Small poops?

[lilyandluna]

One of my guinea pigs, lily's poops have started to get smaller. She still is eating normally (she eats hay ALL the time) and is still very active. I haven't been weighing her.
Should I be worried? She seems perfectly healthy other then the poops.
I've read that this could be because she isn't eating enough?

Also- I've already posted this and I didn't get any replies so i'm doing it again x

 

[Wiebke]

One of my guinea pigs, lily's poops have started to get smaller. She still is eating normally (she eats hay ALL the time) and is still very active. I haven't been weighing her.
Should I be worried? She seems perfectly healthy other then the poops.
I've read that this could be because she isn't eating enough?

Also- I've already posted this and I didn't get any replies so i'm doing it again x

Hi! Smaller poos usually point towards a decreased food intake somewhere.

Please switch from the life long once weekly weigh-in and health check on your kitchen scales to weighing daily at the same time. See a vet if your piggy has lost more than 50g/2 oz; weighing is vital as you cannot judge the food intake reliably by eye. It also gives your vet a handle as to the scale of the problem; they can also discount certain things knowing whether they are dealing with a slow and gradual or a sudden and major weight loss.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Please step in with syringe feed top-up feed. In most cases a diminished food intake is caused by pain or discomfort somewhere in the body but it can also have quite a number of causes. In an emergency mushed up pellets will do the trick as long as you cut off the syringe tip as shown in the guide to allow fibre to come through.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs
Guinea Lynx :: Anorexia (not eating)

You can find a list of recommended UK vets on the top bar.
Lists of recommended vets in some other countries via this link here: Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List

All the best! You are obviously a very observant owner and can hopefully get on top of it quickly.

 

[lilyandluna]

Hi! Smaller poos usually point towards a decreased food intake somewhere.

Please switch from the life long once weekly weigh-in and health check on your kitchen scales to weighing daily at the same time. See a vet if your piggy has lost more than 50g/2 oz; weighing is vital as you cannot judge the food intake reliably by eye. It also gives your vet a handle as to the scale of the problem; they can also discount certain things knowing whether they are dealing with a slow and gradual or a sudden and major weight loss.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Please step in with syringe feed top-up feed. In most cases a diminished food intake is caused by pain or discomfort somewhere in the body but it can also have quite a number of causes. In an emergency mushed up pellets will do the trick as long as you cut off the syringe tip as shown in the guide to allow fibre to come through.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs
Guinea Lynx :: Anorexia (not eating)

You can find a list of recommended UK vets on the top bar.
Lists of recommended vets in some other countries via this link here: Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List

All the best! You are obviously a very observant owner and can hopefully get on top of it quickly.

Thank you so much. I have never weighed my piggies (I really didn't know I had to) and I hear your concerns. I plan on buying a kitchen scale tomorrow and weighing both of them. My vet opens tomorrow too, and I can call them if needed. I handfed lily tonight, restocked there hay, and gave them extra pellets. She doesn't seem to have any issues eating so that's good. Her poops are just so small

 

[Seven7]

My Finn's poops are large, dark, and long. He gets veggies three times a day with endless Oxbow hay and some Oxbow pellets. I believe his dark poop means he drinks less water. He drinks a lot more water in the summer. I give him extra cucumber to ensure he gets enough liquid.

Lara has smaller poop but double the amount of Finn's poop. Her poop is lighter in color because she drinks a lot of water. She also gets veggies three times a day with endless Oxbow hay and some Oxbow pellets.

My piggies are very different from each other but I am not so concerned by their differences.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much. I have never weighed my piggies (I really didn't know I had to) and I hear your concerns. I plan on buying a kitchen scale tomorrow and weighing both of them. My vet opens tomorrow too, and I can call them if needed. I handfed lily tonight, restocked there hay, and gave them extra pellets. She doesn't seem to have any issues eating so that's good. Her poops are just so small

Any change in poo size needs to be checked as it signifies a change in health somewhere, especially if it happens suddenly. Any thinner poos reflect a significant loss of appetite.

The natural poo size and form can individually differ quite widely. It is important to learn at the beginning what your piggy's normal health parameters in the body are so you can then sport any crucial changes throughout the life.
Guinea pig body quirks

You can find more really helpful guides to learn what is normal and not and when to see a vet via our new owners guide collection, which also contains lot of other practical information. We are addressing all the areas that we get the most questions and concerns about in the collection via this link here: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Our full guides collection on a wide range of subjects is available via the guide shortcut on the top bar.

All the best!

 

[lilyandluna]

Any change in poo size needs to be checked as it signifies a change in health somewhere, especially if it happens suddenly. Any thinner poos reflect a significant loss of appetite.

The natural poo size and form can individually differ quite widely. It is important to learn at the beginning what your piggy's normal health parameters in the body are so you can then sport any crucial changes throughout the life.
Guinea pig body quirks

You can find more really helpful guides to learn what is normal and not and when to see a vet via our new owners guide collection, which also contains lot of other practical information. We are addressing all the areas that we get the most questions and concerns about in the collection via this link here: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Our full guides collection on a wide range of subjects is available via the guide shortcut on the top bar.

All the best!

I weighed them today. My first girl, luna was around 870 grams and the girl who has the small poop was 936 grams. Her poops are also getting bigger

 

[DMS260820]

When my sow Dot first came down with intertestial cystitis and had a smaller appetite due to pain. Her poos went small.