Guinea pig
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig, also known as cavy or domestic cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea, nor are they biologically related to pigs, and the origin of the name is still …
How do I keep my guinea pig's teeth from falling out?
Giving your guinea pigs wooden blocks or sticks (untreated wood only) to gnaw on in their cages will help them keep their teeth at the right length. “In a healthy guinea pig, the biting, chewing and grinding of food (especially hays, grasses and abrasive foods) will normally keep the teeth at the proper length —...
Do guinea pigs have teeth problems?
Guinea pigs are susceptible to common diseases of the mouth and teeth including plaque build-up, bacterial infections and abscesses but also specific problems which relate to the way their teeth grow. How Long Do Guinea Pig Teeth Grow? Unlike many mammals, the teeth of your guinea pig are open-rooted; this means that they grow continuously.
Can guinea pigs eat Veggies?
Their high fiber contents help keep guinea pig teeth at a safe size. A good rule of thumb to tell if a veggie has plenty of fibrous material is to give it a bite yourself. If it has a crisp or tougher texture, it likely has more fiber .
Can guinea pigs eat avocados?
For example, carrots have less fiber than avocados, but carrots will kelp keep your guinea pig’s teeth healthier than avocados would. And more! While not 100% necessary, providing your guinea pig with chew toys is an extra safety measure.
Can a guinea pig eat with no teeth?
The pigs can eat fine without the incisors, but not without the molars! Guinea pigs with this disorder will likely need periodic tooth trimming every 6-8 weeks or so for the rest of their lives, although some can be kept under control with proper hay supplementation.
What happens if a guinea pig loses its teeth?
Broken Teeth and Tooth Loss With healthy guinea pigs, any damaged or lost tooth will grow back absolutely fine. However, monitor your guinea pig to check that the remaining teeth do not get too long and start causing damage to the gums or lining of the mouth.
What do you feed a guinea pig with a broken tooth?
1:573:43How To Care For A Guinea Pig With A Broken Tooth - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCut vegetables in either stripes or in very very small pieces because the guinea pig can really chewMoreCut vegetables in either stripes or in very very small pieces because the guinea pig can really chew probably have oats kind of as problems showing.
What can I use if I don't have guinea pig food?
Guinea Pig Food Alternatives and SupplementsRomaine Lettuce. Much more nutritionally dense than Iceberg lettuce, the high fiber content in Romaine lettuce (as well as red and green lettuces) can help keep your guinea pig's digestion working smoothly. ... Broccoli. ... Cauliflower. ... Kale. ... Bell Peppers. ... Oranges. ... Carrots. ... Squash.More items...
How do guinea pigs eat missing teeth?
Guinea pigs should have 1 cup a day of fresh veggies and/or fruits. Veggies you can feed him include carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumber, lettuce, among others. Fruits include apple (no seeds as they are poisonous), banana, grapes, honeydew melon, and raspberries among others.
How long will it take for a guinea pig's teeth to grow back?
While our human teeth stay the same size and shape throughout our adult lives, guinea pig teeth grow continually at a rate of 1–2 mm per week. The reason why the teeth must keep growing is that they get worn down by all the tough fibre in the diet.
Why did my guinea pigs front teeth fall out?
Vitamin Deficiency If your guinea pig is not getting the right nutrition it is possible for his teeth to become loose or fall out. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy. In some cases your pig's teeth will become loose enough to wiggle with your finger. This is not normal for a healthy guinea pig.
How long do guinea pigs live?
4 – 8 yearsGuinea pig / Lifespan (In captivity)Consider lifespan Guinea pigs live an average of five to seven years. This lifespan is longer than many other small pets such as hamsters, gerbils, mice or rats, all of whom only live up to a few years.
Do pigs lose their teeth?
Pigs typically lose their “baby” teeth around 12-15 months old, so after Oscar turned a year old, we started watching for signs of him losing a tooth, like increased teething.
Can I make my own guinea pig food?
Offer Variety. Like all of us, guinea pigs do well on a variety of foods. Offer a range of vegetables at each feeding. Include leafy greens like kale, spinach or chard at each feeding, along with other options like peas, carrots, cucumbers, celery, corn or sweet peppers.
What human food can a guinea pig eat?
Fruit and vegetables: Fresh vegetables can be offered once a day and should be equivalent to about one cup total per guinea pig per day. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, kale, cilantro and parsley should comprise the bulk of your pig's fresh produce.
How long can guinea pigs go without food?
So, how long can guinea pigs go without food and water? Healthy guinea pigs shouldn't go over 8 hours without food. They won't starve in this time, but they can develop potentially fatal GI stasis or other health issues. Healthy guinea pigs may go up to 24 hours without water.
Can guinea pigs break their teeth?
