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Guinea pig concern

Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I see you're in the US so you should be able to get Critical Care to feed in a bowl and or by syringe. Hay is an important part of piggy diet so start today!
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I have it and I been trying to syringe feed they just won’t have it :( what else can I do ?
 
Sarina said:
I have it and I been trying to syringe feed they just won’t have it :( what else can I do ?
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Is this what I need ? What other way can I give other than syringe since they won’t eat it no matter how many times I tried
 

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As your piggies are not currently losing weight daily; then the chances are that they are eating hay.
As they are new and scared, then if their weights are stable they are eating when you are not there watching them.

You only have to get concerned and step in with syringe feeding if they are losing weight, which you haven’t said they are.

Continue to monitor their weights and if they do lose 50g or more then you do need to step in with syringe feeding.
If they are eating enough, maintaining their weights daily then they are eating enough for themselves and are not going want you to syringe feed them.
 
Piggies&buns said:
As your piggies are not currently losing weight daily; then the chances are that they are eating hay.
As they are new and scared, then if their weights are stable they likely eating hay when you are not there watching them.

You only have to get concerned and step in with syringe feeding if they are losing weight.

Continue to monitor their weights and if they do lose 50g or more then you do need to step in with syringe feeding.
If they are eating enough, maintaining their weights daily the they are not going want you to syringe feed them.
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They have kept the same weight now 1.2 pounds for like a week now so they aren’t necessarily loosing weight as of rn they do eat hay I seen them eating occasionally just not as much as I seen others eat shoudl I cut down the vegetables as u mentioned earlier ? They devour the vegetables as soon as I put it on there
 
Sarina said:
They have kept the same weight now 1.2 pounds for like a week now so they aren’t necessarily loosing weight as of rn they do eat hay I seen them eating occasionally just not as much as I seen others eat shoudl I cut down the vegetables as u mentioned earlier ? They devour the vegetables as soon as I put it on there
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Sorry I have so many questions
 
Sarina said:
I have it and I been trying to syringe feed they just won’t have it :( what else can I do ?
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Sorry for worrying you needlessly. When I was replying to your post on that very old thread, the situation sounded like more of an emergency than it is.
Here, listen to @Piggies&buns and members like her, they have more knowledge than I do.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
Sorry for worrying you needlessly. When I was replying to your post on that very old thread, the situation sounded like more of an emergency than it is.
Here, listen to @Piggies&buns and members like her, they have more knowledge than I do.Okll
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They are currently eating hay rn but they only eat a little amount at a time
 
They can have one cup of veg per pig per day.
The reason I said about slow introduction to vegetables is about getting their gut adjusted to it. But if you’ve already gone in with feeding a cup per pig per day and it isn’t upsetting their tummies, then there is no need for you to reduce veg now

If you overfeeding veg ie feeding more than one cup per pig then you would need to reduce it to encourage more hay intake.

If you are not over feeding anything else (I know you did say you were over feeding pellets so do make sure you cut those down to one tablespoon per pig) then they must be keeping stable with hay so currently there would be no concern with them.
As we discussed they are small in weight but without a better idea of their age, then it’s rather hard to know what to expect at this point.

It’s fine if they’re only eating a little at a time, they are grazing. Their weights are stable at present and that is the key piece of information.

They aren’t necessarily going to put weight on quickly - they are adjusting to a new life. hopefully they will start to soon but you’ve got to give them time to settle in.

Monitor their weights and see how things go.
If they lose 50 grams then do syringe feed. We don’t consider anything less than 50g to be weight loss, that is just normal fluctuation.

You are going to get them checked by a vet anyway but definitely do so if they lose significant weight
 
Piggies&buns said:
They can have one cup of veg per pig per day.
The reason I said about slow introduction to vegetables is about getting their gut adjusted to it. But if you’ve already gone in with feeding a cup per pig per day and it isn’t upsetting their tummies, then there is no need for you to reduce veg now

If you overfeeding veg ie feeding more than one cup per pig then you would need to reduce it to encourage more hay intake.

If you are not over feeding anything else (I know you did say you were over feeding pellets so do make sure you cut those down to one tablespoon per pig) then they must be keeping stable with hay so currently there would be no concern with them.
As we discussed they are small in weight but without a better idea of their age, then it’s rather hard to know what to expect at this point.

It’s fine if they’re only eating a little at a time, they are grazing. Their weights are stable at present and that is the key piece of information.

They aren’t necessarily going to put weight on quickly - they are adjusting to a new life. hopefully they will start to soon but you’ve got to give them time to settle in.

Monitor their weights and see how things go.
If they lose 50 grams then do syringe feed. We don’t consider anything less than 50g to be weight loss, that is just normal fluctuation.

You are going to get them checked by a vet anyway but definitely do so if they lose significant weight
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No it didn’t upset there tummies poop and everything looks normal ! Okay thanks I. Will let u know what they tell me at the vet
 
Sarina said:
No it didn’t upset there tummies poop and everything looks normal ! Okay thanks I. Will let u know what they tell me at the vet
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Can u take a look at the picture I put on here in regards to the cage is it a good size or should I. Make it bigger I have more panels just would have to make space if it isn’t big enough
 
Sarina said:
Can u take a look at the picture I put on here in regards to the cage is it a good size or should I. Make it bigger I have more panels just would have to make space if it isn’t big enough
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Their cage is a great size.
Two boys need a 5x2 c&c and you have provided beyond that, no need to make it any bigger
 
Hello and welcome to the forum @Sarina. Gorgeous piggies and a great cage too. You’re doing a great job.
 
