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Tear Shaped Poo

Ellie-May

Ellie-May

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
981
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839
Points
525
Location
Essex
Hi everyone,

I could be overreacting, but any advice would be good. Bert has been fine all day. However, I did notice since this afternoon he has been a little quiet. They normally both are sometimes as they chill, sleep etc in their hideys. I went to check on him just now and one of his poos was tear-shaped and a little soft. It wasn't completely soft and he has producing normal poo all day up until I checked on him. I did research that it could be because of dehydration and I do know that neither of them drinks water from the bowl (what I put in their play pen) and only from a bottle as they prefer that, but my plan pen's bars won't really support a water bottle. Due to this, I did decide to give them their evening veggies early and he has happily tucked into this and eating so I don't think it is any dental problems as he has been fine eating all day. I did give them a little bit of baby spinach in the morning, but since I saw his poo I took it out of their evening meal. They hardly ever get it and when they have had it there have been no problems. I can see him eating the hay I have put in there and he has been moving about today. Any ideas?
 
I forgot to say that Ernie's poos are fine so I know it is not him and Bert has just pooed again and they are the healthy/normal ones
 
Hey :) it is probably just a one off, sometimes it happens just keep an eye.

you sometimes get the odd soft poop, Just like us humans. I am sure nothing to worry about.
 
sport_billy said:
Hey :) it is probably just a one off, sometimes it happens just keep an eye.

you sometimes get the odd soft poop, Just like us humans. I am sure nothing to worry about.
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As soon as I put them both back in their cage (it has been cleaned out today) they pooed everywhere! I couldn't see any odd poos so it was probably a one-off. Bert has been chewing on their toys so I know his teeth are fine. I will probably give them both an early weigh tomorrow to see what their weight is like. I would do it now but it wouldn't be accurate as they have both been eating. Berts behaviour seems fine, but I will just see how he is the rest of today and tomorrow
 
Piggies&buns said:
I agree with @sport_billy
If it is only one out of lots of normal poops then i wouldn’t be too concerned at this stage. Keep an eye though
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I think it is when you think something is wrong you think of all the possible things that could be wrong lol. I tried to get him to move from his hidey to see if he was in any discomfort and wouldn't want to. He was being stubborn and wouldn't move but he didn't give any squeaks of pain
 
sport_billy said:
Hey :) it is probably just a one off, sometimes it happens just keep an eye.

you sometimes get the odd soft poop, Just like us humans. I am sure nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...
I just went to check on him again and some of the poos are small and still soft. It is not runny but just small and soft. Shall I restrict vegetables for a day or so? It is not tear-shaped just small, soft and some are smushy but I think that is where he has sat in it. He is chewing on things, but I haven't seen him drinking since I put him back in his cage. He has been drinking this morning and had water through veg
 
Ellie-May said:
I just went to check on him again and some of the poos are small and still soft. It is not runny but just small and soft. Shall I restrict vegetables for a day or so? It is not tear-shaped just small, soft and some are smushy but I think that is where he has sat in it. He is chewing on things, but I haven't seen him drinking since I put him back in his cage. He has been drinking this morning and had water through veg
Click to expand...
Sorry he is drinking now
 
Ellie-May said:
I just went to check on him again and some of the poos are small and still soft. It is not runny but just small and soft. Shall I restrict vegetables for a day or so? It is not tear-shaped just small, soft and some are smushy but I think that is where he has sat in it. He is chewing on things, but I haven't seen him drinking since I put him back in his cage. He has been drinking this morning and had water through veg
Click to expand...
Maybe he has had too much veg
 
Ellie-May said:
I just went to check on him again and some of the poos are small and still soft. It is not runny but just small and soft. Shall I restrict vegetables for a day or so? It is not tear-shaped just small, soft and some are smushy but I think that is where he has sat in it. He is chewing on things, but I haven't seen him drinking since I put him back in his cage. He has been drinking this morning and had water through veg
Click to expand...
His poo does not smell and there is no blood or anything like fact. Done a physical examination and could not feel any lumps
 
Please don’t worry.
It can sometimes be due to too much veg. The advice would be to take them off veg until everything returns to normal. Feed plenty of hay and see a vet if you are concerned
 
Piggies&buns said:
Please don’t worry.
It can sometimes be due to too much veg. The advice would be to take them off veg until everything returns to normal. Feed plenty of hay and see a vet if you are concerned
Click to expand...
Yeah, I am taking them both off veg for 48 hours. He is eating/drinking and his poos are getting there just small and soft. If by the weekend nothing improves then I will just see a vet
 
Piggies&buns said:
Please don’t worry.
It can sometimes be due to too much veg. The advice would be to take them off veg until everything returns to normal. Feed plenty of hay and see a vet if you are concerned
Click to expand...
Would cardboard help?
 
Ellie-May said:
Would cardboard help?
Click to expand...

It can sometimes help if you’ve got one they can have as a hidey in their cage and choose to chew it but I wouldn’t be too concerned after only a couple of poops. Normally removing veg and feeding plenty of hay would be enough to settle things if it is just a mild gut disturbance.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It can sometimes help if you’ve got one they can have as a hidey in their cage and choose to chew it but I wouldn’t be too concerned after only a couple of poops. Normally removing veg and feeding plenty of hay would be enough to settle things if it is just a mild gut disturbance.
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The poos he has done have been small, soft and sometimes squished. I think it might take a day or two. Pellets still okay?
 
