WEIGHING GUINEA PIGS

[Lucyscavies]

Hi I got baby scales from a friend today and weighed my one year old male guinea pigs for the first time. Scooby weighs 1,600g and Scrappy weighs 1,500g are they normal weights as I read that they should be no more than 1,200g? Thanks

 

[piggieminder]

Weight - Monitoring and Management

You should find this thread interesting and helpful. They do sound like larger piggies if those scales are weighing correctly!

 

[PigglePuggle]

I usually get my vets to weigh my piggies every few months, then weigh them at home the same week to see how different the scales are! Mine always weigh 50g less at home than at the vets

 

[Wiebke]

Hi I got baby scales from a friend today and weighed my one year old male guinea pigs for the first time. Scooby weighs 1,600g and Scrappy weighs 1,500g are they normal weights as I read that they should be no more than 1,200g? Thanks

Hi!

Please read the weight guide link in the first post from @piggieminder . It tell you in detail how you can work out whether your boys are a good weight for their size or whether they are overweight (this we call the 'heft'). Because adult guinea pigs have such a natural variance in size, just going by sheer weight means that it fits only about 50-70% of all piggies. The guide also contains practical advice and measures if they are overweight. You should find it very helpful and interesting.

It would however not hurt to review their diet. Far too many people still think that veg and pellets are the mainstay of a guinea pig diet when they in fact should more in the way of small but carefully balanced daily treats (max. 50g of preferably leafy veg and 1 tablespoon of pellets per piggy per day). Unlimited hay should make the bulk of the food intake - over 80%. This does have a big impact not just on dental and gut health but also on longevity - the correct diet can add 1-2 years to a healthy piggy's life.
Here are our detailed diet recommendations: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Lucyscavies]

I really don’t think the scales are correct tbh then. Scrappy seems like such a tiny piggie looks wise so I’m not sure. I think I’ll get the vets to weigh them then.

 

[Wiebke]

I really don’t think the scales are correct tbh then. Scrappy seems like such a tiny piggie looks wise so I’m not sure. I think I’ll get the vets to weigh them then.

Please also check their heft around the ribcage as described in the weight management guide. Please take the time to read it!
Weight - Monitoring and Management

This will tell you whether your piggies are underweight, overweight or in a good shape for their individual body size. Like humans, piggies come in a wide range of sizes, but they can be perfectly healthy and fit at any size and not just in the narrow average band. It is the combination of the weighing and the checking for the heft that gives you the full answer.

 

[Lucyscavies]

Great thank you!

 

[piggieminder]

A pair of digital kitchen scales work well, the ones I am using were £5 on ebay.