Weighing

[AvrilA]

Hi,
I am a newbie guinea pig owner - my lovely girls have been with us for a week and are 8 weeks old!
I have read on here a number of people have mentioned weighing your guinea pigs? I haven't weighed mine yet at all so should I? And how often?!
thanks!
Avril

 

[Stewybus]

I weigh mine every Sunday morning about an hour after I've fed them. It's best to weigh them at the same time every week so you get a better idea if they're losing or gaining weight. I use postage scales with a plastic container on top for putting the piggy in. Just put the container on then zero the scales & weigh your piggy. Here's a picture of one of my foster piggies fro last year being weighed:-

 

[sport_billy]

Hey,

Worth checking out this video on how to weigh to get some tips

 

[Wiebke]

Weighing once weekly at about the same time in the feeding cycle is an important tool to monitor piggy health. Guinea pigs are prey animals and very good at hiding any illness. A sudden major or slow gradual weight loss is often the first inkling that something is not right.
To to best weigh a piggy: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/videos/

Please see a vet if a piggy has lost over 50g/2 oz of weight, see a vet as an emergency if it is a 100g/3 oz - especially within a day or two; that means that a piggy is not eating and drinking. Weigh any piggy you have concerns about daily, but be aware that the daily fluctuation in weight can make up to 30g/1 oz just due to a full/empty tummy and bladder!

These threads here can also help you to learn how to spot any illness early on:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-body-quirks.58854/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-early-signs-of-illness.36332/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...ght-checks-and-overfeeding-guinea-pigs.38805/