Need To Have My Little Piggie Gain Weight

[gatorgirl]

Hi everyone. First off I'm new here and I'm in the US. Second we have two little piggies -- one we know for sure is a girl and she is doing great. Recently had a trip to the vet for some diarrhea and poor baby was a little dehydrated so I'm helping her with that. Our other little piggie seems to be a boy but he's underweight. When we got him from the pet store he seemed to be under the weather and the vet told us he had an URI. So now I have an extensive food list of great foods, foods for every once and a while and foods that are a no-no. But this little guy/girl seems to not eat as much as I would like him too. Is there anything I can give him separately to help him gain a little?

Also, how do you post pics? I would love to post some pics and get some advice to see if he is a he or a she!

Thanks so much!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

Please keep your piggies separated until you know the gender! You can find great video or screen saver step-by-step guides for posting pictures at the top of the help desk.
For best effect, please angle the relevant bits towards a good source of light. The clearer and sharper the picture, the better! Sometimes, it helps if you hold the piggy and somebody else takes the picture. If you can, make use of the close up option. You are welcome to post any pics in our pregnancy&sexing section.
This is the best website for sexing: http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

Please weigh your little URI piggy daily as long as he isn't out of the woods. Sweet corn (mini and cobs) is a good energy dense food. If he is still losing weight, you may want to consider hand feeding. For more tips and knwoledgeable ongoing support, you may want to open a thread in our helath/ilness section.
I assume that the little one is still on baytril? This antibiotic is well known for having a real impact on the guts and suppressing the appetite. You will want to additionally give probiotics like fibreplex or bio-lapsis to help the gut flora, a pinch about 1-2 hours after the antibiotic either on a bit of veg or dissolved in a very little bit of. The appetite should return once the course is finished. Otherwise, contact your vet re. another antibiotic.

Keep your diarrhoea piggy off any fresh food until the pellets have securely firmed up again; it can well be that she has never had veg before in her life and her guts are not yet adapted to them. Once you introduce them, do so slowly one by one.
Here is our food thread: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...veg-and-fruit-list-with-vitamin-c-grading.42/

You can find lots of information on pretty much every aspect of guinea pig care at the top of our Care sections, but you are welcome to ask any questions you may have.

With members from all over the world, you can help us a lot always in giving you the appropriate advice and recommendations straight away by adding your state to your details. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details/location. In the same section, you can also upload your avatar, the picture that always appears in every post.

 

[gatorgirl]

Thx Wiebke for the reply. Actually Cocoa, one that was sick with an URI, was on doxycycline. His appetite has increased but he just seems underweight compared to our other one Callie. Callie has a fondness for apples which she gets about once a week and Cocoa really loves the stems from parsley. I will hold back fresh veggies for Callie and see what happens. She is on an antibiotic called sulfamethoxazol 2x daily. I also give her a little water to make sure she is not getting dehydrated.

I will try some sweet corn on the cob for Cocoa and see how that goes. I also have some probiotics in power form that I sprinkle on their food too. Every evening my daughter and I hold them and sweet Callie loves to get as close as she can to my chin/face and make herself at home there. She is just the sweetest thing and Cocoa is a laid back type of guy/gal. I will post a pic that I have now on the sexing forum to see what others have to say!

Cocoa and Callie

 

[Briony_S]

They are both very pretty pigs. Wishing you all the best. xx

 

[Stewybus]

Welcome to the forum, you have 2 lovely piggies.

Another food you could give to help increase in weight is porridge oats just the same type you would buy from the store to make porridge. Don't give instant porridge such as Readybrek though.