• PLEASE NOTE - the TEAS facebook page has been hacked, take extreme care when visiting the page, for further information visit here

Dave is worrying me...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
191
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Yorkshire, England, UK.
Ho dave is about 2 and half. Ge usually lives outside in a very sheltered little hut but I brought him in on 4th nov because of fireworks and the cold. He's been fine. But today I noticed he is scurrying around everywhere and is acting as though he's very hungry. He's eating and I'm assuming he's drinking his water. He's lost tiny bit of weight he's usually about 1270 but was 1209 exactly when I weighed him a minute ago. Is this a sign if something more serious? Please help, amy x
 
A weight gain like that should mean that you need to be on red alert and keep an eye on his eating habits and his poo. Please weigh him dialy and book him at the vets if he is losing more weight.

Just the change in temperatures can have caused weight loss, but there are other reasons. Teeth are always a worry - check how he is eating; have a feel of his belly - is soft or tense? A build up of parasites in the guts (i.e. worming) is a possibility for utdoors guinea pigs.

Here is a list of further causes that can cause loss of appetite/weight loss:
http://www.guinealynx.info/anorexia.html
 
Thank you. He has lost weight. He has lost about 70g in 2 weeks. I will weigh him daily. His appetite has increased it's like he wants more food all the time. I cannot tell if he is drinking as his water
Bottle leaks slightly so it's hard to tell exactly how much he's drinking. I will check his belly and poops and get back to you.

Thanks. Amy
 
Where exactly does he live? A hutch inside a shed?

Could it be possible he is getting too cold? x
 
He dis live in a hutch inside a shed but on 4th November I brought him inside. He is now living in an indoor cage in the house. I don't think he would be cold. He can't stop eating. Hes greedy anyway at the best of times but he's squealing for more food. I keep giving him more as
I am
Worried he is going hungry. But I haven't given him too much more. I have also put in a supplement into his water to
Hopefully help if anything is wrong and he also likes the taste so hopefully encourage him to drink. Like I say I cannot tell how much he's drinking. He's
Still
Scurrying around everywhere. Is this a sign of something? Thanks or
Your help
 
As long as he has plenty of fresh hay he shouldn't be hungry all the time (although most guinea pigs will wheek if they think there's a chance of a tidbit- this may be more noticeable as he's indoors now). I also thought worms because of constantly being hungry and losing weight.

If you're not sure then it is best to seek vetinary treatment. :)
 
You could try worming him it has a pretty quick effect if this is the problem. I wormed Bob and as his weight was gradually going down over a couple of months then suddenly dropped 70g in 4 days. With in 24 hours of worming he'd put 70g back on.
Try Four Seasons Anti Parasitic from Holistic Pet Supplies 0.5ml once a month.
 
We had problems with internal parasites over the summer, even though they are wormed regularly. One of the symptons was anaemia - the inside of the eyelids were very pale. Both our girls were affected and one of our piggies lost a huge amount weight. Vedra at CCT sorted this out with an intense bathing and worming routine over a 3 week period.

Unfortunatly, poor Liquorice had other problems and died, but Coco is going strong with her new friends.

What Vedra told us was that the parasites come in on the hay, so they affect even indoor piggies. She did suggest trying some sterilised hay - Spillers I think - but I have not found a source for that.

Weighing will help you to monitor it.

Vets are not always very good at picking up piggie problems - a friend's piggie died because a vet was not able to diagnose worms. I put her on to our local rodentologist who picked up the worms straight away, but by that time it was too late.
 
Hi, I can't say if something might be wrong with Dave or not, but if he seems healthy it could be that he just wants more fresh food *all the time*!

I've got indoor piggies, and when I manage to stick to a routine of feeding them their fresh food twice a day at the same time of day, they're fine. But when the feeding is random, then they squeak when I open the back door - I might have brought some grass in, or be getting ready to put them in the run - they squeak when I open the fridge door, if I unpack a shopping bag, or if someone so much as touches a bag and it rustles slightly!

They make a dreadful din, and run about or violently bite the cage bars! They always have enough to eat but they always want the fresh food instantly, they think I'm not quick enough!
 
I have no idea what they sell at the local pet shops. Our piggies are wormed by our local rodentologist who boards our girls when we go away.

However, worming them will not do them any harm even if they don't have parasites. Vedra from CCT told us that if you bed you piggies on hay they will have parasites. Piggies need hay, so don't use that as a reason to change their bedding! Wood shavings/chips are not good for piggies, my understanding is that they will increase the risk of respiratory infections. Vedra suggested that we consider a sterilised hay (Spillers?) but I can't find a local supplier.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top