Rochester Piggy
Teenage Guinea Pig
I am seriously panicking about this. Is this a normal weight fluctuation?
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Piggy Lost 48 Grams In 4 Days?!?!
- Thread starter Rochester Piggy
- Start date
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Tiamolly123
Senior Guinea Pig
It's only the difference between a full/empty bladder. I don't think your piggy is ill, I think you missing something. It really isn't healthy to be so obsessed his weight. You are going to be making him ill. Investigate internal worms.
Last edited:
rome_italy
Adult Guinea Pig
I understand you panick, but Tiamolly123 is right: if the pig were ill you would notice it. Have you changed his diet? did you offer some food he did not like? maybe he had just eaten less last days; or maybe his weight 5 days ago was wrong... I mean, maybe you checked his weight when he ate a lot and still had tummy and bladder full. Look, this is what happened here
Calliope:
- april 16th: 620g
- april 20th: 670g
- april 24th: 630g
- april 30th: 630g
(...)
------------------------
Calipso:
- april 20th: 590g
- april 24th: 570g
- april 30th: 570g
-------------------------------
the reason? those days it was raining and I didn't feel like to go the lawns to cut their grass... and they were disappointed with the usual vegs; they protested and made poo on the lettuce
... They ate less!!
My piggies are grass-addicted.
Anyway, keep your eyes open and if you can, take a walk outside and cut for him some fresh grass, which is the most nourishing food they can have. Grass now is rich of minerals and vitamins.
Calliope:
- april 16th: 620g
- april 20th: 670g
- april 24th: 630g
- april 30th: 630g
(...)
------------------------
Calipso:
- april 20th: 590g
- april 24th: 570g
- april 30th: 570g
-------------------------------
the reason? those days it was raining and I didn't feel like to go the lawns to cut their grass... and they were disappointed with the usual vegs; they protested and made poo on the lettuce
... They ate less!!My piggies are grass-addicted.
Anyway, keep your eyes open and if you can, take a walk outside and cut for him some fresh grass, which is the most nourishing food they can have. Grass now is rich of minerals and vitamins.
D
DM030819
@Rochester Piggy Unless your piggy is ill then it's best to weigh them once a week, at the same time, using the same scales. Then over a period of a few weeks you will be able to see a better trend in weight.
Like the others mentioned the difference could be a full or empty bladder.
One of my boys is currently ill so I'm weighing him daily. I'm weighing his cagemate too just for something to refer against. The cagemate went down 30g a few days ago but back up yesterday. I bet he'd had a wee before I weighed him on the lower day.
Like the others mentioned the difference could be a full or empty bladder.
One of my boys is currently ill so I'm weighing him daily. I'm weighing his cagemate too just for something to refer against. The cagemate went down 30g a few days ago but back up yesterday. I bet he'd had a wee before I weighed him on the lower day.
Please don't become obsessional about weighing your piggies @Rochester Piggy. UNLESS your piggy is ill then weekly weighing at the same time is all you need to do. And as everyone has said, weighing after dinner or after a wee can affect the weight of a piggy. Some fluctuation is entirely normal.
Beans&Toast
Adult Guinea Pig
Try not to worry (easier said than done, I know!) 30-40gs could just be the difference between a full/empty bladder or a full
I have to weigh one of my pigs 3 times a day because she has constant dental and bloat issues and she can go up and down between 20g-30g a day. For a healthy piggy once a week is fine. My vets advice is if the weigh loss is under 60g then it isn't necessarily anything to worry about, anything over 60g then there would be cause for concern.
I have to weigh one of my pigs 3 times a day because she has constant dental and bloat issues and she can go up and down between 20g-30g a day. For a healthy piggy once a week is fine. My vets advice is if the weigh loss is under 60g then it isn't necessarily anything to worry about, anything over 60g then there would be cause for concern.
Rochester Piggy
Teenage Guinea Pig
She had a de wormer in March after her cagemate came down with internal parasites.
You need to go on alert if a piggy has lost over 50-60 (2 oz) of weight in a week (or a day, but for that you usually notice signs). Please take into account that the daily weight fluctuation is 30-40g. Ideally you always weigh before dinner or breakfast when tummy and bladder are hopefully empty.
Please also take into account that there is a huge range of external issues that can suppress the appetite like hot weather/wide temperature swings, a stuck bottle, (food) bullying by a companion, pain, medication and GA drugs, issues with the mouth/teeth/sense of smell etc. As well as the battery in your scales...
If you are worried, you can offer additional top up syringe feed, but do not force it down, please!
If you have a tendency to obsess over weight and are weighing your healthy piggies daily instead of weekly, please ask a partner or family member to weigh your piggy for you once weekly unless you notice other signs of not being well.
While guinea pigs are good for people with anxieties, they can easily become a source of obsession.
Please also take into account that there is a huge range of external issues that can suppress the appetite like hot weather/wide temperature swings, a stuck bottle, (food) bullying by a companion, pain, medication and GA drugs, issues with the mouth/teeth/sense of smell etc. As well as the battery in your scales...
If you are worried, you can offer additional top up syringe feed, but do not force it down, please!
If you have a tendency to obsess over weight and are weighing your healthy piggies daily instead of weekly, please ask a partner or family member to weigh your piggy for you once weekly unless you notice other signs of not being well.
While guinea pigs are good for people with anxieties, they can easily become a source of obsession.
Rochester Piggy
Teenage Guinea Pig
Thanks Wiebke. She is a very healthy piggy and loves running laps and wheeking! I know what you mean about the anxiety. I have minor Borderline Personality Disorder, and when I'm not feeling good mentally, if I grab a pig and pet her for a few minutes, I can relax. A few weeks ago, i decided to do a study on Cali. I weighed her right before eating veggies and right after. She flucuated 45 grams!
Just take a deep breath. As long as she is well in herself, I would not yet worry.
rome_italy
Adult Guinea Pig
@Rochester Piggy I think that writing of our worries even when they look like obsessions, as well as talking with people who also have their little obsession and run to the vet for any silly thing, always help. There is nothing about diagnosed issue, such as depression, borderline and so on; brains are never perfect...
Moreover, it is better to worry too much than not to worry at all; being superficial as "normal" and healthy people often do can cause big troubles. Therefore don't feel bad or "wrong" for your apprehension, come out only because it was the first time you noticed that difference.
I also enjoy putting my piggies on the scale twice a week and I write their weight on a diary; one of them looked like a skeleton when I brought her at home and she is still slim (but she is okay). It is interesting for me to see the fluctuation of their weight. We can learn a lot caring of these delicate pets; we can also learn how to cope with our emotions, also the thorny ones...
I am sure that you are a great piggie's owner and that your piggies are in good hands.
(Some weeks ago I almost scared to death when my Calliope had a hiccup! it was the first time for me and the sky became black to me in those moments... and the vet burst into laughter at me talking of this episode!)
Hugs to you!
Moreover, it is better to worry too much than not to worry at all; being superficial as "normal" and healthy people often do can cause big troubles. Therefore don't feel bad or "wrong" for your apprehension, come out only because it was the first time you noticed that difference.
I also enjoy putting my piggies on the scale twice a week and I write their weight on a diary; one of them looked like a skeleton when I brought her at home and she is still slim (but she is okay). It is interesting for me to see the fluctuation of their weight. We can learn a lot caring of these delicate pets; we can also learn how to cope with our emotions, also the thorny ones...
I am sure that you are a great piggie's owner and that your piggies are in good hands.
(Some weeks ago I almost scared to death when my Calliope had a hiccup! it was the first time for me and the sky became black to me in those moments... and the vet burst into laughter at me talking of this episode!)
Hugs to you!
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