my new guinea pig isn’t eating or drinking.

[DM120421]

hello, i’ve got my first ever guinea pig (she’s a female) and she’s only 13 weeks old. i have a c&c cage for her and when i brant her home she ran straight to her hide house, i woke up this morning and she’s still in there... i took her out to check if she was ok, she’s very friendly and purred when i pet her. however it’s her second day and she isn’t eating her pellets or veggies , and isn’t drinking! i’m really worried. i took her out and tried hand feeding her the pellets and some pea flakes, she ate them without fear and kept coming up to my hand and eating it up from my hand. i’ve also tried hand feeding her some veggies. she just turns around and doesn’t want anything to do with it. please someone help me :/

 

[Piggies&buns]

hello, i’ve got my first ever guinea pig (she’s a female) and she’s only 13 weeks old. i have a c&c cage for her and when i brant her home she ran straight to her hide house, i woke up this morning and she’s still in there... i took her out to check if she was ok, she’s very friendly and purred when i pet her. however it’s her second day and she isn’t eating her pellets or veggies , and isn’t drinking! i’m really worried. i took her out and tried hand feeding her the pellets and some pea flakes, she ate them without fear and kept coming up to my hand and eating it up from my hand. i’ve also tried hand feeding her some veggies. she just turns around and doesn’t want anything to do with it. please someone help me :/

It can take them weeks to settle in And running and hiding is entirely normal. Cover the cage and leave her to settle for a week, doing nothing more than feeding and cleaning. She needs some time.

Does she have another piggy to live with? Guinea pigs are highly social animals and they must be kept in pairs at all times. They get lonely if they are by themselves. If she is alone then she is even more scared. She will also settle much better with a friend.

She needs to be eating hay as it is the most important part of their diet. Put the hay in her hidey so she can eat it without having to come out if she doesn’t want to. She will eventually feel brave enough to venture out but most likely when you aren’t there.

She also needs to learn what veggies are safe and they do that from learning from each other.
Introduce new vegetables to her slowly so as to not upset her tummy.

It’s better to start your own new thread. I have asked for this to be moved to its own thread now

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Companionship

 

[DM120421]

hello, i’m hoping someone will answer but i just got my first ever guinea pig the other day, she’s a female and she’s 13 weeks old. she has a huge c&c cage and lots of chew toys, hide houses, and other cool stuff. when i placed her in the cage the other day she ran straight to the hide house, which i completely understand-
however it’s now the next day and this morning she was still in the same place, almost as if she was in the same position too. she has pellets, hay and veggies. it looks like she hasn’t eaten or drank anything at all.
i’m really worried.
near the afternoon today, i took her out to check if she’s fine, she’s super cute and so friendly. i tried hand feeding her the pellets and she ate them out of my hand without any fear, and tried with the veggies but she just turned around the other way. she only ate about 8 pellets today, i didn’t want to stress her out at all so i put her back.
what should i do? i’m really worried
she’s still in her hide house, not eating or drinking .
i really need some help from people who know more than me, i know it could potentially be from stress since she’s so young and in a completely new environment ...

 

[Piggies&buns]

It can take them weeks to settle in And running and hiding is entirely normal. Cover the cage and leave her to settle for a week, doing nothing more than feeding and cleaning. She needs some time.

Does she have another piggy to live with? Guinea pigs are highly social animals and they must be kept in pairs at all times. They get lonely if they are by themselves. If she is alone then she is even more scared. She will also settle much better with a friend. Please do get her a friend.

She needs to be eating hay as it is the most important part of their diet. Put the hay in her hidey so she can eat it freely without having to come out if she doesn’t want to - ensure there is hay in multiple places around the cage. She will eventually feel brave enough to venture out but most likely when you aren’t there
Pellets are the least important and they should be kept strictly limited to one tablespoon per pig per day.

She also needs to learn what veggies are safe and they do that from learning from each other.
Introduce new vegetables to her slowly so as to not upset her tummy.

It’s better to start your own new thread. I have asked for this to be moved to its own thread now

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Companionship

 

[DM120421]

It can take them weeks to settle in And running and hiding is entirely normal. Cover the cage and leave her to settle for a week, doing nothing more than feeding and cleaning. She needs some time.