Sarina said:
They are eating everything they love all the vegetables but that hay well they are eating it it’s just ik they should be eating more of it I did make a appointment alr thank you
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Glad to hear you made an appointment with your vet! Eating their favorite food is good!
Each guinea pig is so different!
Hope things will be okay. Just one thing, guinea pigs can crash on you suddenly. Good luck!
 
lyllica said:
Glad to hear you made an appointment with your vet! Eating their favorite food is good!
Each guinea pig is so different!
Hope things will be okay. Just one thing, guinea pigs can crash on you suddenly. Good luck!
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Yes I just got them so this is my first time taking them to the vet thank u I hope they are well we got the appointment in two days so I hope they do ok until then
 
Sarina said:
Yes I just got them so this is my first time taking them to the vet thank u I hope they are well we got the appointment in two days so I hope they do ok until then
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Wish you the best outcome. Hope they are not sick. Like my GP now only eat bell pepper, tried cucumber, kale, fruits but won't eat. Each pig is so different.
 
Sarina said:
Hello I have a concern I got two male guinea pigs from pet smart they both only weight 1.2 pounds each I just started to weight them kn the 11 this month I got one first which was September 29 and the second one October 3 they both eat their pellets and fruits but not much of the hay they are still very skittish if there’s noise they don’t come out I hold both of them everyday regardless I initially offered orchard grass hay and have offered them Timothy hay as well they don’t eat it that well either
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1.2 lbs for a
 
1.2 lbs for fully grown male is kind of small. I have a 4 months old female weighing 1.7 lbs. (768 gram last weighed) Usually they nibble on hay most of the day. My pig eats 70% hay, 10% veggie, 10% pellets/treat, 10% water, salt lick, etc. Very active, goes flying around me few times and returns to my lap.
I hope your GP is not underweight. This is my 7th GP, I'm 62 now and seems like guinea pigs are getting miniturarized like mini rabbit.
Back in the 60's, guinea pigs were pretty large compared to the one I have now.
Sorry for the long write up.
I usually look at their eyes. They have to be dry no crusting or tearing, clear shining eyes and coat. Check their teeth if they are not munching on hay, they might have a sore or overgrown teeth. GP cannot vomit so you need to be alert of their health. Good luck!
 

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lyllica said:
They should be eating lot's of Timothy hay and some pellets and fresh water. My GP likes bell pepper, that's practically the only veg she eats. Each pig is different I got my Guinea pig from Petco July, she was about about 3-4 weeks weighed 11.8 oz. August 1 16 oz. September 1, 1.35 lbs. October 14 1.7 lbs.
Take them to the vet for check up if they're not eating. Don't wait, make an appointment
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BTW Lyllica is my daughter who got me the GP. We had a dwarf rabbit that lived 11 years. 2 years after she passed away, she got me the GP.
 
lyllica said:
1.2 lbs for fully grown male is kind of small. I have a 4 months old female weighing 1.7 lbs. (768 gram last weighed) Usually they nibble on hay most of the day. My pig eats 70% hay, 10% veggie, 10% pellets/treat, 10% water, salt lick, etc. Very active, goes flying around me few times and returns to my lap.
I hope your GP is not underweight. This is my 7th GP, I'm 62 now and seems like guinea pigs are getting miniturarized like mini rabbit.
Back in the 60's, guinea pigs were pretty large compared to the one I have now.
Sorry for the long write up.
I usually look at their eyes. They have to be dry no crusting or tearing, clear shining eyes and coat. Check their teeth if they are not munching on hay, they might have a sore or overgrown teeth. GP cannot vomit so you need to be alert of their health. Good luck!
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Just to clarify:
The diet should be more like around 80% hay, 15% veggies, 5% pellets - pellets are much less important than veg.
They should never be given salt licks.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Welcome to the forum

It can take months for them to settle in and be more confident to allow you to touch them or not be quite so scares by noises. Piggies are naturally very nervous so you have to take your time with them. As prey animals noises are going to scare them and send them back into hiding.

We recommend that they are left alone for the first week. in the second week you sit by their cage and talk to them. From the third start offering food from your hand (which the probably won’t take to begin with) and then slowly start offering your hand to them to see if they will sniff you and eventually build up to letting you touch them.
I would not force them to be held at this stage if they don’t want to. I try to encourage trust with them and then work up to handling them. you have to be able to handle them for the weekly health and weight checks, and in case they ever need medication but generally speaking most piggies don’t like to be cuddled.

I have added guides below to help you.

New Guinea Pigs: How to Best Manage Arrival and Settling In
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

Hay is the most important part of their diet.
Make sure they have large loose piles odbir in their cage floor at all times. Don’t use hay racks or bags as it restricts their access to hay. They also like to play in hay.
You cannot gauge hay intake by eye so the weight checks are the only way to know they are eating enough.

You mention fruit. They should not eat any fruit. It is too much sugar and not good for them.
They can have one cup of vegetables per day - a small mix of lettuce, bell pepper, cilantro and cucumber.
Pellets - they can have just one tablespoon each per day. They are not important in the diet.
If you over feed veg and pellets then you can cause them to not eat enough hay so it is important you are accurate in the veg and pellet quantities and to keep both those items limited.
Ive added our diet guide below to help you further.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

As you have boys, space is very important. Make sure their cage measures 70x24 inches and it should be on one level. Anything less than those measurements will be too small for boars.
Also make sure you have two of everything in the cage and ensure all hides have two exits. Don’t use any single exit hides as it can cause one piggy to trap the other inside and cause fights.

I’ve added a guide below about boars as there are some specifics to keeping them

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
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Forgot to update earlier took them to the vet and everything is well with them they are both healthy and have gained a little bit of weight :)
 
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