Broken Teeth Grow Quickly A guinea pig living on a poor diet can be vulnerable to broken teeth, especially if the diet is deficient in vitamin C, which is essential for bone and tooth growth. The teeth of a normal healthy guinea pig should grow back just fine.
How do you tell if your guinea pig has teeth problems?
Signs that your guinea pig is having tooth problems include lowered appetite and hence stools, mouth sensitivity, redness of the gums, and long teeth. Almost always the cheek teeth are also affected. Greencross Vets recommend that you regularly check your guinea pigs' teeth.
Do guinea pigs have feeling in their teeth?
Guinea pigs do not have any nerves in their teeth, so do not feel pain in this area. We do most of our own dental treatment at the rescue while the guinea pig is conscious. Problems can include a trapped tongue, where the teeth are over impinging, growing across the tongue, sometimes even crossing.
Do guinea pigs have teeth problems?
Guinea pigs need a high fibre diet (including grass and oat hay) to grind down and shape their teeth. Guinea pigs fed mainly on pellets or guinea pig mixes often have dental problems. Most guinea pigs with dental and gum problems also have a Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy).
How to Offer Soft Food for Guinea Pigs
If your piggy exhibits a decreased appetite from an ongoing dental condition, syringe feeding is the way to go. Aim to prepare a super thick liquid food, and provide about 1ml of water for every 5ml of food.
How Do You Know Your Guinea Pig Is Ready for A Normal Diet?
Your guinea pig will start to feed on slightly hard veggies, herbs, hays, and grasses. He will not require your assistance to force-feed it using a spoon or syringe.
FAQs
Feeding soft foods is imperative when your guinea pig is weak and not eating, rejected by its mother, sick or when it has dental or bad teeth problems.
In Short
When your guinea pig has a teeth problem, it can get hurt and reject hard foods due to pain. In such a scenario, it’s imperative to act quickly and help your pet feed to prevent its health from deteriorating.
Guinea Pig Teeth 101
To understand why a guinea pig might end up with some dental problems, we need to take a quick look at their teeth.
Common Guinea Pig Dental Problems
Though guinea pigs don’t have the same problems as we do (they certainly eat less sugar!), but we still need to be vigilant in keeping their teeth healthy.
Causes of Guinea Pig Dental Problems
Any number of factors can affect the health of your cavy’s teeth. While some might be out of your control, like genetics, you can certainly prevent many other causes.
Preventing Guinea Pig Dental Problems
These two problems often go hand in hand. With a proper diet, your guinea pig’s teeth will naturally wear down.
Prevention Is Better than Treatment
Unless your guinea pig’s teeth problems are caused by genetics, preventing them is quick and straightforward.
What About Genetics?
Unfortunately, this is the one factor entirely out of your control. Usually, this isn’t a problem, but it can occasionally result in a guinea pig whose teeth growth faster than even a health diet can handle.
How Do You Prevent Guinea Pig Dental Problems
Whether your guinea pigs have had healthy teeth their whole lives or have encountered dental problems, please share in the comments below. We would love to hear what you did to keep their teeth healthy. Or what did you do to help correct any dental problems that arose. We look forward to hearing about your experience.
Why is dental hygiene important for guinea pigs?
Dental hygiene is a vitally important part of caring for any animal and problems with the teeth can cause different ailments and problems. As humans, we know how painful toothache can be and how it affects our appetite and mood. With guinea pigs, proper dental care is even more essential and, if their teeth aren’t cared for properly, ...
How many teeth does a guinea pig have?
Guinea Pig Teeth: The Basic Anatomy. Guinea pigs have 20 teeth in their mouths which consist of: 2 upper and 2 lower incisors. 2 upper and 2 lower premolars. 6 upper and 6 lower molars. The sharp incisors at the front of the mouth are used for cutting food whilst the premolars and molars do all the grinding and chewing.
How do you know if a pig is chewing food?
In fact, one of the obvious signs that your pet pig is having problems chewing and swallowing food as a result of malocclusion is the presence of their favourite bits of food left on the floor of its house.
Why do guinea pigs have sores?
Lastly, a poor diet can also cause your guinea pig’s teeth to be susceptible to fractures due to malnutrition. Tooth fractures can leave your guinea pig with sharp and serrated edges inside their mouth which can cause lesions, punctures and sores inside their cheeks and around their lips.
Why does my guinea pig have a broken tooth?
A fracture (or, break) in the tooth can occur as a result of trauma such as a fall or even from fighting. Fractures can also be caused by your guinea pig chewing on inappropriate things. This can include toys that aren’t suitable for your pet or if they are prone to chewing on cage wires.
What happens if a guinea pig is malocclusion?
Eventually, the lack of sufficient food and intestinal fibre can cause death.
What diseases do guinea pigs have?
Guinea pigs are susceptible to common diseases of the mouth and teeth including plaque build-up, bacterial infections and abscesses but also specific problems which relate to the way their teeth grow.
