7 month old guinea pig runt on the smaller side. Normal or should I be worried?

[lilpumpkamo]

Hello all!

I currently have 4 guinea pigs. 2 I have had for four years and the other 2 are a mother daughter pair I have had I little over 6 months.

I was told the mother (moose) was about 6-9 months when I adopted her in DECEMBER. Coco, the daughter, was born December 3 and is now about 7 months but she is so tiny compared to Moose when I first got her. I was told she is the runt of the litter. She is the first baby guinea pig I have had and I am worried about how small she is. When I got her she was about 130 grams and now is a little over 600. Her face is small and her nose mouth area doesn't jut out like the other guinea pigs I have had. Her small face led to her getting stuck in a grid of a C&C one night, but luckily I was able to get her out. Will she just be on the smaller side? I am still giving her some alfalfa and critical care to try to help her grow but will she just have a small face forever? I have baby proofed every part of the cage as i am anxious after she briefly got her head stuck. She is very spunky and loud. Deff a lot of energy and is very cute so I don't think she is in bad health, but I want to make sure I am setting her up for a long and healthy life.



Baby a few weeks ago


Mom and baby in June



Baby and mom in April


Close up of faces in April


Baby (left) compared to others at birth (they are all alive despite the one chilling)

 

[Piggies&buns]

She may always be smaller but as long as she is gaining weight, then she will get to her genetically determined adult size just fine.

Please don’t give alfalfa to her. It’s not meant to be in their diet as it isn’t a grass hay (it’s only really ok for pregnant sows to help boost their reserves, and for babies under three weeks of age. They certainly need to be off of alfalfa and alfalfa containing pellets by the time they are four months old). It’s too high in calcium and can lead to bladder problems.
Please feed her a normal hay based diet, with a small amount of veg and one tablespoon of pellets per day.
If she is eating lots of normal grass hay, then she also won’t need the critical care.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Bill & Ted]

I would not worry if she is eating, pooping and generally happy and healthy. She’s very cute

 

[Merab]

Please don’t worry about her being a runt.
@Piggies&buns has given you great dietary advice.
I have a runt too.
Micah was a pathetic scrap when I rescued him. He has dodgy eyes and was badly bullied as a baby because he wasn’t quite normal.
I thought he would always be small but as he settled he grew and is now a very healthy, handsome hunk.
He will always have dodgy eyes but being a runt hasn’t held him back.

 

[Swissgreys]

Over the years my piggies (all healthy and with no specific health issues) have varied in weight enormously from 800 grams to 1400 grams as their stable adult weight.
As long as she seems healthy then her weight isn't really an issue.
Just like people have different heights, it is something that is genetically predetermined and with proper care she will get to the adult weight she is supposed to be.

 

[Swissgreys]

Sorry - I meant to add that you might find the weight guide helpful.
Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[lilpumpkamo]

She may always be smaller but as long as she is gaining weight, then she will get to her genetically determined adult size just fine.

Please don’t give alfalfa to her. It’s not meant to be in their diet as it isn’t a grass hay (it’s only really ok for pregnant sows to help boost their reserves, and for babies under three weeks of age. They certainly need to be off of alfalfa and alfalfa containing pellets by the time they are four months old). It’s too high in calcium and can lead to bladder problems.
Please feed her a normal hay based diet, with a small amount of veg and one tablespoon of pellets per day.
If she is eating lots of normal grass hay, then she also won’t need the critical care.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Thank you that is good to know. The pet store near me said I should keep her on a mix of alfalfa and regular pellets until she is consistenly over 600 grams but I will stop. I have seen the horrors of stones and issues due to high calcium and don't want that for her.

I have just been so anxious since her head got stuck. I thought by 7 months she should be too big for the grids but her face is so tiny. I had another guinea pig die in a freak accident getting stuck in a feeder and now am so worried something could happen to Coco due to me not being careful enough. I have been waking up some nights every few hours to make sure everyone is OK but that is not sustainable. When she was a baby she used to just climb through the grids when she was out for floor time so maybe she thought she could still fit and has learned her lesson.