Hello, I've been posting on artcasper's thread about having to withhold veggies because of soft poos, but I thought I would start another thread now because I can't see this problem stopping. I took them both off veg on Thursday and so today is the 6th day and yet there is no improvement at all to the poos of one of them. They remain dark, squidgy and some still have little tails. I am not even sure which piggy has the problem. I am always on poo-alert with Bianca but I'm beginning to wonder if it is actually Ophelia. It should have resolved by now, shouldn't it?
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Still soft poops after 5-6 days of no veg.
- Thread starter KHBz
- Start date
If the issue is caused by veg, then feeding them a hay only diet to stabilise the gut then yes I would expect to see some improvement by now. I would suggest taking them to the vet for a check up.
The next step may be faecal lab test to check for bugs that could be causing it if there are no other symptoms.
The other alternative could be something impacting on the gut through pressure or pain.
But a thorough vet check is definitely on the cards when poos don't improve within 24-48 hours after fresh food has been stopped or if the problem recurs.
All the best!
Let us know how you get on
Will do. Fortunately my 11-year-old will be back from school to take them with me and keep them calm, although the vet will then collect them from us while we wait in the car. (Little Bianca always squawks her head off when I carry her all of 2 metres in a cavy-cosy, whereas she is peaceful with my daughter and, if my daughter is seated when she is let out, often gives her a little piggy kiss as well. This daughter always does the piggy-whispering techniques with her.) I've gone off topic. I'll post later -- on topic.
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Hope all goes well, keep us updated sending vibes x
Thank you. It is lovely to know that there is such support here. From very my frequent poo inspections throughout this am, I am pretty certain now that it *is* Ophelia -- which both worries and surprises me as Bianca is the one I have always had to keep an eye on. Let's hope there is no horrid surprise. I am really worrying now.
Hello, We've just got back from the vets. I'd like to know what you make of this. She said that Ophelia and Bianca are really healthy, with good weight gain and are at a good weight 
. She did comment that she found ovarian cysts on Ophelia but said that it was nothing to worry about. (Bianca is the rumblestrutter-extraordinaire and so I would have been less surprised if it had been her with the cysts.) I gave the vet some juicy, smelly stools but she said that they'll only send a sample to be tested if they are still like this in 1-2 weeks. I have been told to stop all vegetables for the summer 
and after that maybe give them a little every few days, but certainly not every day.
. She did comment that she found ovarian cysts on Ophelia but said that it was nothing to worry about. (Bianca is the rumblestrutter-extraordinaire and so I would have been less surprised if it had been her with the cysts.) I gave the vet some juicy, smelly stools but she said that they'll only send a sample to be tested if they are still like this in 1-2 weeks. I have been told to stop all vegetables for the summer and after that maybe give them a little every few days, but certainly not every day.So, I've got healthy piggies (albeit with dodgy poops) but I would like to ask some questions.
Does anyone else here just not feed their piggies vegetables, or only occasionally, as the vet has told me to do? This 'occasionally' has to be after a couple of months of no vegetables whatsoever.
Will that mean I have to increase the pellets? At the moment they get 20 each a day, which seems to be slightly fewer than a tablespoon.
They love Burgess Excel pellets but would it be advisable to switch to grain-free?
If Ophelia already has ovarian cysts, does that mean they are likely to develop and become a problem when she is older?
Thank you.
I hope you don't mind me tagging you, Wiebke, @Wiebke
Does anyone else here just not feed their piggies vegetables, or only occasionally, as the vet has told me to do? This 'occasionally' has to be after a couple of months of no vegetables whatsoever.
Will that mean I have to increase the pellets? At the moment they get 20 each a day, which seems to be slightly fewer than a tablespoon.
They love Burgess Excel pellets but would it be advisable to switch to grain-free?
If Ophelia already has ovarian cysts, does that mean they are likely to develop and become a problem when she is older?
Thank you.
I hope you don't mind me tagging you, Wiebke, @Wiebke
I only ask about increasing the pellets to make sure they get all the nutrients they need and which they would have derived from the veg.
