Piggies not really eating hay or nuggets

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missybct

missybct

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Hi all, I was wondering if you could help me.

My guineas are around 6-7 months old. I had them on the junior nuggets when I first had them (I can't remember the brand but I think it was Burgess Excel formula) and they are now on the adult nuggets (Burgess Excel). At first them seemed to love them and constantly had their heads in the bowl. I don't know whether I become so used to seeing them eat it, that now I don't notice them nibbling, but I have noticed that the bowl doesn't go down very quickly at all. Before, they were eating so much I was having to fill it up every day/every other day.

They also seem to have gone off their hay - we have a hay basket, and when we first bought it they quickly figured out how to use it and was nibbling away. Now they barely go up to the rack. I've started putting the hay in a bowl, in case they were getting frustrated with having to get it out of the basket, but they're not touching that really either. I'm obviously worried because I know how important hay is to their wellbeing and dental care. They DO eat it, just not large quantities of it at all.

They ARE eating - fresh veggies twice a day and they go absolutely bonkers for that, so I know (hope) they aren't poorly. They haven't lost any weight and they are drinking plenty. I don't know whether it's a seasonal thing or whether they've just grown up a bit and aren't as hungry anymore.

I just emptied the nuggets out from the bowl that had been sitting there a few days that had hay mixed in and it's a fresh bowl - I'm guessing they may be a bit fussy about what is in the bowl with their nuggets because Banana is now nibbling from the bowl :{ I think it's the hay I'm most concerned about as I know how important it is.

I'm going to try and get down to the local pet store later to pick up some different hay - I'm wondering whether they've gone off it (they are very fussy piggies).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.

xox
 
If they're eating their veg with their normal gusto, then it could just be that their nutritional requirements are changing as they're growing and they're not needing as much food.

You say that you were feeding the junior nuggets - what colour was the bag? I wasn't aware that burgess (or any company for that matter) did a junior nugget, although I know that burgess do a junior/dwarf rabbit food, so it's important to check that they're eating guinea pig food rather than rabbit food as their nutritional requirements are quite different.

Is the hay that you're offering them fresh? Does it smell nice and sweet? Have a sniff...if it smells damp or musty, this may be why they aren't so keen on eating it - sometimes you can get a bad batch, it is a natural product after all. You could try offering different types of hay too, to keep their interest in it. There are several types around, varying from fine, green hays to very coarse oat hays.

Weighing them regularly (once a week ish) will alert you to any drastic changes
 
That's what I wondered Amanda - they seem to have hit a stage where they are behaving a little differently (much more settled, although chasing each other - they are two boars) so maybe it's just a hormonal change.

My mistake - the junior feed I was giving them was the Oxbow Cavy Performance not Burgess Excel, I don't know why I thought it was Burgess junior food! I just checked my previous online orders.

They hay is pretty fresh - we only bought it a week or two ago. But I think you are right, it does seem like a bad batch. We're about half way through the small bag and to be honest, most of it's gone on the floor. They won't eat it after it goes on the floor and they've trodden/wee/pooed in it (understandable!). We normally get a different brand of hay and use this sparingly as a treat as they seemed to really like it. I think we're going to have to mix and match a bit; they've always been really fussy piggies. If they had their way all they'd eat is parsley!

I weigh them about once every 10 days and there is no weight loss - they are gaining weight which is good.

Thanks for your advice and input. I'm going to try and change their veggies a bit too as we tend to give them a rotation of the same thing and it may mix it up a bit.

xox
 
Thanks :) I appreciate it. They are nibbling at the nuggets now - typical since I posted this thread - they've not touched them for days!
 
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