Hello there, I have two male guinea pigs that are around 6 months old. Since I first got them one was a bit fatter than the other one. Now that they are growing up more that is more noticeable. The big one is not only much fatter but longer too. Then there's the little runt who has grown quite a bit but is not very fat (or at least as fat as the other one) and is light as a bird when I pick him up. He is energetic and playful but he is a pickier eater. The other one never seems to be full while this one is so curious that he can't sit in one spot long enough to focus on eating. He has seen a vet and they said he was healthy but I might take him back just because i'm worried about how much one is growing compared to the other. Has anyone heard of this before? He's not necessarily skinny but the other one looks like a giant marshmallow that came to life and this one just looks like a small bear cub.
-
Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement
Not A Fat Piggy?
- Thread starter Robin12
- Start date
- Status
Hi and welcome!
Guinea pigs have very different individual body sizes, shapes and a wide normal and healthy weight range; even siblings can vary widely. My two sisters Nerys and Nia were already 150g apart when I adopted them at 10 months old and this widened to 500g at the peak of their life. Energetic small group leader Nia sadly died not long before her 6th birthday, but big, greedy Nerys is still with me coming on to 8 years now, so they have both a very decent life span!
What I would recommend is to feed veg and pellets 2-3 times a day in smaller portions and in one bowl each per piggy spaced over a body length apart, so the food can be eaten in one go and the smaller piggy is getting its fair share. Hay should make up to 80% of the daily food intake, so your boys won't go hungry in the meantime. It minimises the problem of food hogging.
I can't say that I think highly of any vet that suggests getting rid of a pet on such flimsy grounds; that is not encouraging responsible ownership!
You may find the tips in these links here helpful in judging whether your boys are a good weight for their individual size and what a good, balanced diet is.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
Here are more tips for new owners, which you may find helpful: " Starter Kit" Of Information Threads For New Owners
Since we have members and enquiries from all over the world, you can help us in tailoring any advice and recommendations to what is really available and doable where you are by adding your country, state/province or UK county to your details, instead of asking us to keep any advice as general as possible. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to erpsonal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!
Hello and a warm welcome to the forum.
Piggies do differ in shape size and weight.
If there is any concern that one is food hogging could you feed in 2 separate bowls at least a pig's length apart to,ensure that the little one can get a fair share. Some piggies are very picky eaters, and others will eat everything. As @Wiebke has suggested splitting pellets into small portions spread throughout the day can also ensure that both get the appropriate amount.
Piggies do differ in shape size and weight.
If there is any concern that one is food hogging could you feed in 2 separate bowls at least a pig's length apart to,ensure that the little one can get a fair share. Some piggies are very picky eaters, and others will eat everything. As @Wiebke has suggested splitting pellets into small portions spread throughout the day can also ensure that both get the appropriate amount.
Thank you for your reassuring responses. Oh and Wiebke the vet didn't suggest I take him back from where he came from, I was saying I might return him to the vet to further investigate his small size. The piggies already do have separate bowls which isn't really the problem since Casper (the big one) rarely eats his dry food anyway. I have been hand feeding Dexter (the little one) lately because I know he likes people to hold his food for him. Hopefully that helps but it's good to hear that some guinea pigs are just little. My first guinea pig was so long and fat that guests who came over and didn't know what a guinea pig was assumed he was a small cat or dog! I just saw Casper heading in that direction and thought it was normal but then Dexter is not as food obsessed as the others and it seemed strange to me. But he is kind of weird. He makes strange loud noises all throughout the day and night and he hates being touched over his body. You can only touch his mouth or belly. The other day he heard geese outside the window and I swear he quacked back! He's very special for sure.
How old is your little and how much does he weigh? Some runts can only get up to about 600g as adults, but they tend to usually compensate with a big personality!
You could try to get Dexter used to allow you to touch him by brushing him "accidentally" (always apologise) or by cuddling his through a fleece. it takes a bit of patience and persistence over the course of several weeks or months.
Has your vet checked Dexter's teeth, especially the back teeth, in case he has malocclusion? You may want to have a look at his front teeth; they should have an even edge to them.
Thank you for clarifying that point about the vet's remark. Sadly, we get to hear some rather upsetting and professiona things from time to time.
As of today, Dexter weighs 983g and Casper weighs 1101g. I took Dexter to a vet to check on a choke-like cough he had and they checked him inside and out trying to find out what it was. They couldn't see anything wrong with him but I noticed that he does it exclusively when something is upsetting him. If he's in a bad mood because Casper went into his igloo or if he sees someone pick up Casper (even though he usually hates being picked up). His teeth are fine, sharp as ever, and the vet even said he had the prettiest coat he had ever seen. He just gets really jealous of Casper being held without him or Casper playing with his favorite things.
Those are both VERY good weights for adult guinea pigs, never mind adolescents, and nothing whatsoever to worry about!
You may actually want to gradually reduce the amount of pellets they get to the half to on handful that mature adults need to prevent them from getting fat as they both definitely past their initial quick growth phase.
I still have them on alfalfa hay and young guinea pig food. I understand those have more sugar. Do you think it might be time to make the switch to adult food and hay or should I continue waiting until they reach one year old?
Yes, please! They should be given up to 4 months max. The extra amounts needed are actually very small. You can usually just give a bit more normal pellets to young guinea pigs (many varieties contain alfalfa/lucerne) and get the same result.
Try to switch them to a balanced adult diet now. But do so gradually, or you may have a riot on your hands! Also limit the amount of veg you give, especially when it comes to fruit and tomato, and fattening/sugary veg like carrots, sweet corn etc.
The diet we recommend will help you for good long term health. Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
Ideally, you want your boys to be at the ideal weight/size ratio from now on (or at the right "heft" around their rib cage) for the rest of a hopefully long life! They should no longer grow quickly, as they have already reached the adult weight range.
Thanks for all the advice. My first guinea pig was adopted after his first year so this is the first time we've had babies. I have another question though about they're relationship with each other. When they were tiny they were best friends. Always playing and sleeping curled up together. Now as soon as Dexter sees or hears Casper he gets really riled up and tries to come start a fight with him. Casper is very relaxed but when Dexter strikes Casper always finishes it quickly because he's so much bigger. About 7 weeks ago they had their first real fight and it scared me. Dexter had a small bleeding cut in his side that was superficial and healed quickly once it was cleaned but that terrified me. Since then they have been in separate cages in separate rooms because the animosity is so strong. The vet says this should go away once they reach one year old because then they'll be out of puberty. I got them to be friends since I know that's better for them but now it seems like they're irreconcilable. Is there any advice on what I should do? What if they never become friends again?
- Status