Weight Worries

[3stooges]

Hi there
I am very new to Guinea Pigs and have recently acquired 3 Brothers.

They have settled in amazingly this past week and have been very spoilt. I decided to change their cage layering from wood shavings to fleece with nice new cosy beds yesterday and they are loving it. They are using the puppy pad and litter tray to wee on/in . They are all eating and drinking well and seem happy enough although they are quite shy.

I decided to weigh them today and I think they are weighing to small for their current age at 9 weeks or at least that is what their previous owner told me.

Jip - 217g
Walter - 228g
Gromit - 235g

I have a suspicion that they might possibly be a lot younger than 9 weeks old . Does any body know average weights for baby guinea pigs? Any advice for me to help my babies?

Thank you xx

 

[Wiebke]

Those are the average weights of babies at around weaning age; by then they should have shifted onto an adult diet. We recommend to separate any baby boars at 3 weeks or 250g, which of the two comes first, as that is about the average weight of a well nourished baby at that age. They are indeed rather low for 9 week olds!

Extra dietary needs of babies are not huge, so don't be tempted to throw the kitchen sink at them! A good, balanced general diet is much more important for their development.
- EITHER give a handful of alfalfa hay per piggy per day in addition to the normal unlimited supply of hay OR feed alfalfa based pellets, about 40g per piggy per day. The latter ideally in 2-3 portions in a bowl per piggy, so that all boys are getting their fair share. This also prevents soiling in the pellet bowl for a few weeks until about 4 months of age or latest the end of the initial fast growth phase.
Otherwise you can follow the recommendations in our food guide. Make sure that you always one or two high vitamin C veg or fresh herbs in their daily mix.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet

As long as your babies put on weight every week until they are about 4-6 months old and are coming closer to their ideal genetically determined adult weight/size, you need not worry. Birth weights can vary between 40g-140g and the development can differ widely because of that. Guinea pigs don't reach adulthood until they are 15 months old and they can still catch up on any deficits until they are about 2 years old, so your boys have every chance at growing into thriving boars in their own time. The more you overfeed, the sooner the fast growth phase will stop and they will start putting on fat. Because of the extremely variable individual weights in babies and adults, any growth charts are not worth the paper they are printed on. Go by a healthy weight/size ratio ("heft", as explained in the link below) to know whether your boys are doing well.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

 

[3stooges]

Thank you so very much. When I got them they were the size of a Hamster and very thin as you could feel their ribs. As it stands now i can feel their tummies are getting fatter, but i have terrible fears of bloat due to our recent loss and family members who visit us state how much bigger they are growing. They are becoming very handleable and will now eat food in our hands or on our laps they have also started to become more vocal.

They are eating a lot more than they was at first and i have noticed some chasing of each other over the new beds.

I will feed unlimited until they have gained weight. Do they need baby food? x

 

[Swissgreys]

I don't think they need a specific baby food as such - just a good quality guinea pig pellet.
I did buy mine a proper baby food, for guinea pigs under 5 months (they were 2 months old at the time), and the little darlings refused to eat it!
I switched them over to a regular guinea pig pellet and they love it.

!n fact if you want a half used bag of baby guinea pig pellets.....

 

[3stooges]

Feeling happy. Weighed the Piggies and their is some vast improvements in weights.

Jip - 238g

Walter - 256g

Gromit - 273g

Jip seems to be gaining slightly slower but at least he is gaining x

 

[3stooges]

Another positive weight gain today . I have made this thread more for myself really so i can watch progress, monitor weight and get advice.

They are gaining so well Once they reach the 400g mark I will only weigh once a week at the moment I am weighing every 4/5 days

Jip - 276g

Walter - 296g

Gromit - 309g!