Changing behaviours

[MargeryBaxter]

I am curious about some changing behaviours we have been noticing in our older boar. Gordon is almost 6 and has been living side by side with another boat for around 2 years since their bond broke down (both boys came to us from a rescue aged about 4 months).

Gordon has been quite unwell with sludge for the last 6 months or. So and has been on a low calcium diet with reduced pellets on the advice of the vet. A couple of times he has been so poorly that I thought he might need PTS. However each time he has rallied and started eating again etc.
He has always had poor vision (blind in one eye) and now he is completely blind. He was always a larger pig who was very laid back. He was always very calm and happy to sit on laps. He was never able to stand up in his back legs and wasn’t agile.

However now, as a result of his reduced diet he has lost quite a lot of weight and has become extremely lively and is even standing up unsupported on his back legs. He is also biting a lot ( we think with his vision being poor he is just nibbling on anything near his mouth.

Has anyone else found a big change in the behaviour of an older guinea pig?

 

[piggieminder]

Bump

 

[Mrs Tiggy Winkle]

The change I most commonly noticed in older piggies was that they slow down and doze more. Or also that they fall asleep in the middle of some open space rather than going into a hidey.

The changes you're seeing seem to be more about change in diet and weight loss rather than age. Sounds good to me! More active piggy.

 

[HarriettBrown]

I am curious about some changing behaviours we have been noticing in our older boar. Gordon is almost 6 and has been living side by side with another boat for around 2 years since their bond broke down (both boys came to us from a rescue aged about 4 months).

Gordon has been quite unwell with sludge for the last 6 months or. So and has been on a low calcium diet with reduced pellets on the advice of the vet. A couple of times he has been so poorly that I thought he might need PTS. However each time he has rallied and started eating again etc.
He has always had poor vision (blind in one eye) and now he is completely blind. He was always a larger pig who was very laid back. He was always very calm and happy to sit on laps. He was never able to stand up in his back legs and wasn’t agile.

However now, as a result of his reduced diet he has lost quite a lot of weight and has become extremely lively and is even standing up unsupported on his back legs. He is also biting a lot ( we think with his vision being poor he is just nibbling on anything near his mouth. Enjoy daily rewards at Rainbet Australia https://rainbet-aus.com/ platform online.

Has anyone else found a big change in the behaviour of an older guinea pig?

It’s not unusual to see behavior changes in older pigs, especially when there have been health issues and diet adjustments. The weight loss alone can make a big difference, he may feel lighter, more mobile, and a bit more energetic than before. The standing up could be a sign he’s physically more comfortable now, even if he’s still an older boy.

The biting sounds more like exploratory nibbling, which fits with him being fully blind now. They rely heavily on their mouths to understand their surroundings. As long as it’s not aggressive and he’s otherwise eating, moving, and interacting normally, it doesn’t sound too concerning, just an adjustment phase.