Guinea Pig Suddenly Stops Eating?!?!help!

[Aryel]

Just yesterday my guinea pig was fine. She was eating like crazy and she always loved to eat. But now she suddenly stopped? I even tried feeding her green pepper her favorite but she isn't eating. How could she be just fine yesterday but now she isn't. I don't think she's breathing hard. I just hope she's not sick. My parents would DEFINITELY not be happy about taking her to the vet again. I don't think I've done anything wrong in taking care of her. I really don't have time for the vet since I have a busy weekend and I'm going away soon! My guinea pig is not totally unresponsive she still looks around but doesn't actually walk. What could it be?

 

[Aryel]

Update:
There is no sneezing or wheezing or runny nose as for now. I only found out now and me, who stupidly forgot to feed her in the morning, does not know if she had these symptoms in the morning

 

[Katy Felix]

I would still try getting her to a vet. I'm not expert, but my boar Cocoa was kind of like that and we found that he had an unknown infection and was hypothermic. We got baytril and supplements from the vet. I would feel behind her ear to see if she is cold. Maybe try to syringe feed? There is a guide posted in one of the forums I think. Again, I am not an expert. I would really try to get her to the vet soon though. My parents also aren't thrilled at taking Cocoa, but explaining to them why you need to take her might help. Hopefully she gets better. xx

 

[Katy Felix]

I was also told by my vet to keep Cocoa warm. You could try cuddling her or giving her a guinea-safe heat pack.

 

[DM030819]

@Aryel How does she look? Is she hair sticking up? Are her eyes shut a little?

How does her stomach feel? Is it bigger or tighter than usual?

Have you gottem her out of the cage for some floor time?

Have you tried giving her her favorite treat?

 

[DM030819]

And as above, if there is a change thay you're not happy with it's always safest to go to the vet.

 

[Tiamolly123]

Start syringe feeding straight away & if your piggy is not drinking syringe that as well. Once your piggie stops eating he Is in danger. One of our forums tell you how to syringe feed. It depends what you hold dear keeping your piggie ,going or a w/e away. Are these the same parents that we said they had to get the piggie well & they are dening vet invention?

 

[Wiebke]

Please start syringe feeding and watering asap and keep your piggy as comfy as possible. Clean the area where it sits at least twice daily and make sure that is dry to prevent sores and urine scald. Otherwise, please follow @Jaycey 's advice. Total loss of appetite constitutes an emergency as far guinea pigs are concerned.

It is vital to keep the guts going until you can get your parents to see a vet again. You can use mushed up pellets in an emergency and get a syringe from a pharmacy. Please adapt the syringe tip as illustrated in the guide to allow the fibre to come through. Please be aware that 80% of the food intake is hay and that your piggy nibbling on a little veg is not enough to keep it alive. Weigh it daily at the same time, so you can control the food intake and can adjust how much and how often to fee accordingly.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Aryel]

Brownie has been eating SOME veggies. Very slowly though and she doesn't fi ish the dish. However, she is moving and she is eating hay. The weird thing is, she isn't drinking water. She hasn't been for the past 2 weeks or so since Ginger died. I tried syringe feeding it water and I tried making it drink out of a cup but it didn't work. She got most of her water from the veggies she ate. So now she is basically not eating, not drinking water, and eating hay? Is she depressed? But how could she be if she was eating fine for the past 2 weeks up till now.
And also,
Jaycey
Again, she is sort of active but she isn't the active type anyway she is a very scared piggy. Still no sneezing or crusty eyes. Her eyes are wide open and I don't think her stomach is bigger if you mean bloated but I'll double check. Her favorite treats are veggies and that is peppers which I tried. I take her out for playtime almost everyday or everyday that I can for a few hours. Whenever she is given veggies she eats but only eats a few pieces.

 

[Aryel]

I tried syringenfeeding her and holding her head using that syringe feeding guide but Brownie is a real fighter! The moment I touch her head she backs away. When I did hold her head, she uses her head and swerves her head forcefully in every direction and backs away. She almost fell off the table by backing away. Brownie looks perfectly normal she grooms, she scratches, she is alert, she lies down and stretches her legs when she is relaxed and she is eating hay. But she refused the syringe and she backs away from her favorite treat

 

[Tiamolly123]

It may be that it will be easier with 2. What is she eating at the moment. If this all started when Ginger died, it could be that. Some guinea pigs pine if there partner has died.
If this is what Brownie is doing you need to get another piggie for her ASAP or Brownie will pass away through loneliness.

 

[Aryel]

Update:
Hmm she is seeming less and less sick. I gave her romaine lettuce. Ate it. I gave her a slice of cucumbers. Chomped it down. But she only took a few bell peppers which is her favorite. Also still not drinking water. Is she sick or not. She's acting perfectly normal...I am battling the decision on whether to take her to the vet or not. It's just that her eating habits are quite weird but at least she's eating right? I've been watching her for a few hours and I still don't know

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Pigs do sometimes stop liking what previously seemed to be a favourite food, so I guess the important thing to know is whether she is eating enough now. Have you started weighing her daily as suggested by @Wiebke and keeping a note of her weights? Also is she pooing normally? If she's not getting enough water that will show in her poops.

 

[Wiebke]

Update:
Hmm she is seeming less and less sick. I gave her romaine lettuce. Ate it. I gave her a slice of cucumbers. Chomped it down. But she only took a few bell peppers which is her favorite. Also still not drinking water. Is she sick or not. She's acting perfectly normal...I am battling the decision on whether to take her to the vet or not. It's just that her eating habits are quite weird but at least she's eating right? I've been watching her for a few hours and I still don't know

Please monitor her exact food intake by weighing daily at the same time if you are worried and by weighing weekly with a healthy guinea pig. The scales give you a much clearer answer than any observation can do as hay makes around 80% of the daily food intake, and you cannot really monitor that.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Her poos can also give you a clue, as long as you factor in that the output is running 1-2 days behine the input. If they are dry looking or smaller, then your piggy is not getting enough fluid and is not eating enough.

Always see a vet if in doubt; in your case it is not an emergency and can happen during normal opening hours.
We can only go on what you are telling us, but we do not have the option or the necessary qualification for a hands-on check and diagnosis to see whether there is an underlying issue starting to make itself known or whether it is just a one-off blip.

 

[rome_italy]

It may be that it will be easier with 2. What is she eating at the moment. If this all started when Ginger died, it could be that. Some guinea pigs pine if there partner has died.
If this is what Brownie is doing you need to get another piggie for her ASAP or Brownie will pass away through loneliness.

another piggie into a family where "My parents would DEFINITELY not be happy about taking her to the vet again"; no, it is not a good idea...
a child should never be allowed to get a pet if the parents don't want to spend money.
Aryel has no fault of course... but such situations sound absurd to me. A teenager should spend a happy weekend, considering the school, homeworks and so on; the parents with their credit card should RUN to the vet and should sign on here for advices.
I hope this time it is nothing serious...