Poop output is behind by 1-2 days, so yes it will take a little while for things to settle.
Yep, pellets are still fine to feed
 
Piggies&buns said:
Yep, if you aren’t seeing improvement by Friday morning then speak to a vet.
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As you said, it may take 1-2 days until things get back to normal and it happened this afternoon so I will only see a vet if nothing is improving. He is eating, drinking and squeaking for veggies every time I move so hopefully it is nothing bad. I can see they are trying to improve as they are bigger but still very wet and soft and he seems to be better in himself
 
It sounds a bit like he’s had too much veggies or something new to him that’s just caused a very minor upset. This happens from time to time to all of us.
have you been following the content and portion control recommended in the daily diet guides? That helps demonstrate the veggies in the right amounts for piggies. And it’s far less than most of us think!Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
 
VickiA said:
It sounds a bit like he’s had too much veggies or something new to him that’s just caused a very minor upset. This happens from time to time to all of us.
have you been following the content and portion control recommended in the daily diet guides? That helps demonstrate the veggies in the right amounts for piggies. And it’s far less than most of us think!Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Click to expand...
Maybe it has or too much veg. I normally give them a teacup size amount per Piggie but maybe that is too much. They get romain lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper mainly and occasionally they will have a little bit of carrot, dill, Parlsey, basil, kale, spinach but that is all rarely and if I do in very small amounts. I do wash their veg so maybe it’s that? I think I am just going to try and keep their diet to green based and cut out any sugars for a while. They occasionally get a pea flake but that isn’t all the time and they have had them for a while now so it’s not that
 
Ellie-May said:
Maybe it has or too much veg. I normally give them a teacup size amount per Piggie but maybe that is too much. They get romain lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper mainly and occasionally they will have a little bit of carrot, dill, Parlsey, basil, kale, spinach but that is all rarely and if I do in very small amounts. I do wash their veg so maybe it’s that? I think I am just going to try and keep their diet to green based and cut out any sugars for a while. They occasionally get a pea flake but that isn’t all the time and they have had them for a while now so it’s not that
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They also never get all of the extra stuff at the same time. If they have parsley one week then they won’t get any of the rest
 
Hannah_xx said:
I’m having problems with one of my girls and her squishy abnormal poops at the moment too. She’s been to the vet but all seemed fine, she’s on a diet change for the time being.
Click to expand...
It just happened today but hopefully it’s fine by the end of the week. Hopefully your girl feels better soon!
 
VickiA said:
It sounds a bit like he’s had too much veggies or something new to him that’s just caused a very minor upset. This happens from time to time to all of us.
have you been following the content and portion control recommended in the daily diet guides? That helps demonstrate the veggies in the right amounts for piggies. And it’s far less than most of us think!Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Click to expand...
I know it’s gross but they’re looking like this atm
 

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Ellie-May said:
Hi everyone,

I could be overreacting, but any advice would be good. Bert has been fine all day. However, I did notice since this afternoon he has been a little quiet. They normally both are sometimes as they chill, sleep etc in their hideys. I went to check on him just now and one of his poos was tear-shaped and a little soft. It wasn't completely soft and he has producing normal poo all day up until I checked on him. I did research that it could be because of dehydration and I do know that neither of them drinks water from the bowl (what I put in their play pen) and only from a bottle as they prefer that, but my plan pen's bars won't really support a water bottle. Due to this, I did decide to give them their evening veggies early and he has happily tucked into this and eating so I don't think it is any dental problems as he has been fine eating all day. I did give them a little bit of baby spinach in the morning, but since I saw his poo I took it out of their evening meal. They hardly ever get it and when they have had it there have been no problems. I can see him eating the hay I have put in there and he has been moving about today. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Woke up this morning, checked the cage and all poos were normal shape. Some were soft but nothing like yesterday. I am still going to see how today goes but they probably won’t get any veggies until the weekend. They really aren’t liking this veggie strike lool! Well Bert isn’t anyway. He’s sulking and when he’s eating he makes this sulking noise lol. I feel bad for ignoring him, but it’s for his own good
 
Ellie-May said:
Hi everyone,

I could be overreacting, but any advice would be good. Bert has been fine all day. However, I did notice since this afternoon he has been a little quiet. They normally both are sometimes as they chill, sleep etc in their hideys. I went to check on him just now and one of his poos was tear-shaped and a little soft. It wasn't completely soft and he has producing normal poo all day up until I checked on him. I did research that it could be because of dehydration and I do know that neither of them drinks water from the bowl (what I put in their play pen) and only from a bottle as they prefer that, but my plan pen's bars won't really support a water bottle. Due to this, I did decide to give them their evening veggies early and he has happily tucked into this and eating so I don't think it is any dental problems as he has been fine eating all day. I did give them a little bit of baby spinach in the morning, but since I saw his poo I took it out of their evening meal. They hardly ever get it and when they have had it there have been no problems. I can see him eating the hay I have put in there and he has been moving about today. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
His poops are now normal. Would it be okay to give him veggies again or wait until tomorrow?
 
How long have they been normal? You’d ideally wait a 24 hours after they return to normal before reintroducing veggies. When you do reintroduce, just do it a bit at a time, herbs are often the best thing to start with, so as to not cause another problem by adding too much in one go
 
Piggies&buns said:
How long have they been normal? You’d ideally wait a 24 hours after they return to normal before reintroducing veggies. When you do reintroduce, just do it a bit at a time, herbs are often the best thing to start with, so as to not cause another problem by adding too much in one go
Click to expand...
They have been normal since yesterday and it happened Wednesday afternoon
 
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