Are there any guides for looking after older (5+ yrs) guinea pigs

[Honey22]

Good Morning,

Our little Luna has turned 5 and slowed right down. Are there any guides/advice on what I can do to help her.

We have piles of hay around the cage, water available, she's on fleece at the moment and has tunnels and fleece beds. She has been to the vet recently and she's in good health (she went to keep her cage mate company and we got her checked at the same time). Are there any supplements we should be giving her?

Thank you in advance xx

 

[Piggies&buns]

There is a section in this guide which details how you can help older piggies.

In terms of supplements, I would be guided by whether your vet thinks anything is necessary. Sometimes glucosamine for their joints can help but if the vet isnt concerned about her mobility or any health issue, then there may not be any need at this point.
Two of my boys turned 5 years old a couple of months ago. They are also in good health and are just more mellow than they were. Of course, there arent popcorns and Zoomies anymore but they are in no way frail. I dont supplement them.

Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs

 

[Betsy]

My oldest piggy so far was RB Piggy Shy Little Meg. She reached the grand old age of 6 and a half before being helped over the Rainbow Bridge. I never supplemented her diet.

Here she is just cos she was so scrummy!





Can we see some spam of Luna please @Honey22?

 

[Wiebke]

Good Morning,

Our little Luna has turned 5 and slowed right down. Are there any guides/advice on what I can do to help her.

We have piles of hay around the cage, water available, she's on fleece at the moment and has tunnels and fleece beds. She has been to the vet recently and she's in good health (she went to keep her cage mate company and we got her checked at the same time). Are there any supplements we should be giving her?

Thank you in advance xx

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry that Luna is slowing down. There are no perking up supplements that work reliably since it very much depends which organ/chemical process in the body is no longer working optimally and has a knock-on effect on other things. Guinea pigs are unfortunately dreadfully underresearched.

With a good mainly hay-based diet and good general care, you can get any piggies without major genetic defects through a normal life span of 4-7 years (5-6 years is about the average age of most piggies). What you can't control at all is when and what from your piggies die. They have a much faster metabolism and that is turning against them in old age.

The last two chapters of my article series about following a piggy life from the cradle to the grave deal with old age and having to face the end; they give you a good overview of the challenges that come with this part of life: Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs

We also have a more in-depth information collection with more practical advice for some of the more common issues health issues that come up with older piggies and how to adapt the care if needed via this link here: Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

Please try to take a leaf out of your piggies' book and see every new day she is still there to greet you as the special gift it is and plan a little joy for it. Guinea pigs don't have a concept for an average life span; they measure their life in happy todays. Love transcends time. You can still pack a lifetime's value of love and fun in whatever time is left. Those are the memories that will stay with you.

 

[Honey22]

Thank you everyone. I shall have a good read at the weekend. I just want her to be comfortable because she's still my baby! Xx

 

[Betsy]

Thank you everyone. I shall have a good read at the weekend. I just want her to be comfortable because she's still my baby! Xx

Gotta love a black piggie!

 

[Merab]

She’s