Do guinea pigs eat less in hot weather?

lexi468

lexi468

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello!
I noticed recently that my guinea pigs are not finishing their pellets by the end of the day, which they almost ALWAYS do. It has been really hot here and even though we have the air conditioning running I was wondering if this happens when it gets warm out. I know people have less hunger! They’re still eating all their veggies and lots of hay and drinking water and acting normal.
Thanks guys!
 
You might want to read this guide: Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike
This is what I would highlight from the link:
Symptoms of overheating
- lying on flat on the belly
- lethargic and reluctant to move
- off their food and water, struggling to swallow and to process food
- major weight loss in a very short time
Do your piggies show any of these signs? What is the temperature in the room that the piggies are in? The Humane Society states that 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit is the climate most suitable for piggies. I hope that this helps! :)
 
lexi468 said:
Hello!
I noticed recently that my guinea pigs are not finishing their pellets by the end of the day, which they almost ALWAYS do. It has been really hot here and even though we have the air conditioning running I was wondering if this happens when it gets warm out. I know people have less hunger! They’re still eating all their veggies and lots of hay and drinking water and acting normal.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

How many pellets are you giving them? They should not have constant access to them. They should only have one tablespoon per pig per day. They are the junk food of the piggy diet and should be kept strictly limited to encourage them to eat more hay than anything else.
I give my piggies just 30 minutes to eat their pellets and then remove any they haven’t eaten (they only get their tablespoon and if equates to just 6g or around 12 pellets per pig)
 
They don’t have any of those symptoms, just the not eating all their pellets. It’s definitely not warmer than 75 degrees in my house. We have two air conditioners in like 900 square feet. I also put frozen water bottles (wrapped, obviously) in with them so they can cool off if they need to. And I do not give them unlimited pellets. I will read that link, thank you!
 
Not eating pellets is really not a concern in itself, as they need to eat more hay than anything else anyway.
They should not be eating less because of the weather though. If their hay intake drops (which you can only tell by weighing them regularly as you cannot gauge hay intake accurately by eye), and their weight drops, then that would require a vet check
 
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