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My pig is a fat little lump!

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WhinnyPig

WhinnyPig

Junior Guinea Pig
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I am a new pig owner as of April this year. I got a 2 year old black and white shorthair pig from a family who was bored of her and gave her no attention. I named Whinny and she is very adorable and I quickly fell in love with her! The only problem I have with her is that I have read a lot that you should have them exercise and be out of the cage for 1/2-1 hour per day. When I take Whinny out of her cage all she wants to do is go back in! She sits out side of it chewing on the bars, tries to get behind it, or if I leave the door open she just crawls back in! She also hardly ever walks with her stomach lifted off the ground on her toes, she just wants to army crawl!
She has definitely gotten bigger since I got her. I feed her timothy hay, free choice in a feeder as well as kaytee timothy complete pellets about 1/8-1/4 cup per day, also in the dish attached to her hay feeder. She gets 1-2 baby carrots per day, a few pieces of romaine lettuce and sometimes red or green peppers and the occasional piece of apple (like once a week or so).
How can I get her to exercise more and not get any bigger? Should I be able to feel her ribs or anything?
Thanks for any advice, I am very new to this!
Also, here is a picture of Whinny being bribed out of her cage with lettuce!
 

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Was she young when you got her as she'd obviously gain weight as she grows. What is her actual weight? Have you considered visiting a rescue and finding her a nice friend? Guinea pigs love company and with some well placed hidey holes and a new friend I'm sure she'd love coming out her cage
 
I wouldn't feed her so much carrot, there's a lot of sugar in it. I avoid carrot and baby carrot altogether tbh.

Also, piggies can put on weight when they're on their own. She could probably do with a pal to keep her entertained and happy.

Is she getting a lot of exercise/floor time?
 
Thanks for all the info! I read that they could have that much carrot a day but i can take her off it, she will be sad but she is fine getting just lettuce. Plus I think where I read it said that was the most you should give them.
to answer your questions:
I put her on the floor but she doesnt want to move around very much. If I let her loose she just goes over by her cage and if I block her off in the kitchen she just sits by the wall. Her cage is about 2 ft by a little over a foot and yes, she is a single piggy. I was wanting to get 2 pigs but i read you need a bigger cage so i only got 1. I made sure to get one that was already used to living alone so at least it wasn't like I was taking her away from her friends or anything. Should I get another? I am moving to a new apt soon so I can see if we would have enough room there for a bigger cage. Also, when I got her she was 2 years old so I don't think she was still growing, but maybe I'm wrong.
What is the best way to weigh her? Should I get a kitched scale or something?
thanks again for all your help!
 
Oh dear, sorry but that cage is far too small even for one piggy.
She is not used to having space to move in so is probably terrified of larger spaces etc. I'd compare it to being in a dark room then sudden light...
You really ought to get her something bigger even if it's only temporary - why not consider a run for the floor, it doesn't have to be huge but at least she could exercise more. Something similar to this would be ok:
...
[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rabbit-run-Enclosure-Net-exclusive53/dp/B0009586OI/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1341779460&sr=1-3"]Rabbit run Enclosure with Net (962 exclusive53): Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies[/ame]

Exercise space and a good diet will help her lose weight. There are lots of lovely fresh veggies other than carrots and lettuce which are good for piggies:

http://www.cavyhaven.org.uk/veg_and_fruits.html
 
oh no! I feel horrible, I had no idea. It is the cage she came with so I figured it was a fine size for one piggy :/ poor thing! How big should it be for one pig or for two?
thanks for your advice
 
Oh and I have a little fence that is similar to an exercise pen for dogs. do you think If I used it to block off my kitchen I could leave her in the for awhile. I could leave her cage in there too, she can get in and out with the top off and knows how to climb up the little ramp.
 
WhinnyPig said:
oh no! I feel horrible, I had no idea. It is the cage she came with so I figured it was a fine size for one piggy :/ poor thing! How big should it be for one pig or for two?
thanks for your advice
Click to expand...

