Weight Updates

[mysti77]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to check that the weight of my two are looking ok

they are approximately 15 week old boars

Comi

5th Feb - 414g
16th Feb - 460g

Dusty

5th Feb - 284g
16th Feb - 310g


So Comi put on 20g more than Dusty in this time. Also I have noticed that they stopped eating their pellets like they used to. i.e. when I put the pellets out in the morning they would eat almost all in one go. Now the pellets sit in their bowl all day and they pick at it and most of it is left at the end of the day. I am wondering if it's because I give the pellets in the morning with one cup of veg so they ignore the pellets in favor of the veg. They get another cup of veg in the evening. I put down lots of hay and they are always eating the hay. Dusty is always begging for food when he sees me if I'm at home so I am bad and end up getting a strip of red pepper for them each, or some sort of veg.

 

[mysti77]

I meant to put this in the Food area, can someone move it please! Thanks

 

[mysti77]

Comi

5th Feb - 414g
16th Feb - 460g
26th Feb - 502g

Dusty

5th Feb - 284g
16th Feb - 310g
26th Feb - 337g


Can someone please comment if this is ok that Dusty is growing so slowly compared to Comi? I feel Dusty's bones when I stroke him and Comi is lean but his body feels firm and I don't feel bones.

Thanks

 

[sport_billy]

Will move it for you

Yes, the weights look right to me, a good steady increase. We give pellets in the morning and they will graze on them all day. Diet should be as a guide 80% Hay, 15% Veg, 5% Pellets

Dusty sounds like a small pig to begin with, some piggies are small er than others. His growth looks right though

Edit: I am going to pop this in Guinea Pig Chat, you'll get more views there

 

[mysti77]

Will move it for you

Yes, the weights look right to me, a good steady increase. We give pellets in the morning and they will graze on them all day. Diet should be as a guide 80% Hay, 15% Veg, 5% Pellets

Dusty sounds like a small pig to begin with, some piggies are small er than others. His growth looks right though

Edit: I am going to pop this in Guinea Pig Chat, you'll get more views there

Thanks, just want to be sure he is ok as he just feels so boney! He looks like he eats a lot more than Comi as Comi is always running and hiding. He is always begging for veggies when he sees me. Lots of hay available through the day. Pellets I put fresh every morning and there is some left the next day i wash the bowl and put more.

 

[sport_billy]

His starting weight was much lower but he seems to be gaining 30g a weigh. Keep an eye as he should be putting on around 30g a week i would imagine. He's eating & pooing okay?

 

[AbiS]

They sound like they are doing well. Piggies are genetically programme with their adult size but how they get there can vary. Some will gain weight quickly but then slow down at an earlier age, others will put less on but for a longer period. Piggies come in different sizes as well - they don't all end up the same weight. I have 2 boys from the same litter and one is bigger than the other.

They can keep growing up until about 15months. Saying that toby (1250g) and barney (1300g) stopped growing at 8months.

You want them to be gaining weight consistently rather than at the same rate. At this stage they can have unlimited pellets. Have you weighed how much pellets you give the morning so you get an idea of how much they are eating? I wouldn't worry about them not eating the pellets because they are gaining weight nicely!

 

[mysti77]

They sound like they are doing well. Piggies are genetically programme with their adult size but how they get there can vary. Some will gain weight quickly but then slow down at an earlier age, others will put less on but for a longer period. Piggies come in different sizes as well - they don't all end up the same weight. I have 2 boys from the same litter and one is bigger than the other.

They can keep growing up until about 15months. Saying that toby (1250g) and barney (1300g) stopped growing at 8months.

You want them to be gaining weight consistently rather than at the same rate. At this stage they can have unlimited pellets. Have you weighed how much pellets you give the morning so you get an idea of how much they are eating? I wouldn't worry about them not eating the pellets because they are gaining weight nicely!

Haven't weighed the pellets, I just put a handful and notice that there is some left the next morning. I do see Dusty eating some pellets lately. Actually he seems to eat more than Comi in general.

 

[mysti77]

His starting weight was much lower but he seems to be gaining 30g a weigh. Keep an eye as he should be putting on around 30g a week i would imagine. He's eating & pooing okay?

Thanks

Eating is really good. Pooing I'm not sure because they are in the same cage and there is always A LOT of poo in there. I haven't sat and watched their bums to see who's doing the pooing! Maybe I will do that tonight when they have floor time.

 

[Wiebke]

if you are worried about one piggy growing more slowly, please feed them separately to see whether there is some food bullying going on and whether the separate feeding regime is making a difference in the weight gain. Some piggies are very slow growing and will naturally stay small; you just want to make sure what you are dealing with.

Also feed pellets in smaller portions and in two bowls that are at least one body lenght apart, so the dominant piggy can't hog all food. Some piggies pee in the pellet bowl, so it tends to go disgusting. Clean it regularly and don't just top it up.

Weigh your piggies weekly as part of lifelong health monitoring. http://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html

 

[ASTRID]

Yep all rounds good the gradual increase is great and well done for weighing them not many pig owners do that (exept the good ones on the forum like us x

 

[theoretikos]

@Wiebke advice really helped my Kasper gain weight recently. It is worth trying to see. Originally Kasper was bigger than Quinn but no it is the other way around

 

[mysti77]

 

[mysti77]

Comi

5th Feb - 414g
16th Feb - 460g
26th Feb - 502g
5th Mar - 524g

Dusty

5th Feb - 284g
16th Feb - 310g
26th Feb - 337g
5th Mar - 365g

They both didn't gain 30grams this week, is this ok?

 

[mysti77]

Weight update: Comi is looking like he is growing quickly but I'm worried that Dusty has only put on 12 grams in the last week. He is eating well, poops well, is very sociable and wheeks a lot for food. I can still feel all of his bones although he has a round tummy.

Comi

5th Feb - 414g
16th Feb - 460g
26th Feb - 502g
5th Mar - 524g
12th Mar - 563g

Dusty

5th Feb - 284g
16th Feb - 310g
26th Feb - 337g
5th Mar - 365g
12th Mar -377g