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Why Are My Guinea Pigs Not Pooing But Still Eating?

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Belleapiggie

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My 2 girls are 6 months old but for a few days have not been pooing. Only about 5 each per day. We've tried rubbing their tummies for about an hour. What could this be?
 
Belleapiggie said:
My 2 girls are 6 months old but for a few days have not been pooing. Only about 5 each per day. We've tried rubbing their tummies for about an hour. What could this be?
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Hi! Please switch from the regular once weekly weigh-in as part of her health check to weighing daily at the same time. See a vet as soon as your piggies lose more than 50g in just one or a few days.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Step in with offering syringe feed to keep the guts going. Mushed up pellets and water will do in an emergency. You can get a needle-free 1 ml syringe from a pharmacy, but if you are feeding mushed pellets, you need to prep the tip as shown in our syringe feeding guide.
Not Eating And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

The poo output usually lags 1-2 days behind the input. Over 80% of what guinea pigs eat in a day is hay, which you can only monitor by regular weighing. It is also often the first thing that is dropped.

Please check whether there has been weight loss (reduced eating), check the whole cage in case your girls have found a different place to poo. Do the poos look normal? Has there been any change in the last few days? Are they behaving like normal? Is your heating increased/have there been sharp temperature variations between cold and warm? For indoors piggies during the heating period: always check for gas leaks which don't smell (monodioxide) if both piggies are suddenly off at the same time.
 
What are you feeding them?
80% of their diet should be hay.
Check the forum information threads for dietary info.
However when there is any concern go get a vet check.
It’s better to be reassured than leave a health issue too late.
There are some very knowledgeable people on the forum who can give more advice.
Welcome to the forum
 
Currently I give them 1 cup each of kale, broccoli, tomatoes and carrots twice a day. They always have access to hay which I bought from a local farm. They have about 10 pellets each a day. Is that ok?
 
Check out the feeding guides for information on which veggies are good to feed every day and which are less often.
Vary what you give them.
Kale & carrots should not be fed daily because of the calcium and sugar.
If she’s still losing weight you really should take her to a cavy savvy vet
 
Go to a vet as soon as possible.
Is there one accessible to you who is good with guinea pigs?
Sorry - I don’t know where you are.
 
Wheekallweek said:
If they are bloated I’d get them all to the vets ASAP :)
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Agreed definitely vets ASAP and cut out all of the veg! With my bloated pig the veg made everything worse. I syringe fed him a vitamin c supplement during the time that I cut out the veg
 
We went to the vets and they gave them a pellet type thing and if they don't start pooing we have to go to the vets again in 2 days. Thank you for all your advice.
 
@Belleapiggie Fingers crossed it works. Be aware that pigs are very different to cats and dogs in that they need food moving through their digestive system 24/7. If they are continuing to eat and not pooping then they will eventually feel full and stop eating.

If you notice any change in their demeanour or they stop eating then they will need to see a vet quickly.
 
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