia: If a guinea pig is not eating, it is imperative to bring them to a vet (one experienced with rodents). The animal’s sensitive GI tract can be drastically affected in only 24 hours. There are many conditions that can cause a poor appetite, such as a urinary tract infection, upper respiratory infection, and bloat. These are all serious conditions that require an immediate vet visit. Whatever the reason, weight loss in guinea pigs should be addressed promptly.
How much weight can a guinea pig lose?
if your pet guinea pig loses more than two ounces , take them to the vet! it's much better to be safe than sorry, and consulting your veterinarian is always the safest way to identify and remedy health issues in pets.
How much does a guinea pig weigh?
In general, a healthy guinea pig's weight is cited as: 900–1200 grams for males. 700–900 grams for females. However, healthy weight varies depending on the individual. This is why it is so important to monitor and weigh your pets frequently when they are healthy.
How to Help A Guinea Pig Gain Weight
You can help your guinea pig gain weight at home by enriching their diet with nutrient-dense foods and vitamins. If you notice significant weight loss, you’ll want to consult with your veterinarian immediately.
FAQs
This could be a sign of an improper diet or a parasite. Consult with your veterinarian for the best treatment options.
Conclusion
A sudden weight loss of guinea pigs may indicate health problems. Since their bodies aren’t configured to handle drastic weight loss in a short period, you’ll want to act quickly to avoid further problems.
How to help guinea pigs gain weight?
The best way to help a guinea pig gain weight is to switch to alfalfa hay, introduce new veggies and fruits, clean the cage, and introduce pellets.
How to feed a guinea pig a new food?
You can start by cutting the food into small pieces and giving them ½ cup a day.
How much does a guinea pig weigh?
An adult male guinea pig should weigh around 1kg (give or take 200g).
What is the most common disease in guinea pigs?
Scurvy is one of the most common diseases in pet guinea pigs. Scurvy is essentially a deficiency in vitamin C. When a guinea pig develops scurvy , they can begin to lose their hair, lose mobility, and eventually lose weight.
Why is my guinea pig losing weight?
There are plenty of reasons why your guinea pig could be losing weight, including dental problems, scurvy, bad hygiene, and parasites.
Do guinea pigs need clean water?
Additionally, always make sure your guinea pig has access to fresh, clean water.
How to help a guinea pig gain weight?
To help your guinea pig gain weight you need to change the diet, but be careful changing the diet drastically. If your vet has prescribed a change in your previous diet plan, you need to do it gradually. A sudden change in diet can develop many other problems. You should let your piggie change its habit slowly in weeks.
What to feed a malnourished guinea pig?
For malnourished pets, you should use alfalfa-based pellets instead of hay-based pellets. It would help to add some water and make a mush to encourage your pet to eat. Vitamin C: Guinea pigs are not able to synthesize their vitamin V in the body. Therefore, they need supplements of vitamin C in their daily diet.
What foods can piggies eat?
Furthermore, the following foods help your piggie gain weight. Hay: There are certain varieties of hay that are beneficial for your piggie in sickness because they contain more calories to help maintain weight and fight the disease. These are alfalfa, readigrass, and oat hay. Vegetables: If you are not giving your piggie vegetables ...
Why do guinea pigs shed?
Guinea pigs grow hairs during the winter and shed in the summer. The obvious reason for growing and shedding is temperature maintenance. However, when they shed hair in summer, some guinea pig owners think they are losing weight. In reality, change in season has nothing to do with weight gain or weight loss.
Can you give pigs vegetables?
Vegetables: If you are not giving your piggie vegetables and want your piggie to gain weight, it is best to start giving veggies to your little pig. However, you should very carefully which vegetable to offer and which not to offer. Vegetables are full of vitamins, and your piggie needs vitamin C for living a healthy life.
Can guinea pigs make their own vitamin C?
You can provide a proper balance of pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables. Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, and they need it from outside in their daily diet. You should provide an unlimited quantity of fresh timothy hay every day to aid digestion.
Do guinea pigs overeat?
He advised me of a diet plan and tips to take better care of my piggie. Your guinea pig doesn’t overeat, and therefore, they need a balanced diet full of all the essential nutrients in an adequate amount. You can provide a proper balance of pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables. Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, ...