Does she have another piggy to live with? Guinea pigs are highly social animals and they must be kept in pairs at all times. They get lonely if they are by themselves. If she is alone then she is even more scared. She will also settle much better with a friend.

She needs to be eating hay as it is the most important part of their diet. Put the hay in her hidey so she can eat it without having to come out if she doesn’t want to. She will eventually feel brave enough to venture out but most likely when you aren’t there.

She also needs to learn what veggies are safe and they do that from learning from each other.
Introduce new vegetables to her slowly so as to not upset her tummy.

It’s better to start your own new thread. I have asked for this to be moved to its own thread now

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Companionship

yes i just figured out how to do my own thread, and just did make a new one. my piggy is alone because the lady said she was aggressive toward other pigs... my piggy also isn’t drinking, or eating the hay, the hay is already in her hide house
i’m worried

 

[DM120421]

yes , the lady’s aid she has to be kept alone because she was aggressive toward other pigs. i’ve also put the hay in her hide house this morning, it still doesn’t seem to look or sound like she’s eating it

 

[Piggies&buns]

This is rarely the case - she absolutely does not need to be alone, she simply needs to find a compatible friend. She would only have been aggressive to another piggy because they did not like each other And could not form a hierarchy and bond.
Please do look to find her a friend ideally via dating at a rescue centre. This way she can choose her own new friend and they will be able to bond and form a hierarchy.

 

[Swissgreys]

yes , the lady’s aid she has to be kept alone because she was aggressive toward other pigs. i’ve also put the hay in her hide house this morning, it still doesn’t seem to look or sound like she’s eating it

At 13 weeks old she is still very much a baby and urgently needs company of her own kind.
The advice you were given to keep her alone is unfortunately incorrect. At this age she is highly unlikely to be aggressive towards other guinea pigs unless she was kept in very small and over crowded conditions.

Firstly you need to confirm her sex before looking for a partner for her.
After that please consider contacting a local approved rescue, who can help pair her with a compatible (health checked and properly sexed) partner.

 

[Tigermoth]

Whilst you are sorting out a friend for her, you could try putting a towel or blanket over then end of her cage. From her point of view she will be feeling very vulnerable and exposed and keeping the sky away can help.

I remember having the same worries when mine first came home but they soon settled enough for me to be confident they were eating. Drinking took longer.

But I will echo that they are social. She might not have liked her companion but once you can it would be great to take her to a rescue to pick out a friend of her own it will massively enhance her living experience.

 

[VickiA]

Hello. I’ve created a new thread for you.
Please have a read of our helpful guides for new owners that @Piggies&buns has linked above. It can take piggies several weeks to settle in, but as a youngster, she really does need company of her own kind and the best gift you could give to her is a companion guinea pig.

 

[Merab]

I was told that my boy Micah had to live alone as he couldn’t get on with other guinea pigs.
He now lives very happily as a neutered boar with 2 sows.
It’s a matter of finding the right companion.

Have a look at the rescue locator on the top bar to see if there is one near you, or at least accessible.
Things are difficult with the current lockdown restrictions but animal welfare is a valid reason for travel.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Free Ranger]

You could try putting the hay and water bottle very near the place where she is hiding so she can just pop her head out and get something?
Check there are poops - there should always be plenty of poops with guinea-pigs!
Another piggie would encourage her (check she is a her!) to be a little braver.

There is a recommended rescue locator at the top on the green banner... you could see if there is one near to you. Many are closed due to the lockdown but they will surely be able to give advice. They don't always advertise single piggies as they promote their bonded pairs but if you let them know your circumstances they will let you know how they can help you.

If you want to put your county in the location section on the left there might be other people in your area of the country who can give opinions on local rescues or good vets should you ever need one ☺

 

[Siikibam]

I’m sorry you were given such incorrect advice. So please get in touch (as soon as possible) with rescues near and far. Also double check your new pig is in fact a sow, as soon as possible.
Rescue Locator

Meanwhile have a read of the guides below. Did you get her from a breeder? If so, when was she last with a boar?
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information

 

[Free Ranger]

You can post pics of her bits here, we don't mind! But maybe let her settle in a bit first before handling like this. She probably is a she - we just have to be careful before we tell you to put another female in with 'her'! If you go rescue-dating they'll have a check anyway

 

