a guinea pig that only eats vegetable

[sao kim]

Well, not only vegetable but some kind of pellet that I don't know what is it...

The whole story is, I found a new friend, she loves animal and loves her piggy but lacks of information on how to care of a guinea pig.

In my country, guinea pigs aren't new but only considered as pet for about 2-3 years ago. In the market, they put about 20 poor piggies in a bird cage, and you can do whatever you want to the poor one you buy; either eat him or put him in another bird cage and call him your "pet". Also, the sellers only feed them vegetable and some kind of pellet, maybe it food for bird but I'm not sure. And so are the owners if they buy guinea pigs from there, they will be told that only vegetable is enough and a wire small cage is perfect for a piggy.

So, more than a year ago, my new friend bought a guinea pig like that and of course a wire cage. But it's at the smallest size for a guinea pig cage. I mean the size is acceptable, and also it's ware but tight enough for the piggy to put her feet on. I think the cage is not a problem.

The problem is the piggy have never been toilet-trained; since she lives in a wire cage, all her "products" would fall down into a tray. And as the seller told my friend, she only feed her piggy vegetable and pellet.

Now her piggy is about 2 years old, and she just knows her knowledge about guinea pig is not enough. Well, I taught her everything I know, but I don't know how to help her change her piggy life style.

As far as I see, the pig is perfectly healthy and friendly. She can be handled easily and hand-feed without any sign of scared. However she's rather smaller than a guinea pig at her age.

So the questions are:
- The pig is 2 years old, can she be toilet-trained? If not, is the wire cage ok for her?
- Should we change her diet? I think she will refuse any kind of hay, but new pellet...maybe...But how to change? What food should we try first?
- My friend was thinking of a playpen and some toy for her. But i think the toilet-trainning should come first or everything would become a mess ='=

Then, any suggestion?

 

[flintstones]

Pigs are very hard to toilet train and generally poop and wee where ever they want. By wire cage do you mean a wire bottom, in which case this cage will damaged her feet.

She'll refuse any type has she never been hay? Hay is vital to wear down her little friends teeth.

If the cage has a wire bottom, I would invest in a larger cage without wire floors.

Where abouts are you in the world?

Welcome to the forum, and Well Done to you and your friend for improving her little friends care ! xx

 

[Member W]

pyeah wire bottom cages are very bad for guinea pigs feet and can cause a thing called bumble foot, which as you can see from the picture is very painful for the poor guinea pig

you definately need to get a cage with a solid bottom where you can put soft bedding to prevent the feet becoming damaged :<> a guinea pigs diet should consist of alot of veg and hay aswell as pellets or muesli x

 

[Member W]

this link might give you some ideas for food for your piggy http://www.milhaven-rescue.com/feeding-your-piggy/

and this link gives you some more information about cages and bedding http://www.milhaven-rescue.com/housing-your-piggy/ i use sawdust and empty the cage give it a wash and then put more sawdust in about once a week. hope you enjoy you're little friend, they're lovely pets to have if taken care of properly x

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Maybe she can just put a piece of wood, or at least cardboard or a few layers of newspaper over the wire floor of the cage. Then put some bedding on top of that. It would be better for the guinea pig's feet.

She should try to see if the guinea pig will eat hay, you never know, he might eat it. I had a rabbit that was 8 months and had never had hay, and she started eating it once I got her.

A play pen is a good idea too, so the guinea pig gets more exercise. Or a bigger cage, whichever she can afford.

And trying a new kind of pellet is a good idea too. Are there any good pet shops where you get your guinea pig supplies that your friend can go to too?

 

[sao kim]

I live in Asia ^^, thanks for the welcome.

pyeah wire bottom cages are very bad for guinea pigs feet and can cause a thing called bumble foot, which as you can see from the picture is very painful for the poor guinea pig

you definately need to get a cage with a solid bottom where you can put soft bedding to prevent the feet becoming damaged :<> a guinea pigs diet should consist of alot of veg and hay aswell as pellets or muesli x

this link might give you some ideas for food for your piggy http://www.milhaven-rescue.com/feeding-your-piggy/

and this link gives you some more information about cages and bedding http://www.milhaven-rescue.com/housing-your-piggy/ i use sawdust and empty the cage give it a wash and then put more sawdust in about once a week. hope you enjoy you're little friend, they're lovely pets to have if taken care of properly x

It's my new friend, not me ^^. I have a guinea pig myself but only for the first time in my life, I can handle mine but not very confident in helping my friend. Thanks for the link, I usually use this for my piggy

, is it ok?

