Judging from the title of this you might think I have done no research but that is not the case. I tried to hold one of my male guinea pigs (all male) and I noticed a small piece of hay coming out of his bladder. I am very concerned because I was able to carefully remove it without my guinea pig being in discomfort. But he has other nasal issues as well in the few weeks thet I have had him. I don’t know if he is getting over a cold and happened to walk over some hay or if he is actually hurt. Please help.
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Is Hay Safe?
- Thread starter Keira
- Start date
Siikibam
Senior Guinea Pig
Hay makes up 80% of their diet so is safe. The hay you found was in his anal sack and not his bladder. Boys unfortunately do get bits in there sometimes, it’s normal. Walking over and through hay won’t do them any harm - they probably enjoy it more than anything!
As for the nasal issues, what do you mean exactly? Does he constantly have a wet nose? Does he sound crackly/have laboured breathing? He may have been like that when you got him. I’d suggest a trip to the vet for a general check.
I’ll tag @Wiebke - one of many knowledgable people on here.
As for the nasal issues, what do you mean exactly? Does he constantly have a wet nose? Does he sound crackly/have laboured breathing? He may have been like that when you got him. I’d suggest a trip to the vet for a general check.
I’ll tag @Wiebke - one of many knowledgable people on here.
Yes, hay is a safe and essential part of the guinea pig diet, but accidents can definitely happen, from hay pokes to the eyes to getting hay caught in uncomfortable places, as you saw today. However, you just remove the hay as you did, no harm done. The nasal issues may not be related to hay at all... if he is hooting, has nasal discharge/runny nose, or difficulty breathing he is more apt to need a vet visit for a respiratory infection than anything related to hay.
When I got him he was stopped up and now he sneezes a lot
Hi! Guinea pigs need to eat hay, hay and more hay. It makes over 80% of the daily food intake and is crucial for gut and dental health (the highly abrasive silicon in the hay is what keeps the fast growing back teeth from overgrowing; the teeth have evolved exactly for that). A hay based diet with limited veg and very limited pellets is also vital for a healthy and long life. Too much veg shortens it noticeably in our long term experience.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Please make sure that you feed any stalky timothy hay in a hay rack and only use soft hay on the ground for them to sit and burrow in, which they love. That helps to cut down on the number of incidents, both with genitalia and eye pokes.
Boars are unfortunately more prone to getting hay and other debris stuck in their bits and need regular checking.
Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths