Disciplining A Guinea Pig?

Suki&Indie

Suki&Indie

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all! So recently one of my Guinea pigs has learned how to tip over her bowl and knock out the food. This is a problem because the food gets gross and my other piggie started chewing the bowl. I was wondering if there's a way to stop her? She is refusing to eat unless the bowl has been tipped and when my other pig eats out of the bowl she gets irritated and chews at my other pigs hair
 
Suki&Indie said:
Hi all! So recently one of my Guinea pigs has learned how to tip over her bowl and knock out the food. This is a problem because the food gets gross and my other piggie started chewing the bowl. I was wondering if there's a way to stop her? She is refusing to eat unless the bowl has been tipped and when my other pig eats out of the bowl she gets irritated and chews at my other pigs hair
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What sort of dish is it? If it's plastic perhaps get a ceramic bowl that won't tip over. And maybe scattering some of the food pellets into/onto their hay so they can forage will lessen the need to tip the bowl over. My Steve tips it over sometimes when he goes under the fleece.
 
Agree with @Jesse's pigs - I don't think "disciplining" a piggy will get you anywhere, so just give in and get them non-tip ceramic bowl + scatter feed some pellets occasionally to make her happy, if that's what she prefers.
 
My pigs used to tip their bowls all the time. As others have said a heavy ceramic or a special shaped non-tip bowl will do the trick. Scattering some pellets is a good idea too.

You cannot and should not attempt at disciplining a prey animal, or any animals actually. It's all about compromise and it's usually our own mistakes that cause them to see and opening to be naughty in the first place! :))
 
Great! :) I love shopping for piggy items, so I'm jealous. Plus, I'm banned from going into pet stores/websites around pay day, because I'm tempted to buy way too many things. :no:
 
One of mine seems to prefer her food scattered about so takes it out herself and lays it around herself until she actually finds what she is searching for! Maybe this is what yours are doing - searching out their favourite veg!
She used to have a small metal dish and tips this over so replaced with ceramic but obviously just likes carefully choosing her veg!
 
Suki&Indie said:
Hi all! So recently one of my Guinea pigs has learned how to tip over her bowl and knock out the food. This is a problem because the food gets gross and my other piggie started chewing the bowl. I was wondering if there's a way to stop her? She is refusing to eat unless the bowl has been tipped and when my other pig eats out of the bowl she gets irritated and chews at my other pigs hair
Click to expand...

Hi! Please feed any veg and pellets in small portions that can be eaten in one go in a bowl each per guinea pig 2-3 times daily. Place the bowls at least a body length away from each other and remove between meals. This prevents food hogging from dominant guinea pigs and also food from spoiling (including getting peed on).
As hay should make over 80% of the daily food intake, it is important for long term health and longevity that you encourage your guinea pigs to eat as much as they can. Veg makes about 10% and pellets should make only about 5% of the daily food intake.
Please take the time to read this guide here: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diet

You may also want to consider investing in a couple of non-tip bowls with a wider, slanting base. Piggies, especially youngsters, like to play and get into mischief, the same as every youngster!
 
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