I wouldn't consider a pen less than 4ft x 2ft for one or two piggies, boys need more space but girls are less territorial.
Are you UK based ?
Look for a 120cm cage or bigger and definitely get her a little friend to play with ;)

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/guinea_pig_cages/120_cm_cages/14083

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/rabbit_cage/140_cm_cages/95921
 
WhinnyPig said:
Oh and I have a little fence that is similar to an exercise pen for dogs. do you think If I used it to block off my kitchen I could leave her in the for awhile. I could leave her cage in there too, she can get in and out with the top off and knows how to climb up the little ramp.
Click to expand...

Sounds perfect as long as there are no places she could hide and get stuck, wires to chew etc.
Piggy proofing open spaces are vital for her safety :))
 
yeah i think that everything like the stove and stuff are too close to the ground for her to squeeze chubby body under! and there are no electrical cords or anything near the floor.
 
Yes 2ft by 1ft is FAR too small for a guinea pig, they need space of atleast 4ft by 2ft, but you're a new owner and were here to help.

Sounds great if you could section off some of your kitchen, she'll love the extra space.

If yoy cant then please buy a suitable sized cage
 
thank you for being understanding of my situation!
i like the looks of this one pretty well...what do you guys think...http://www.petco.com/product/116477...x?CoreCat=certona-_-ProductListTopRated_Small Animal_3-_-Midwest%20Guinea%20Habitat%20Plus%20Guinea%20Pig%20Cage-116477#description-tab
there is one without the ramp and stuff that is $40 so that could be an option too....my boyfriend wants to wait to buy a new cage until we move which is next month...this makes sense because we are going to be homeless for 2 weeks so we probably should avoid a large cage until then. For now she can be in the kitchen for some of the time and i think she will be okay, I will definitely keep an eye on her.
I also am seriously considering getting her a friend, but I should probably wait on that until moving too!
thanks guys for all your help!
 
Have you considered looking for a bigger secondhand cage on your local freeads?

Please weigh your piggy weekly; it is also a vital tool to monitor health, so you can have her treated quickly and - ultimately - more cheaply. Guinea pigs grow until they are about 12-15 months old. they tend to adult weight between 900-1300g on average.
http://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/exercise.html

Companionship: http://www.guinealynx.info/companionship.html

Please give less carrots and lettuce - both are very high in vitamin C that can build up in liver and ultimately lead to liver failure. You can replace them with other veg like carrot greens, cucumbers, chopped celery, pointed cabbages, cauliflower leaves, the occasional tomato, sweetcorn, green beans, spinach and kale (both very high in calcium): banana skins, not just the fruit and melon rinds as well as the flesh; the same bits of pumpkins that human can eat.
Sweet peppers of any colour, broccoli (all parts), fresh herbs like parsly, cilantr/coriander, dill, basil, mint, fennel are rich in vitamin C. Vary between them, but try to include one of them in the daily veg mix. You can grow your own herbs in window sill boxes.
Always introduce only one new veg at a time and be patient, but persistent if it doesn't work at first.

Make sure that you offer unlimited hay - it should make up to 80% of the daily food intake.
Here is more about diet, including a US veg and fruit list with vitamin and calcium values. http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

Please try to put some money away every week for an emergency vet visit, so you can afford it when necessary.
 
thanks for your advice! i will definitely cut back on her veggie intake and try to change it up a little bit for her. i just have to ignore all the little squeaks when the fridge door is opened!
 
Just thought Id update this as Whinny has been doing pretty good with some time in the kitchen! getting a little more adventerous at least and I have been keeping her food intake in line!
thanks for all your help everyone :D
 
I know the situation you are in. The cheapest cage you will probably find is a heavy duty shower curtain for the base($10) with a storage cube top($20 without roof). I can make a 3 x 4 in grids with that and have extra supplies. Use fleece and that will also cut the expense. Then buy hay from www.sweetmeadowfarm.com and this will also help. Ebay is a good place to buy guinea pig things for a low price. www.cavycages.com This might help too. If you have any US related guinea pig questions feel free to ask. I will also look for a guiena pig rescue near you so your baby will have a buddy.
 
aww they are adorable little piggies! unfortunately i dont think i can handle four pigs space and time wise!
 
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