[@the3piggies]

hello, i’ve got my first ever guinea pig (she’s a female) and she’s only 13 weeks old. i have a c&c cage for her and when i brant her home she ran straight to her hide house, i woke up this morning and she’s still in there... i took her out to check if she was ok, she’s very friendly and purred when i pet her. however it’s her second day and she isn’t eating her pellets or veggies , and isn’t drinking! i’m really worried. i took her out and tried hand feeding her the pellets and some pea flakes, she ate them without fear and kept coming up to my hand and eating it up from my hand. i’ve also tried hand feeding her some veggies. she just turns around and doesn’t want anything to do with it. please someone help me :/

Hello!
Cavies are generally very scared at first. Especially younger ones. They take a while to warm up to everything. Eating is very important, but she is likely eating when you're not in the room. Usually piggies know that they should be eating and do it! However, if you do think she is not eating, there are a few things you can do.
First off, feed her from your hand as often as you can! While she's warming up to her new home, she's also warming up to you, and eating from your hand can help her get familiar with your scent.
Try to show her how to eat and drink! For water, what I did when I first got my piggy was I would tap on the straw of the bottle and that would usually get my her attention and she would be interested in what was going on. You might notice they will often follow your hand, so you can use this to your advantage! You can put your hand at your piggy's mouth and lead her to the bottle. Then she gets some water and realizes it's right there and she can drink whenever she wants!
With food, do similar things. Maybe shake the food bowl around, lead her to it with your hand, and stuff like that.
The last thing I would recommend is to get her a friend. I know that they can be very expensive and hard to find, and you may not be in a place where you can get her a friend, but if you can, please do!
Guineas are very very very social animals and do much better on my own. I myself am a new guinea pig owner and I got my first cavy on her own, and now that I have two, they are much happier together! Getting your piggy bonded with a friend is also hard after you've already had your first one for a bit, but in the long one, it will be worth it!
I hope this helped

 

[DM120421]

You could try putting the hay and water bottle very near the place where she is hiding so she can just pop her head out and get something?
Check there are poops - there should always be plenty of poops with guinea-pigs!
Another piggie would encourage her (check she is a her!) to be a little braver.

There is a recommended rescue locator at the top on the green banner... you could see if there is one near to you. Many are closed due to the lockdown but they will surely be able to give advice. They don't always advertise single piggies as they promote their bonded pairs but if you let them know your circumstances they will let you know how they can help you.

If you want to put your county in the location section on the left there might be other people in your area of the country who can give opinions on local rescues or good vets should you ever need one ☺

thank you for answering! there are no poops around the cage since she is still in her hide house! she isn’t eating the pellets or veggies in the bowl but i did put some hay into the hide house yesterday, i saw her munching on it a few minutes ago...
she also randomly does this noise which is hard to describe but it’s definitely not a squeak.
i placed a few pellets into the hide house she’s in and i think she’s eating that, but still doesn’t want to drink or eat veg, i dont know how to check if she pooping since i would have to pick her house up and i don’t want to stress her out

 

[Piggies&buns]

Have you covered the cage? She will feel safer if she can’t be seen.
Do you know what veg was she used to eating before you got her?
I would lift the house carefully and check for poops. She probably won’t like it, but it is very important to know she is eating hay (the most important part of the diet) and given you won’t want to start the weekly weight checks just yet, checking poop output is the only way to know food is going in.

 

[DM120421]

Hello!
Cavies are generally very scared at first. Especially younger ones. They take a while to warm up to everything. Eating is very important, but she is likely eating when you're not in the room. Usually piggies know that they should be eating and do it! However, if you do think she is not eating, there are a few things you can do.
First off, feed her from your hand as often as you can! While she's warming up to her new home, she's also warming up to you, and eating from your hand can help her get familiar with your scent.
Try to show her how to eat and drink! For water, what I did when I first got my piggy was I would tap on the straw of the bottle and that would usually get my her attention and she would be interested in what was going on. You might notice they will often follow your hand, so you can use this to your advantage! You can put your hand at your piggy's mouth and lead her to the bottle. Then she gets some water and realizes it's right there and she can drink whenever she wants!
With food, do similar things. Maybe shake the food bowl around, lead her to it with your hand, and stuff like that.
The last thing I would recommend is to get her a friend. I know that they can be very expensive and hard to find, and you may not be in a place where you can get her a friend, but if you can, please do!
Guineas are very very very social animals and do much better on my own. I myself am a new guinea pig owner and I got my first cavy on her own, and now that I have two, they are much happier together! Getting your piggy bonded with a friend is also hard after you've already had your first one for a bit, but in the long one, it will be worth it!
I hope this helped

