My Peruvian Can't Find Her Food

[MuRuK]

I have an Abyssinian and a Peruvian (both female). Ever since they were little the Peruvian seemed pretty stupid compared to the Abyssinian. Or so I thought. I think that my Peruvian is either getting dumber with age (she's only 1 year old) or something else is wrong. Recently she has been having trouble finding food outside of her normal feeding places. Often times I would put food right under her face and she would still look for it in my hand. I try to show it to her but it either takes her a reaaaaaaally long time to find it or she just doesn't. I'm not sure if it's her eyesight or smell, or if she really is getting dumber. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, do you have any advice?

 

[Betsy]

I don't think your piggy is getting dumber. For a piggy not to want to eat there has to be something wrong. Have you taken her to the vet for check? Are her teeth OK? Has she got gas in her tummy? Could she be in pain? There is usually a reason why a piggy won't eat so if not already done so take her to the vet. Also if she isn't eating you need to start syringe feeding. There is a complete syringe feeding guide in the guides at the top of the page. Can't link it in on this device. It's under illness support care guide.

 

[worried val of york]

I agree a visit to the vet is the only solution needed to identify any health problem.

 

[Guineautopia]

Once your piggie finds the food, does she eat normally?
If yes, It sounds like she can’t see/smell the food.
I have a Aby like this who has cateracts, he lets his brother find the food and then he finds his brother and takes it.
Piggies with eye sight problems need consistency in their cage set up to help them.
How does your piggies eyes look? Are they at all cloudy?

 

[Merab]

I’m with @Betsy and @worried val of york - a vet check is probably a good idea.
I have an old piggy with cataracts but she still has no problem finding food, especially when I stick it under her nose.
A vet trip will reassure you even if there is nothing wrong.
Hope it does work out well and please keep us posted

 

[MuRuK]

Thanks for the quick responses. Her appetite is the same as it always has been and she hasn't lost any weight. Her eyes don't look cloudy at all. I did forget to mention that she is part albino. As in her fur is gray but her eyes are albino red -- not sure if that can impact anything. I'll still take her to the vet though.

 

[Wiebke]

I have an Abyssinian and a Peruvian (both female). Ever since they were little the Peruvian seemed pretty stupid compared to the Abyssinian. Or so I thought. I think that my Peruvian is either getting dumber with age (she's only 1 year old) or something else is wrong. Recently she has been having trouble finding food outside of her normal feeding places. Often times I would put food right under her face and she would still look for it in my hand. I try to show it to her but it either takes her a reaaaaaaally long time to find it or she just doesn't. I'm not sure if it's her eyesight or smell, or if she really is getting dumber. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, do you have any advice?

Hi!

Perus are not any dumber than other breeds; I have and have had both perus and abys (as well as many other breeds and crossbreeds) throughout my life.

Please make sure that you place any food and hay and where your piggy can easily find it and monitor the food intake regularly by weighing weekly and by stepping in with added feeding support if necessary.

Please have her vet checked for loss of sense of smell, which is much stronger and imortant in guinea pigs than in humans and one of their more important senses.
Blind and deaf guinea pigs are usually able to sniff out their food and will get around by compensating with their other senses.
I can assure you that loss of the sense of smell even impacts on our human life; you also lose a large part your sense of taste at the same time.

Here is a video of two lethals (blind/deaf/dental issues due to a genetic defect); as you can see, they have no problems with sniffing out food!
(Courtesy of The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary for guinea pigs with special needs (TEAS)