I would not increase pellets in the absence of veg. Pellets are the least healthy part of the diet. Removing veg means piggy needs to eat extra hay, not eat more pellets.
I can see what your vet is trying to achieve with removing veg altogether, the gut needs to restabilise but normally you can introduce veg slowly after things stabilise. You need to trust your vet’s advice though.
Ovarian cysts - Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
I can see what your vet is trying to achieve with removing veg altogether, the gut needs to restabilise but normally you can introduce veg slowly after things stabilise. You need to trust your vet’s advice though.
Ovarian cysts - Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Hi...sorry I missed this thread.... good news that they are healthy, apart from the poo and ovarian cysts 
I am no expert on those so can't comment on whether they will cause issues down the line... regarding the poo, I stopped mine on Thursday too, I found that mine were solid but it you squished it in your fingers, like you do, it was softer than some of the others.. not runny at all.... weights are fine, a small loss overall but nothing of any concern... I am going to give them some coriander later and monitor.... its such a worry... I dont want to separate to see who is the soft pooer but I might have to so I can weights... all the best! X
I am no expert on those so can't comment on whether they will cause issues down the line... regarding the poo, I stopped mine on Thursday too, I found that mine were solid but it you squished it in your fingers, like you do, it was softer than some of the others.. not runny at all.... weights are fine, a small loss overall but nothing of any concern... I am going to give them some coriander later and monitor.... its such a worry... I dont want to separate to see who is the soft pooer but I might have to so I can weights... all the best! XThank you for this. I was just startled at being told that they should have only occasional veg after a few months of nothing, because that doesn't seem to feature on this forum and it is the experts' advice here (in this case, all the Health & Illness ones, such as you) whom I trust above all others.
And there I was worrying about taking them off veg for all of 24 hours! Thank you for all your support on this. I expect I'll be introducing coriander before the end of the summer, but I do anticipate having to take a stool sample to the vets in a week's time. It's not outright diarrhoea, but it is worryingly worse (which is why I've been worrying!) than last time I withheld veg for 48 hours. But it was lovely to hear how healthy the two are, with really good weights. And she cut their nails, without being asked (although that shows how much they needed it)! We had clipped Bianca's last week but *I* was so traumatised by the experience that I was taking time to recover before trying to clip Ophelia's little black ones!Hi...sorry I missed this thread.... good news that they are healthy, apart from the poo and ovarian cysts
it is a worry but some pigs never eat veg - not saying that is a good thing I mean when they are neglected etc - so when its part of their routine you are like
... mine have been ok with no breakfast or dinner, i have bought a bag of that herbal salad and they are happy when i pop a handful of that in..... I had to bin a load of veg out the fridge cos they weren't having it.... Nice that your vet cut their nails,,... i know what you mean... always a 2 person job in this house! Black nails there is a skill to doing those...i am glad mine don't have them lol!The beauty of this forum is that everyone is like minded, understands your questions and you are never made to feel you can't ask anything....
LMPigs
Junior Guinea Pig
I am not an expert on guinea pig nutrition but your vet is, so I think you should follow the advice. I would assume that in their natural habitat guinea pigs forebears might have gone for months eating only dried grass/hay if that's what they come across, so I would expect yours to be fine on this diet, especially if you're giving them a few pellets to make sure their vit C requirements are met.
Thank you for this. They're getting used to not having veg now, I think. It's a shame, though, as it appeared to be the highlight of their day!
@artcasper -- How are your piggies getting on? Did they cope with a little coriander?it is a worry but some pigs never eat veg - not saying that is a good thing I mean when they are neglected etc - so when its part of their routine you are like
The beauty of this forum is that everyone is like minded, understands your questions and you are never made to feel you can't ask anything....
