Odd Color Urine

[AutumnThePig]

Hi,

Sorry for the graphic picture ahead of time - if I cannot post this, please delete...
I was cleaning my piggies cage yesterday, and she had went to the bathroom while I was taking out her blankets. I noticed that her urine was yellowish. I did give her veggies (including fennel) right before I cleaned the cage, maybe it’s from that? I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a sign of illness. There wasn’t a bad scent to the urine and she’s not showing any unusual signs. She’s behaving like herself.

Thank you ahead of time!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

That looks like excess calcium in her urine to me, has she had a fair bit of calcium rich veg? It’s not necessarily bad but it might be worth switching to lower calcium veg just as a precautionary measure against stones or bladder sludge for the future

 

[AutumnThePig]

That looks like excess calcium in her urine to me, has she had a fair bit of calcium rich veg? It’s not necessarily bad but it might be worth switching to lower calcium veg just as a precautionary measure against stones or bladder sludge for the future

These are the veggies I feed her: carrots (once a week), green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, cucumber, fennel (occasionally), celery, watermelon (occasionally, had on Sunday), cilantro (daily), dill (once a week) and parsley (twice a week)

Should I take her off veggies for a few days?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,

Sorry for the graphic picture ahead of time - if I cannot post this, please delete...
I was cleaning my piggies cage yesterday, and she had went to the bathroom while I was taking out her blankets. I noticed that her urine was yellowish. I did give her veggies (including fennel) right before I cleaned the cage, maybe it’s from that? I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a sign of illness. There wasn’t a bad scent to the urine and she’s not showing any unusual signs. She’s behaving like herself.

Thank you ahead of time!

Hi!

Please take a deep breath! Milky pees are the natural way guinea pigs excrete excess calcium and nothing to worry about if they are an occasional event.

If you see milky pees on a near daily basis over the course of at least a week, then please consider changing your diet to a low calcium one as your current diet is too high in calcium and could lead to the formation of bladder stones in the longer term.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets (Please be aware that the bulk of the calcium intake often comes via the water and pellets. Our diet guide is looking at all food groups.)

 

[AutumnThePig]

Hi!

Please take a deep breath! Milky pees are the natural way guinea pigs excrete excess calcium and nothing to worry about if they are an occasional event.

If you see milky pees on a near daily basis over the course of at least a week, then please consider changing your diet to a low calcium one as your current diet is too high in calcium and could lead to the formation of bladder stones in the longer term.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets (Please be aware that the bulk of the calcium intake often comes via the water and pellets. Our diet guide is looking at all food groups.)

Hi,

Thank you for the info. Do you know which veggie it is, out of the ones I’ve been feeding her, that has high in calcium?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,

Thank you for the info. Do you know which veggie it is, out of the ones I’ve been feeding her, that has high in calcium?

Some of the herbs are fairly high in calcium. I would use them more as a treat and rather feed coriander/cilantro on a daily basis as we well as 1 slice of pepper/capsicum a day (which is very high in vitamin C but not high in calcium).
HOWEVER, please take the time to read the diet guide and to check your water calcium content and pellet amount - it should be about 1 tablespoon per piggy per day. That is a lot less than most people expect.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

These are the veggies I feed her: carrots (once a week), green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, cucumber, fennel (occasionally), celery, watermelon (occasionally, had on Sunday), cilantro (daily), dill (once a week) and parsley (twice a week)

Should I take her off veggies for a few days?

You’ve had some great advice above! Parsley is quite high in calcium, I’ve had to cut that out completely. I believe lettuce can be too so I limit that a bit but they do love it! On days they don’t have lettuce of some kind they get a lot more grass. I think the main thing is to vary things a bit but it sounds like you’re doing pretty well already!

 

[5StarPigs]

Looks like she is excreting calcium from her urine. When guinea pigs inject excess calcium the only way they can get it out is by urinating it out. Like stated above please cut out any high calcium veg like parsley. Carrot should be given twice or once a week.

 

[AutumnThePig]

You’ve had some great advice above! Parsley is quite high in calcium, I’ve had to cut that out completely. I believe lettuce can be too so I limit that a bit but they do love it! On days they don’t have lettuce of some kind they get a lot more grass. I think the main thing is to vary things a bit but it sounds like you’re doing pretty well already!

That's a good idea! I have given grass before, but not in replacement of GL Lettuce. How many times a week can they have grass outside?

 

[AutumnThePig]

Looks like she is excreting calcium from her urine. When guinea pigs inject excess calcium the only way they can get it out is by urinating it out. Like stated above please cut out any high calcium veg like parsley. Carrot should be given twice or once a week.

I added a comment of what I give for veggies and how much haha

 

[AutumnThePig]

Could the color be caused of the Romaine Lettuce, also? I've heard this type of lettuce is safe to feed, but can turn piggies urine yellow.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

That's a good idea! I have given grass before, but not in replacement of GL Lettuce. How many times a week can they have grass outside?

My pigs have grass everyday! If the weather isn’t good enough I hand cut them some with scissors (never from lawn mower though as it ferments in their tummies) or I’ve even grown certain types of grass in trays and popped them in their cage for a bit too I just don’t feed as much veg and do 50-50 grass and veg currently.

I’m not sure about the colour of urine in relation to lettuce, it’s possible though! Maybe you could try and see what their urine looks like with and without it?

 

[Livia Rabideau]

Could the color be caused of the Romaine Lettuce, also? I've heard this type of lettuce is safe to feed, but can turn piggies urine yellow.

I stopped romaine because of this. Some piggies excrete more calcium from it. I also filter my water with a Brita water pitcher. Hard water can cause this too.