Maybe she can just put a piece of wood, or at least cardboard or a few layers of newspaper over the wire floor of the cage. Then put some bedding on top of that. It would be better for the guinea pig's feet.

She should try to see if the guinea pig will eat hay, you never know, he might eat it. I had a rabbit that was 8 months and had never had hay, and she started eating it once I got her.

A play pen is a good idea too, so the guinea pig gets more exercise. Or a bigger cage, whichever she can afford.

And trying a new kind of pellet is a good idea too. Are there any good pet shops where you get your guinea pig supplies that your friend can go to too?

Well, so we will try hay then ^^. She's willing to buy a new cage, is this good enough

The size is 68x46x50 cm. well, she can also buy a playpen to let the piggy out for a few hours but can not have a big cage (doesn't have enough room), from my experience, that size is ok, right?

 

[flintstones]

The size is 68x46x50 cm. well, she can also buy a playpen to let the piggy out for a few hours but can not have a big cage (doesn't have enough room), from my experience, that size is ok, right?

Hay is very important for a Guinea Pigs diet, they needs unlimited hay . I also think the cage is to small in the uk the recommended size is 2ft x4ft.

 

[pelicano]

That's a very small cage, but it's difficult to make any recommendations for where you live.

 

[sao kim]

oh, forgot to say: the piggy is about 20 cm long

 

[TrivialPursuit]

i recommend getting the biggest cage you can possibly get. and as others said unlimited hay
there might be other people from asia here, that can offer more cage advice.... at the very least you need a cage 100cm length http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/europe-asia/index2.html

 

[sao kim]

i recommend getting the biggest cage you can possibly get. and as others said unlimited hay
there might be other people from asia here, that can offer more cage advice.... at the very least you need a cage 100cm length http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/europe-asia/index2.html

Her current cage, the ware floor one, is 100 x 50 cm; for a solid floor cage, the one in the picture is the biggest we can found. I use a C&C for my piggy but my friend lives in another city so I don't know if she can find material to make one.

I'm thinking of removing the floor and replace it by a big tray...Hay is not a problem, there's some real pet-shop ( or at least better than the
market) where she can buy. We just affraid that the piggy won't eat...but we will try ^^

 

[Member W]

that cage does look much better, just a little too small. you must get some pictures up if your guinea pigs for us to see :<> guinea pigs do need hay in their diet so i would be surprised if yours wouldn't eat it. good luck x

 

[Benandbert]

Food for guinea pigs

is pumpkin, water melon, guava, baby corn good for guinea pigs?
thank you guys for the help i live in Macau and it is bit hard to find dried foods hence we have to go in Hongkong to get them some treats too.

 

[Glynis]

is pumpkin, water melon, guava, baby corn good for guinea pigs?
thank you guys for the help i live in Macau and it is bit hard to find dried foods hence we have to go in Hongkong to get them some treats too.

Hi yes but with all fruits, not too much, it can give them sores around their mouths. I have put a link to recommended foods for you.
Piggies love corn, the husk (outside part) and the silks are very good for them
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42

oh and also when introducing new foods, don't give too much, it might upset their tummies

 

[Glynis]

Hi Sao Kim welcome to the forum
You are a lovely friend to help your new friend with her piggie
I hope she is able to find a large cage or buy the grids to make C&C like you.
Hay is essential for their teeth, hay helps them grind down their molars, piggie teeth grow all the time. You might be able to buy the Oxbow hay online ?
http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/contact/oxbow_international

Glynis, Velvet and Onyx x

 

[Benandbert]

thanks

thank you Glynis, last week i gave them a small slice of pumpkin they ate it though they become quiet and seems like they are upset with me for few hours, reckon they suffer a stomach ache and i'd waited another 4 days to give them another wee slice but they did not even touch it and they seem to be scared of pumpkin hence i am not going to give them again. they love carrots all the time and i found some treats at pets at home which they adore,one of them when he smells it and hear that i am opening the small box where i kept the treats, he jump and nearly fell out the cage lol luckily i catch him.
anyway thank you for the advice.
Warm Regards.

 

[bekked]

Hello!
So happy you're helping your friend with her piggie.
Where are you from, if you dont mind me asking? Its because you said where you are pigs have only really beome pets in the last few years? wowee it must be so exciting to finally be able to have these lovely animals as pets.

It's hard to completely 'potty train' a pig.. most important first is to make sure the creature is getting the foods it needs! Wire flooring of a cage not so good, if you can replace it with a tray that would be great..

And deffinately give hay, if you can find it, or atleast washed fresh grass! Pigs need the roughage and they also need to chew on something constantly to keep their teeth trim and nice.

Good luck!