Guinea pig frequently laying down

[s.haller16]

Hi, i have a 4 or 5 year only male piggy, so he is starting to get up there in age. He keeps laying down though. I frequently see him even laying down when he is eating. Because he is so inactive he is starting to gain quite a bit of weight. Should i be worried that he keeps laying down, or is this normal for a pig of his age? Ive tried to get him interested in some type of enrichment but even then lays down while doing the game.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, i have a 4 or 5 year only male piggy, so he is starting to get up there in age. He keeps laying down though. I frequently see him even laying down when he is eating. Because he is so inactive he is starting to gain quite a bit of weight. Should i be worried that he keeps laying down, or is this normal for a pig of his age? Ive tried to get him interested in some type of enrichment but even then lays down while doing the game.

Hi!

Lying down when eating means that he is relaxed about his surroundings. Older piggies start to sleep more and generally take life a bit more leisurely but your boy is only about on the threshhold.

I would strongly recommend to have him vet checked at least once a year, including the heart and potential arthritis in this legs.

Here are tips on weight management (including tips on how to check for overweight and how to best get lazy piggies moving) and our diet tips (with sample diet picture).
Please make sure that you do not overfeed on fatty/sugary veg and pellets! Many people think mistakenly that veg and pellets are the mainstay of a piggy diet while unlimeted hay should actually make over 80% of the daily food intake and a limited amount of veg plus 1 tablespoon of pellets should be seen more in the way of a daily treat that can be used as enrichment and an incentive to move around.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs