Help (female, unspayed)

GuineaPigTessa

New Born Pup
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I got a Guinea pig little over three weeks ago and she does not eat much. I have offered her different kinds of veggies and she will not touch them unless I shove them in her face (gently, not hurting her) and then she'll take a small bite and spit it out. She will not eat her pellets, although she has nibbled on them a tiny bit. She is drinking a small amount of water, and she ate half a small Guinea pig treat, but that's it. I am thinking about taking her to the vet but I am low on time right now.
 
Hello!

Do you have another piggy with her? If not she may be lonely. As I usual say, if you have any concerns a vet trip always helps!
 
She is on her own right now, because when I got her I was informed that she does not get along with other Guinea pigs( alone other than my two birds who live in the same room as her, and the two dogs that live downstairs from her, both of which she does not interact with).
 
I would take her to a vet. Is she eating hay? If she is eating a lot of hay, I wouldn't worry too much.
 
All piggies need a friend to live with. She just hasn't found the right friend yet. Do you
have a rescue near you that offers a piggy dating service? There she can choose her own friend. It comes down to character compatibility rather like us humans. Imagine trying to go through life being forced to live alone with nobody to talk to just cos you didn't like the first 2 or 3 or even 4 people that you met. It would be pretty miserable place. There will be another lonely piggy out there somewhere who is looking for your piggy to come along and make friends with her. They just haven't found each other yet. No matter how much time and love you have for your piggy you can't be with her 24 hours a day and give her the stimulation that she needs.

Please don't think I'm being judgemental cos I'm not. We are a non-judgemental forum and just try to put the welfare of piggies first.
 
I agree with Betsy. Look into getting her a friend. It’ll stop her from getting depressed but also give her the confidence to try new things.
As said above also, hay is the biggest part of their diet, it needs to make up around 85% of their daily food intake.
Make sure you weigh her regularly and if she isn’t eating ahything at all you will probably have to start syringe feeding her so that her system doesn’t shut down.
First though, get her to a vet for a thorough check.
 
Perhaps you should start weighing her regularly and see if her weight is stable? If it is dropping then she clearly is not eating enough. There can be a 30gm difference between a full tummy and an empty one. If she is eating lots of hay and her weight is stable then don’t worry too much about the veggies, provide her with Vit C supplement for now. Have you tried her with grass and dandelion leaves, most piggies can’t resist them? If she is losing weight then an appointment with a piggie savvy vet is important, a dental check needs doing, in take of overgrown teeth problems.

How old is she? She may be very depressed because she has no companion?
 
Is she eating hay? Is she potentially eating and drinking overnight or when you are not otherwise able to see her? Skittish new pigs often creep out at night to eat and drink even though they are not nocturnal by nature. Is she peeing and pooping (are you finding damp patches and poop in the cage?) Have you weighed her? I would start a daily weight to see how her weight is trending. If she's losing and not peeing or pooping, this is urgent and she needs a vet assessment ASAP.

Assuming she is peeing/pooping and not dropping weight, If she's new, young, and on her own, a lot of these foods may be new for her and it may take her time to figure out that they are, in fact, food. A lot of pigs from pet stores have never seen vegetables before and are not sure if they are meant to be eaten. This may be true if the pellets are different from what she has encountered before too. Pigs are social and will learn by watching what other pigs eat... they can be very skittish/cautious on their own. Keep on offering foods and in time she will be more likely to accept them.

As others have said as well, pigs are social and feel much safer and happier in a pair or group. If it's possible to have a pair, you will likely see a big increase in confidence and happiness in a young, nervous pig.
 
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