thanks for helping! i’ve noticed the other day when i took her out to feed her she only eats from my hand, i tried getting her attention by moving the bowl and doing tapping on the water bottle like you said, she did look at me but didn’t come near or check it out. i heard her munching on some hay a few minutes ago, since i put some in her hide house like someone recommended. i’ve heard some dont like to drink water, and instead they get water from veg, but she’s not eating that either ...

 

[DM120421]

Have you covered the cage? She will feel safer if she can’t be seen.
Do you know what veg was she used to eating before you got her?
I would lift the house carefully and check for poops. She probably won’t like it, but it is very important to know she is eating hay (the most important part of the diet) and given you won’t want to start the weekly weight checks just yet, checking poop output is the only way to know food is going in.

so should i pick her hide house up and check how much poop there is?
i don’t want to stress her out even more but i’ll do whatever is the best. please answer asap

 

[@the3piggies]

thanks for helping! i’ve noticed the other day when i took her out to feed her she only eats from my hand, i tried getting her attention by moving the bowl and doing tapping on the water bottle like you said, she did look at me but didn’t come near or check it out. i heard her munching on some hay a few minutes ago, since i put some in her hide house like someone recommended. i’ve heard some dont like to drink water, and instead they get water from veg, but she’s not eating that either ...

Got it. You could try to put a water bowl in there if she doesn't like to drink from the bottle. It's a long-term solution but a great temporary one. When my piggy wasn't drinking I tried putting a bowl filled with water inside (glass so that they don't spill it) and she drank from that a bit. If you did the noises when she was inside her hut, try when she's out or if she doesn't come out try moving the hideout outside of the cage or taking her out just for a few minutes so she can try to have some food and water.

 

[Swissgreys]

so should i pick her hide house up and check how much poop there is?
i don’t want to stress her out even more but i’ll do whatever is the best. please answer asap

Yes - you need to lift her house and check for poop.

But as mentioned previously please make sure at least half of her cage is covered so it seems more cave like and safe.
Also make sure she has lots of hides and tunnels, and not just one and lots of open space.
If she can run short distances from hide to hide she is more likely to come out and explore.

 

[DM120421]

Got it. You could try to put a water bowl in there if she doesn't like to drink from the bottle. It's a long-term solution but a great temporary one. When my piggy wasn't drinking I tried putting a bowl filled with water inside (glass so that they don't spill it) and she drank from that a bit. If you did the noises when she was inside her hut, try when she's out or if she doesn't come out try moving the hideout outside of the cage or taking her out just for a few minutes so she can try to have some food and water.

yes my mum tried helping me, we took her out for a few minutes onto my lap with a blanket. we unattached the bottle from the cage and tried showing her how to drink it, she started to drink it however it did look like she was in a very awkward position, she took a few sips and it also seemed like she never really drank from a bottle before, she bit the nozzle part a few times, at least now we know that’s she had some water but i’ll definitely try with the water bowl.
i’ve also noticed that the poo she was having the day we brought her home is a lot larger than the poo she’s having now, it’s still the same colour but it’s a lot thinner ...

 

[Piggies&buns]

yes my mum tried helping me, we took her out for a few minutes onto my lap with a blanket. we unattached the bottle from the cage and tried showing her how to drink it, she started to drink it however it did look like she was in a very awkward position, she took a few sips and it also seemed like she never really drank from a bottle before, she bit the nozzle part a few times, at least now we know that’s she had some water but i’ll definitely try with the water bowl.
i’ve also noticed that the poo she was having the day we brought her home is a lot larger than the poo she’s having now, it’s still the same colour but it’s a lot thinner ...

