Guinea Pig help for a newbie

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lollipop87

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Just a few questions,

I'm refilling my piggies bottle every day but they don't seem to be drinking very much and its so warm out.

I've feeding them fresh food in the evenings, is that enough? They don't seem to be hungry as some of it is being left.

Also, we had them both out for the first time today for cuddles. It was lovely, but they was very still which we wasn't expecting.

Poor Herbert made a run for it last night as I was opening the cage to put in some more food and he fell out :0 He seems ok and is running around fine but omg how guilty do I feel!
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm sure someone with lots more experience than me will be along soon!

My new piggies didn't seem to drink much in the beginning. I put a small bowl of water in too just in case they preferred it. I guess you've checked that when you tap the end of the spout water is released. They do get some moisture from the fresh food too.

I'm sure the fresh food is enough as long as you are giving them enough hay and pellets. Mine sometimes leave things they don't like as much. Hay is approx 80% of their diet I think anyway.

Mine still stay pretty still when we cuddle them, they were rescues and very skittish when we got them. I'm sure they'll warm up with gentle handling :)

Hope this helps x
 
Are your piggies on the lawn? How much veg are you feeding?

Not all piggies drink, and young piggies often need to learn about the water bottle first. If you are worried, feed a bit of cucumber or melon in the mornings.

Guinea igs are prey animals, so they tend to play "dead" at first. You know that you have earned their trust enough to show you what they don't like when they suddenly become wiggly and you enter the "why do they suddenly hate being cuddled phase"! Just persist; trust is a plant that grows only slowly.
 
Thank you that does help.

I just want to do the best for my boys and its all new. They've don't like pepper or apples. Carrots go down well along with cucumber and lettuce leafs. Haven't tried anything else yet.
 
Hi, when I got my piggies I kept a little pig diary, just recording what food they ate / left and behaviours. Though their tastes change sometimes it really helped. Mine love red and yellow pepper, broccolli, dark purple / red salad leaves and a slice of cherry tomato every now and then as a treat. Sometimes they leave food if they are full, or just not in the mood for what's on offer that day, so feed a good variety each dinner time. I give mine fresh food in the morning and evening.Try and feed them a bit of fresh grass each day (small amounts at first). One of mine has been in and out of the vets this week and I was worried about dehydration, but the vet told us pigs can often get enough water from their fresh food , he also said whilst fresh veg should be fed daily it is not the major part of their diet - they mostly eat hay and a bit of fresh grass. Please understand, you should give them fresh water and fresh veggies every day, but at the moment I don't think you have anything to worry about.
 
one of my piggies drinks more than the others..i think they get enough from their veggies. I feed cucumber to give them fluids. Mine go crazy daft for curly kale and also love broccoli. They get fresh grass/dandelions as often as i can.......and it goes without saying there is fresh hay, readigrass and pellets available!
 
Something that may help with the water bottles - my boys knew how to use a bottle from the place I got them but it was only when I showed them where it was in their cage that they started drinking from it. I basically held them up to it and waited for them to start drinking. I then gradually lowered them down and they kept drinking. Now they don't stop!
 
Piggies sometimes blow food up the spout of the bottle, so it is a good idea to check that water can flow properly - I always check this when I fill the bottle, and certainly if it doesn't seem to go down as quickly as I expect. The tip about taking them up to it, and holding them (gently!) to the spout is also a good one.
 
You know when one piggy come to another and make sound KRUK KRUK means she come with friendly purpose.
My sows sometimes very scary so I noticed if you said KRUK KRUK before handle them so not so nervous.Ii told my wife to do same and we got amazing result.Our piggy's not run away anymore.
 
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