Alfalfa for underweight guinea pigs?

[Ffduty]

Hello,
I have 3 sows, they are all about 5 months old, but are a bit underweight and a but small for their age. They are eating fine and seem otherwise healthy but still don't seem to be putting as much on as they should.
I have been recommended alfalfa hay to fatten them up, is this suitable? Or are there better options? As I am slightly concerned about the effects if alfalfa hay.
Thanks

 

[Siikibam]

How much do they weigh and hay does their heft/BMI feel like? And how much are they putting on in a week?

I wouldn’t give them alfalfa due to the high calcium content. You want them to put on the right kind of weight rather than the unhealthy kind. So lots and lots and lots more hay, a tablespoon of pellets each a day and a portion of veg. I’ll link to the weighing and feeding guide below.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,
I have 3 sows, they are all about 5 months old, but are a bit underweight and a but small for their age. They are eating fine and seem otherwise healthy but still don't seem to be putting as much on as they should.
I have been recommended alfalfa hay to fatten them up, is this suitable? Or are there better options? As I am slightly concerned about the effects if alfalfa hay.
Thanks

Hi!

Your three sows still have another 10 months to go before they reach adulthood and until 2 years of age to realise their genetically determined size and optimal weight on a perfectly normal good diet and do not need any extras. Please accept that weight and and size in guinea pigs can vary enormously, from 700-1500g in adult piggies. Yours are likely to remain on the smaller side but that won't make any differences in their chances of living a good healthy life span.

I have adopted many piggies, and several babies born to freshly rescued mothers from really bad neglect situations. By reaching adulthood they have all caught up and were nicely solid feeling (without being overweight). Even some from the worst possible backgrounds have lived to 7-8 years of age despite being only 800g at the peak of their lives, and mostly below that. The average weight only covers 50% of all piggies. That means the other half is either to 'skinny' or 'small' even though they are perfectly healthy and well in themselves - the is the downside of averages.

Please concentrate on a good grass (and not legume based) diet and your girls will come right and live longer.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

PLEASE take the time to read all the guide links in your thread. You will find the information (including how to check for the BMI to find whether the weight is really in the right ball park for their size in the highly interesting weight guide) in all the guides very helpful.

All guides are part of our very useful New Owners guide collection, which specifically addresses all the most commonly asked questions or concerns by new owners and which is currently one of the best and most comprehensive information resources around. You may want to bookmark the link, browse and read at need. I promise, there are some really fascinating things in there!
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