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‘Powder’ found in cage?

Little Ones

Little Ones

Adult Guinea Pig
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Okay, not really sure if I’m even posting this in the right place but does anyone know what this is? This isn’t the first time I’ve found it in the cage and I’m pretty sure it’s coming from a guinea pig - maybe like one of them is peeing in powder form or something? I thought maybe it had something to do with calcium levels - they have broccoli, cucumber and carrots every other day. Other than that, I honestly have no idea. Any insight would be very useful! The guinea pig who I suspect it’s coming from had UTI a few months back, if that makes any difference. 4A030321-CDFB-4946-B314-0E234A87F8F5.webp
 
Gem789 said:
That looks like calcium deposits.Does it feel powdery or gritty if you rub it?
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I didn’t think it was a calcium deposit, as it’s a literal powder. I swept it up afterwards with complete ease. This is how it looked after I swept it, if that makes it easier to see the consistency.
943828AF-E7BA-48A4-8BE2-35C2DF1E11C8.webp
 
Little Ones said:
I didn’t think it was a calcium deposit, as it’s a literal powder. I swept it up afterwards with complete ease. This is how it looked after I swept it, if that makes it easier to see the consistency.
View attachment 91352
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That’s strange then, if there was a few I’d still be inclined to say calcium deposits.Otherwise it could be a crushed nugget etc.
 
I was wondering - sawdust? Is it a wooden hutch? If so, maybe you have a wood infestation, and this is the result of that? Other than that...no idea sorry.
 
Gem789 said:
That’s strange then, if there was a few I’d still be inclined to say calcium deposits.Otherwise it could be a crushed nugget etc.
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It is strange. Maybe it does have something to do with calcium in a way but there’s a lot of powder there - like a lot and as far as I’m aware it happened all at once, if that makes sense. It isn’t a crushed nugget either, it just seems like his urine has turned to powder. I just hope it’s nothing serious as I go on holiday tomorrow night :( thank you for your help, I appreciate it :)
 
Reenie said:
I was wondering - sawdust? Is it a wooden hutch? If so, maybe you have a wood infestation, and this is the result of that? Other than that...no idea sorry.
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Don’t think it’s sawdust, it’s not a wooden hutch or anything like that. Thank you, though! :)
 
UPDATE: so, it’s just happened again - there’s more powder. I definitely know it’s coming from a guinea pig. There isn’t as much as there was earlier but there’s still an alarming amount.
 
Little Ones said:
UPDATE: so, it’s just happened again - there’s more powder. I definitely know it’s coming from a guinea pig. There isn’t as much as there was earlier but there’s still an alarming amount.
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I would recommend to look at the diet.I also found loads of calcium pees in both my boys and girls cage.I was already filtering the water so I switched to grainless nuggets and it’s really made a difference and I hardly get any now.
 
Gem789 said:
I would recommend to look at the diet.I also found loads of calcium pees in both my boys and girls cage.I was already filtering the water so I switched to grainless nuggets and it’s really made a difference and I hardly get any now.
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I am looking at diet - however it’s not the same as a regular calcium pee. It’s completely different - it’s like sand and there isn’t just a little bit but a lot. Honestly, I’m not sure what it could be. Thanks for the advice though, I appreciate it :)
 
Sorry, I haven't seen anything like this in all the years with my own guinea pigs and despite literally hundreds of piggies passing through this forum section every year.
 
You have some chew sticks on your first photo, it might be it? I mean when the piggies chew it?
 
Wiebke said:
Sorry, I haven't seen anything like this in all the years with my own guinea pigs and despite literally hundreds of piggies passing through this forum section every year.
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It’s definitely a mystery. It seemed like sand but only appeared after one of the pigs had been sat by that area for a while. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. Thanks for your help though! :)
 
anyar.dris said:
You have some chew sticks on your first photo, it might be it? I mean when the piggies chew it?
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It could be related to that, but I’ve never known sticks to turn to like a sandy consistency. Lol who knows, seems to be a total mystery :D
 
Little Ones said:
It’s definitely a mystery. It seemed like sand but only appeared after one of the pigs had been sat by that area for a while. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. Thanks for your help though! :)
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It may something in the bedding hay it has picked up elsewhere? it doesn't look like anything from the body of a guinea pig.
 
Wiebke said:
It may something in the bedding hay it has picked up elsewhere? it doesn't look like anything from the body of a guinea pig.
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It could be actually. I hadn’t thought of that, like as the hay has moved around, the grains of whatever it is could have separated from that to then create the mess. It must’ve been coincidental that it appeared the second time after the same guinea pig had gone back to that spot (though he’s the only one who rummaged around there), that’s what led me to think it came directly from him. I think it’s probably more likely it’s from the hay or even one of the chewing sticks - the area where it was usually isn’t the area they pee in so it’s unlikely that they’d pee in that area twice for there to be any more of the powder the second time.

Reenie said:
maybe one of the sticks is a bit soft and it's disintegrating when they chew it?
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Perhaps so - it’s seems more likely it came from the sticks or hay. When it happened the second time around it was still in that area - which to be fair isn’t the general area they pee in. So it probably came from a soft stick or the hay lol.
 
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