Hi... yes they seem to be ok.... their weights are good, no significant change at all. They only had a sprig of coriander and 1 slice of pepper yesterday... this morning, 2 slices of diff coloured pepper... I look like a mad woman picking every bit of poo up and squeezing it
I suspect they will be ok but am doing a very gradual build up over the next week... how are yours coping with no veggies? Are they still talking to you xHi... yes they seem to be ok.... their weights are good, no significant change at all. They only had a sprig of coriander and 1 slice of pepper yesterday... this morning, 2 slices of diff coloured pepper... I look like a mad woman picking every bit of poo up and squeezing it
It sounds like your piggies are on the right track. Ophelia's (or Bianca's) just aren't any better. At least there is no-one on this forum who would consider someone peering at, and squeezing, piggy poos mad! I took a nice little pot of them as a present for the vet. (She wanted card payment, though
).I don't think Ophelia will ever talk to me again. Not only am I not giving her veggies, but I tried to snatch a nice green leaf from her mouth today.... This isn't me being neurotic about withholding veg-- it is because their outside hutch is near a clematis, which I have now learnt is poisonous to guinea pigs, so when I saw that she had a yummy fresh leaf in her mouth, I was alarmed and tried to get hold of it. And I kept on trying to extract it as that leaf got smaller and smaller and she kept moving further and further away! She ate the whole thing. (I realised afterwards that it hadn't been a clematis leaf after all, so no panic, and it was only one anyway, I kept telling myself.) As it is, whenever she has food (just a few pellets now
) she runs away to eat it facing the wall because Bianca will try to tug it out of her mouth, and now, as far as she is concerned, she's got to hide it from me too because I will do the same. I'm trying to find other treats for them -- a forage parcel to come, hay cookies which should be here tomorrow ... Do you have any other suggestions?
That's funny bless her... you ain't taking my leafIt sounds like your piggies are on the right track. Ophelia's (or Bianca's) just aren't any better. At least there is no-one on this forum who would consider someone peering at, and squeezing, piggy poos mad! I took a nice little pot of them as a present for the vet. (She wanted card payment, though
I don't think Ophelia will ever talk to me again. Not only am I not giving her veggies, but I tried to snatch a nice green leaf from her mouth today.... This isn't me being neurotic about withholding veg-- it is because their outside hutch is near a clematis, which I have now learnt is poisonous to guinea pigs, so when I saw that she had a yummy fresh leaf in her mouth, I was alarmed and tried to get hold of it. And I kept on trying to extract it as that leaf got smaller and smaller and she kept moving further and further away! She ate the whole thing. (I realised afterwards that it hadn't been a clematis leaf after all, so no panic, and it was only one anyway, I kept telling myself.) As it is, whenever she has food (just a few pellets now
forage parcels and hay cookies are all I know will be ok with them being dry food so to speak... mine are still looking confused as they have their dinner in a bowl... i do feel bad but dont want them to be poorly... slow and steady wins the race....Poor little things. Just what's going on with these hooman-slaves nowadays?!That's funny bless her... you ain't taking my leaf
Roselina
Forum Donator 2025/26
Hello artcasper just wondered if KHBz could introduce fresh grass ? Thought I’d ask you before I mentioned it.it is a worry but some pigs never eat veg - not saying that is a good thing I mean when they are neglected etc - so when its part of their routine you are like
The beauty of this forum is that everyone is like minded, understands your questions and you are never made to feel you can't ask anything....
Sadly not, the situation with KHBz’s piggy is different and no fresh food is to be given on the advice of the vet, grass is included as fresh food so can’t be given
Roselina
Forum Donator 2025/26
Thank you
That's kind of you to consider the situation and to ask so delicately. The vet actually really confused me as she said I must stop the veg completely for the summer, then only let them have it occasionally as a treat, but that they could eat grass. I was floored for a moment but it turned out that this was only because she assumed (naturally) that my piggies' outdoor hutch was on grass and that this was the diet they are used it. (It's on paving slabs.) They had been having lawn time for a while, but I had had to stop when they had eaten it all, and I was now re-introducing grass slowly to them in preparation for lawn time again. I'm pretty sure that it was the bunch of lovely fresh grass at the beginning of last week that tipped it all over for them and this was the culprit the other time I had to stop veg for 2-3 days. After this experience, I would be so wary of giving them grass ever again, even when I can give them the occasional sprig of coriander.