Fat Pig?

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Hi all, how can you tell if a guineapig is overweight? Other than weighing them regularily as ive noticed Ditto seems a little porkier around his back end a latelt he kind of resembles a pear when you look down on him, but his face and legs etc look normal. Hes eating the same as hes always eaten and geta exercise daily. Are there signs to look out for ? Or an ideal average weight? .. Or do i just have a naturally porky pig :x

 

[Amanda1801]

Some people are of the opinion that guinea pigs can't be too fat, and that porky is cute etc. but at the end of the day, they're no different to any other animal, and too much body fat is detrimental to their health.

If you think he's gained a little too much weight lately, you can cut back on his dry food and avoid root vegetables, fruit etc. and increase floor time; use this as an opportunity to make him work for his veggies - I had a porky pig (had - he's slimline again now!) and got him moving more (he's a sprinter-pig anyway!) by chopping his veg up small and scattering it around the room so he had to get them little legs moving.

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Thanks hun il try that then he is a little lazy these days he tends to sprawl out during floor time unless something makes him jump. I put this down to age but 3-4 isnt that old is it? I mean ive read they can live up until 8 years of age

 

[Amanda1801]

Thanks hun il try that then he is a little lazy these days he tends to sprawl out during floor time unless something makes him jump. I put this down to age but 3-4 isnt that old is it? I mean ive read they can live up until 8 years of age

nah he's kinda middle aged. The scattering food trick, or sitting with him and drip feeding it (give him a bit, let him eat it, then offer some more from the other side of the room etc.) works well, it's the method I used to use for fat rabbits when I volunteered at the RSPCA small animal dept

Also, you can slow down his dryfood intake by scattering it amongst his hay, rather than providing it in a bowl, which again, will make him work for it more.

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Ahh bless him so its the middle aged tyre then -cxx>>> .. ill try all your tricks and weigh him when I'm back home tonight to see any weight differences, when he went to the vets he said he was either 3 pounds or 3kgs not sure of the difference i have no idea about the scales of weight but he was definatly 3 something because the vet commented he was a big lad and on asking if he meant obese he said No just a big lad generally? malletheadinbreeding

 

[Shellza]

Some people say that guinea pigs are only overweight if they can't lift their tummy off the floor when they walk, however it's down to personal opinion really. If you feel he has got a bit plump then you can cut down on sugary foods.

As Amanda suggested with the hay thing, you can do other things to make food time more interesting so they have to search and move around for their food. You can do this by hiding bits of food/veg in egg trays and covering with hay or in toilet roll tubes cut down the middle (length ways) with hay on top. This way they have to forage, more like they would in the wild. Ooh, just remembered one of Wiebke's tricks too of tying loo rolls across the cage and filling them with hay. My pigs love it when I do this and it makes them exercise by reaching up to get the hay.

Hope this helps.

 

[Amanda1801]

Ahh bless him so its the middle aged tyre then -cxx>>> .. ill try all your tricks and weigh him when I'm back home tonight to see any weight differences, when he went to the vets he said he was either 3 pounds or 3kgs not sure of the difference i have no idea about the scales of weight but he was definatly 3 something because the vet commented he was a big lad and on asking if he meant obese he said No just a big lad generally? malletheadinbreeding

He'd have been 3lbs - that equates to 1.3kg which is getting towards some of the larger piggy sizes.

 

[Iceprincessx]

Thanks guys that's really helpful for me Mum commented that Barnums become a bit of a lump today. I think it's because he's by himself he's got no one to chase and play with anymore! I'll try all your techniques!