Hi. I adopted my guinea pig about a year and a half ago. I'm not sure how old he is, but I think he's around 3 or 4 possibly. I'm not sure when it started, I've noticed that he drinks much more water than my other guinea pigs. At first I thought he just liked drinking water more than the others, but I started to get concerned and looked it up and discovered that it could be a symptom of diabetes. It is most likely caused by his diet, because he really loves carrots and apples. I feel terrible for letting his diet possibly lead to him developing diabetes. I was doing some research and people were saying not to feed diabetic guinea pigs fruits and veggies that are high in sugar. I'm wondering what to feed him in terms of veggies? Should I be giving him lots of a specific type of veggie? Right now he gets 1/8 cup of rabbit pellets per day, and a yogurt container filled with grass at night. My mom only lets me get rabbit pellets for the piggies because it comes in bulk, and I know that it really isn't the best for them. Would getting him specialized pellets help his diabetes? My mom also doesn't get hay in the summer, so the guinea pigs get fresh grass instead of hay in the warmer months. I read that a diabetic guinea pig's diet should be high in fiber. Should I get him some hay?
Hi!
Guinea pigs have individually a very differing water intake. If your piggy is generally a big drinker, then there is nothing to worry about.
You should see a vet if your guinea pig is suddenly drinking a lot more or a lot less after you have excluded a leaky or blocked bottle nozzle (please clean that daily) and any sudden changes in weather.
Kidney problems or infections are much common than diabetes; they all present with a combination of increased water intake and weight loss.
More information on drinking and health issues connected with water intake:
All About Drinking And Bottles
Please weigh your guinea pig once weekly if it is well and daily at the same time if it isn't to monitor the food intake; normal kitches scales are perfectly OK. This is to monitor foos intake and health. It allows you to spot developing health problems early on when they can be treated much more easily and it is not a race for life and death. whenever you are worried, you switch to weighing at the same time of day.
The weighing guide will also tell you how you can work out whether your boy is a good weight for his size.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Be aware that hay should make over 80% of the daily food intake; grass or not. Guinea pig guts are not laid out for too much fresh food; it makes them vulnerable to digestive problems. A cup of fresh grass in a day is by far not enough - that is about the amount of fresh veg that guinea pigs can eat
in addition to unlimited hay! Grass will go some way to replacing hay, but piggies still need dry food to help keeping gut fermentation during the digestive process stable.
Please get your mother to buy hay or buy it yourself from your pocket money. Research for equine suppliers in your area. They usually sell timothy hay much more cheaply; it is not first cut, which is best for guinea pigs and rabbits, but second cut. But it can hopefully be a way for you get around your mother's refusal to spend money on a pet for whose welfare she is legally responsible for as long as she is your legal guardian.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Pellets are no hay replacement because they are much softer and full of cheap fillers; the current recommendation is 1 tablespoon per day in addition to the hay and the cup of veg. Grass (and hay) are relatively high in vitamin C, so the lack of vitamin C in rabbit pellets is not as dangerous in your case. But by feeding less pellets and rather buying good quality guinea pig ones instead should not cost your mother more. However, this only works when feeding hay all year round! Neither rabbits nor guinea pigs are fine on just grass and no hay.
