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Guinea Pig Dirty Teeth

Fotini Rizou

Fotini Rizou

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
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Hey, I adopted a guinea pig before a Month, he is okay he is eating veggies hay and stuff... But his teeth are black, like they're dirty, I don't know why, teeth size is good, and he don't have something in his mouth like other sick piggies, he just don't have clean white teeth. Don't tell me that having only one guinea pig is bad, because I already know it, I will adopt another ohe, but first I want to be sure that mine is healthy . We went to the exotic vet before 2 weeks and he said that his teeth are okay, I will go again. I don't know if he has something or his teeth are just dirty from food (Sorry for my English I am from Greece). Please if you know something answer me, I will appreciate your help!
 
Do you trust that vet & do you have pellets available. I forgot to ask what diet is your piggy on.
Also where did you get your piggie from?
 
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I trust him, and also we don't have many vets for exotic animals here. Yes he is eating oxbow pellets.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Do you trust that vet & do you have pellets available. I forgot to ask what diet is your piggy on.
Also where did you get your piggie from?
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I got him from ohe lady who didn't want him anymore (I don't know why he is adorable) he is eating vegetables, timothy hay, and oxbow pellets. But I am taking it slowly with veggies and fruits , cause I don't know if she was giving him, and I don't want to upset his stomach. In what diet is yours? Because probably I need some advices!
 
Hay makes up around 80% of the diet. Guinea pigs should have this in unlimited amounts and it should be available at all times. Pellets should make up about 5% of the diet and veggies the rest. Please don't give him fruit very often as it is bad for piggies. Veggies are better.
 
You are correct in giving him just small bits of veg to start with so that his stomach gets used to new foods. Have a read of this guide to help you on what to feed your guinea pig. Your English is very good!

Diet Guides

I have no idea why his teeth are black maybe @furryfriends (TEAS) would be able to advise?
 
Betsy said:
Hay makes up around 80% of the diet. Guinea pigs should have this in unlimited amounts and it should be available at all times. Pellets should make up about 5% of the diet and veggies the rest. Please don't give him fruit very often as it is bad for piggies. Veggies are better.
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I don't give him fruits, only sometimes as a treat. It's my first piggie, I adopted him to save him from the bad situation (he was living in a hamster cage) now he is living in a very large cage, and he is going to have and a friend soon. But I don't really know much stuff for their diet, Can you please reccomend me a routine for the veggies? Also I don't know what's going on with the colour of his teeth. Thank you!
 
Jaycey said:
@Fotini Rizou Could you post a photo of his teeth?

Have they always been black? Does he have any problem eating hard food?
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I've tried to take a photo, but I can't cause I am alone and I can't keep and the phone and his mouth :( my brother is coming tomorrow so I will try...they were black yes, only his front teeth.. He don't have any problem with food, that's why I don't understand. I will took him to the vet again. But I can't figure out something cause his mouth is okay. I've tried to search on the Internet, but the only stuff I saw were piggies with really serious dental problems, and oversized teeth. Here he is, with his mohawk hair

20171219_005130.webp
 
The only thing I can think of is scurvy, ask your vet about this he may need extra vitamins but get extra advice on this. I think the damage has been a long time before he came to you I'll try to tag someone Into this thread. @Wiebke @sport_billy
 
Do you ever give him banana skins (yes,apparently they are scrumptious according to my piggies ). They turn the teeth brown, but only temporarily
 
Are all his teeth black or only the incisors? Guinea pigs have very fast growing teeth, so any superficial staining that is not caused by problems at the root should grow out. It takes a bit longer with incisors as they are about 5 cm long.

Can you please post a picture of the teeth, please?
 
Betsy said:
I give mine pellets for breakfast then they have unlimited hay for the rest of the day and in the evening they have veggies for dinner. On this guide here is an example of what to feed your piggie.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diet
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Thank you very much! ❤
Tiamolly123 said:
The only thing I can think of is scurvy, ask your vet about this he may need extra vitamins but get extra advice on this. I think the damage has been a long time before he came to you I'll try to tag someone Into this thread. @Wiebke @sport_billy
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Wiebke said:
Are all his teeth black or only the incisors? Guinea pigs have very fast growing teeth, so any superficial staining that is not caused by problems at the root should grow out. It takes a bit longer with incisors as they are about 5 cm long.

Can you please post a picture of the teeth, please?
Click to expand...
Hey, only the incisors. I saw that from the root is white, while its growing, but in the end of the teeth is black. So I hope that when its going to grow, it will be just white. I tried but I am alone, so I can't keep the phone
 
Fotini Rizou said:
Thank you very much! ❤


Hey, only the incisors. I saw that from the root is white, while its growing, but in the end of the teeth is black. So I hope that when its going to grow, it will be just white. I tried but I am alone, so I can't keep the phone
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If you can see white growing out, then you should have completely white teeth in about a couple of weeks and can stop worrying as the roots of the teeth are perfectly healthy!

The incisors are self sharpening and wear against each other in a well balanced dental system. It is the very abrasive silica in hay that keeps the crucial back teeth in order and the guts going perfectly. You are doing everything right and are a very good guinea pig owner. Your little pretty one has been very lucky to find you!
 
Wiebke said:
If you can see white growing out, then you should have completely white teeth in about a couple of weeks and can stop worrying as the roots of the teeth are perfectly healthy!

The incisors are self sharpening and wear against each other in a well balanced dental system. It is the very abrasive silica in hay that keeps the crucial back teeth in order and the guts going perfectly. You are doing everything right and are a very good guinea pig owner. Your little pretty one has been very lucky to find you!
Click to expand...
Thank you! He is eating plenty of good quality timothy hay (he is an adult). But we are going to a new vet next week, who is from UK, and a lot more educated than Greek vets. The only good thing for piggies who live in Greece, it's that in The winter it's not cold, and in the Summer it's not so Hot, cause we live in a mountain.
 
Awww he is lovely, well done you for getting him out of a bad situation and into a good home. The teeth staining might have been caused by his previous owner feeding him a poor diet. If he was in a hamster cage then there is a chance she also didn’t research his dietary needs either.

Glad you can see the white underneath, he’ll have his dazzling smile back over time.
 
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