New Guinea Pigs Not Drinking

[oofitsnaomi]

Hi! I recently adopted two guinea pigs, Finn and Parker. Finn is cream and white, Parker is black, white and cream. Here is them in their travel cage when we were preparing to take them home! They're three months old.

I put them in their cage. They won't come out of their little hut so I put vegetables in front of it so they can eat. My concern is, they're not drinking water. I had the same experience with my hamster. He didn't drink for the first 2 days at home. He started drinking and he was fine. Will it be the same with my piggies? How can I keep them hydrated without them coming out and being scared? Is the water content in the veggies I'm giving them enough for now? Thanks!

 

[Siikibam]

Some piggies don’t drink much. But yes, there is water in veggies so I’m sure they’ll be fine. They’re probably also getting used to their new home hence not coming out for veggies or allowing to be hand fed.

 

[Pearl and Zip]

They should drink when they are thirsty. If you want you could put out a bowl of water and see if they drink from that instead.

How big is their habitat?

 

[Betsy]

Have you tried putting an old towel or blanket over half of their cage so they feel safer? How many hideys do you have? How long have you had them for?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I recently adopted two guinea pigs, Finn and Parker. Finn is cream and white, Parker is black, white and cream. Here is them in their travel cage when we were preparing to take them home! They're three months old.
View attachment 90685
I put them in their cage. They won't come out of their little hut so I put vegetables in front of it so they can eat. My concern is, they're not drinking water. I had the same experience with my hamster. He didn't drink for the first 2 days at home. He started drinking and he was fine. Will it be the same with my piggies? How can I keep them hydrated without them coming out and being scared? Is the water content in the veggies I'm giving them enough for now? Thanks!

Hi and welcome

Please give your piggies time to settle in and cover their cage with a fleece or blanket to give them a feeling of protection and safety and encourage them to come out more.

Guinea pigs are roaming prey animals that live in groups. Yours have just been ripped away from their family, transported to a pet shop and then sold as pets into an entirely new and frightening environment; right now they feel very lost at a time when they still strongly depend on the guidance of their elders, which includes how to use bottles. Between a commercial mass supply breeder and the pet shop, they haven't had anything in the way of friendly human handling; for them we are huge smelly predators that play with them and could kill them at any minute. They are likely to take a bit longer than just 2 days to come round; trust is a tender plant that needs to grow deep roots first before it can flourish. The more you can avoid any predatory/hunting behaviours at this stage, the better.

They will drink if they really need it. Don't overfeed veg; any veg is mostly water anyway. Most piggies will figure out how to use a bottle, even those piggies that will only drink in extremis.

Please take the time to read our new owners' guide. It contains information on settling in, guinea pig instincts and how to make friends with your piggies in ways that they instinctively understand ('piggy whispering') as well as a guide on behaviours and dynamics when your piggies start establishing a new group and hierarchy in their new territory. It also includes advice on diet (over 80% should be hay) and a drinking guide; hot weather/heat stroke management; sexing and learning what is normal and what not; what to check with new arrivals etc.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

We have got lots more guides which you can best access via the shortcut on the top bar, but you are always welcome ask any questions you have along the way in our Care Sections.

 

[Tiamolly123]

Although there is water in veggies, I wet the veg & then they are definitely getting water.

 

[Merab]

Can’t add to what has been said but did want to say I think that they are gorgeous

 

[Claire W]

What. Eaitif piggie As said, just give them time to settle in and explore.

My piggies are both 3 years old and still rarely drink. They do however eats lots of nice juicy veg including cucumber

 

[oofitsnaomi]

They should drink when they are thirsty. If you want you could put out a bowl of water and see if they drink from that instead.

How big is their habitat?

Their habitat is a total of I think 10 or 11 feet?

Have you tried putting an old towel or blanket over half of their cage so they feel safer? How many hideys do you have? How long have you had them for?

I have three hideys for them but they like to cuddle in one together and I will definitely put a blanket over their cage, thanks!

Hi and welcome

Please give your piggies time to settle in and cover their cage with a fleece or blanket to give them a feeling of protection and safety and encourage them to come out more.

Guinea pigs are roaming prey animals that live in groups. Yours have just been ripped away from their family, transported to a pet shop and then sold as pets into an entirely new and frightening environment; right now they feel very lost at a time when they still strongly depend on the guidance of their elders, which includes how to use bottles. Between a commercial mass supply breeder and the pet shop, they haven't had anything in the way of friendly human handling; for them we are huge smelly predators that play with them and could kill them at any minute. They are likely to take a bit longer than just 2 days to come round; trust is a tender plant that needs to grow deep roots first before it can flourish. The more you can avoid any predatory/hunting behaviours at this stage, the better.

They will drink if they really need it. Don't overfeed veg; any veg is mostly water anyway. Most piggies will figure out how to use a bottle, even those piggies that will only drink in extremis.

Please take the time to read our new owners' guide. It contains information on settling in, guinea pig instincts and how to make friends with your piggies in ways that they instinctively understand ('piggy whispering') as well as a guide on behaviours and dynamics when your piggies start establishing a new group and hierarchy in their new territory. It also includes advice on diet (over 80% should be hay) and a drinking guide; hot weather/heat stroke management; sexing and learning what is normal and what not; what to check with new arrivals etc.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

We have got lots more guides which you can best access via the shortcut on the top bar, but you are always welcome ask any questions you have along the way in our Care Sections.

Thank you for the advice. I did not get them from a pet store, they were born accidentally at rescue I will definitely look over the guide again, thank you.

Although there is water in veggies, I wet the veg & then they are definitely getting water.

Thank you for the good idea

Can’t add to what has been said but did want to say I think that they are gorgeous

Thank you, they truly are

 

[Wiebke]

Just give them time to settle down and get their bearings. They have never been away from other guinea pigs nearby and it is totally new. A lot depends on how stressed/freshly rescued their pregnant mother was when she had the babies; they can internalise that and copy her attitude. I see that with rescue born adoptees of mine; I can always tell whether their mother has come from a hellhole or not!

You can wet the veg; just be aware that it all runs off very, very quickly and there is very little extra in it - it is more for your benefit to be honest. But you can rub the nozzle on some stuff of theirs so it smells of them and hopefully entices them to use the water bottle sooner. Piggies go where they can smell piggies as that is safe territory and safe to use.

 

[oofitsnaomi]

I

Just give them time to settle down and get their bearings. They have never been away from other guinea pigs nearby and it is totally new. A lot depends on how stressed/freshly rescued their pregnant mother was when she had the babies; they can internalise that and copy her attitude. I see that with rescue born adoptees of mine; I can always tell whether their mother has come from a hellhole or not!

You can wet the veg; just be aware that it all runs off very, very quickly and there is very little extra in it - it is more for your benefit to be honest. But you can rub the nozzle on some stuff of theirs so it smells of them and hopefully entices them to use the water bottle sooner. Piggies go where they can smell piggies as that is safe territory and safe to use.

Thank you for your reply. I don't know the history of their mother but hopefully she came from a good place. I will rub some hay on the nozzle. Hopefully they feel more comfortable with the blanket over their cageThank you all for your advice!