The amount piggies drink varies wildly from piggy to piggy.
Smaller poops can be down to reduced food intake. She needs to be eating lots of hay - make sure it is available
everywhere in the cage so she doesn’t have to move far.
Have you covered at least part of her cage so she can feel safe. Piggies do not like open spaces.
She is going to be scared though, it’ll take time for her to settle. Equally, as she is alone, then it is going to be that little bit harder as she doesn’t have a friend for comfort. Often when one gets brave enough to try something, then the other follows

 

[Free Ranger]

This might mean she's not been eating so much and drinking so much but as long as it's poo that's something! Keep putting the hay in the house - also try a few pieces of cucumber as it is a very moist veg that can help increase the fluid intake. She'll relax more and eat more. You can sweep the poop out of the hidey or leave one or two in there - your choice - but monitor what she is producing to make sure it doesn't drop off in a worrying way. Pooping runs a bit behind eating so as she eats more it might take a day or so for it to work its way through.

My George (left) is shy and moves between 2 favourite hideys. You could try putting a second hidey (just a cardboard box is fine with a bit of hay in) opposite her hidey so she can see into it which might encourage her to move between the two.

Some do bite the bottle. My Ivy rattled her teeth on it all night long! George slides his mouth all the way up the spout - I know because he leaves a ring of pellet scum right at the top. I have no idea why he drinks like this - it must go down to his throat!

 

[DM120421]

This might mean she's not been eating so much and drinking so much but as long as it's poo that's something! Keep putting the hay in the house - also try a few pieces of cucumber as it is a very moist veg that can help increase the fluid intake. She'll relax more and eat more. You can sweep the poop out of the hidey or leave one or two in there - your choice - but monitor what she is producing to make sure it doesn't drop off in a worrying way. Pooping runs a bit behind eating so as she eats more it might take a day or so for it to work its way through.

My George (left) is shy and moves between 2 favourite hideys. You could try putting a second hidey (just a cardboard box is fine with a bit of hay in) opposite her hidey so she can see into it which might encourage her to move between the two.

Some do bite the bottle. My Ivy rattled her teeth on it all night long! George slides his mouth all the way up the spout - I know because he leaves a ring of pellet scum right at the top. I have no idea why he drinks like this - it must go down to his throat!

thank you for your help, i put a few tiny pieces of romain lettuce and apple near her hide house, she poked her head right out and at a tiny slice of apple!
such a relief
hopefully she will eat some more tonight! i’ll probably also update everyone on here ...thank you for your help!

 

[Piggies&buns]

thank you for your help, i put a few tiny pieces of romain lettuce and apple near her hide house, she poked her head right out and at a tiny slice of apple!
such a relief
hopefully she will eat some more tonight! i’ll probably also update everyone on here ...thank you for your help!

It’s good she is eating something, she will hopefully start to feel braver, but its obviously hay which is the most important part - do cover her cage and put hay everywhere as advised. As veg only makes a small daily snack (fruit kept limited to one tiny amount once per week due to the sugars) it isn’t enough to sustain

 

[Free Ranger]

Such good news ☺ They love food so much. And soon she will associate you with food - and then she will look forward to seeing you too! When the lines blur it's as close to love as we can expect! I bet in two weeks you'll be posting "How do I stop my piggie(s) squeaking for more every time I go past"!

 

[@the3piggies]

yes my mum tried helping me, we took her out for a few minutes onto my lap with a blanket. we unattached the bottle from the cage and tried showing her how to drink it, she started to drink it however it did look like she was in a very awkward position, she took a few sips and it also seemed like she never really drank from a bottle before, she bit the nozzle part a few times, at least now we know that’s she had some water but i’ll definitely try with the water bowl.
i’ve also noticed that the poo she was having the day we brought her home is a lot larger than the poo she’s having now, it’s still the same colour but it’s a lot thinner ...

Got it. Yes, continue trying to show her how to drink. Now that she's done it once she will probably keep doing it but try to check often if it seems like any water is gone (if there is any gone it will be a very small amount but it might be a tiny bit noticeable.) If her poops are small, that probably means that she is eating less. Make sure there's unlimited hay and maybe move it closer to her hideout so she eats it! Eating is very essential for piggies.

 

[DM120421]

hi last night she was very loud, i could hear her munching on her pellets, hay , and drinking jew water (it was very loud), i also saw her running round the cage, and sitting in various places in the cage, which is great because i think she’s getting more confident.
in another corner of the cage i found lots of poops, they all vary in colour and i took a photo with the flash on —-> does it look normal? she’s 13 weeks btw

 

[Piggies&buns]

They look fine to me