eating poops

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alvarezboy

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when did guinea pig usually eat their caecotrophs? is it everytime or like every morning? is it only mine that suddenly stop eating their own poop or just they have specific time, or just they eat it when I'm not around because i'm not always watch them because they're pooping everytime? i see them eating poops like few days ago, they're pooping after morning meal and i really see them pull it out from the anus. but few days after, i don't see it again in the morning because I'm watching them rn. there's nothing wrong with their poop tho.
and i see one of my pig eating his cage mate old poop yesterday. they're really active,eating and drinking well, doesn't have impaction, bloating or diarrhoea then whats wrong?
 
No, you've posted in the right area. Not to fear! While it seems gross to us humans who would surely get sick if we ate our poop, guinea pigs eating their own poop is actually perfectly normal guinea pig behaviour! The fancy term for guinea pigs eating their poop is coprophagia,
 
Don’t worry, they will be eating them even if you don’t see it. I rarely see any of my animals do it but I know they do!
 
alvarezboy said:
when did guinea pig usually eat their caecotrophs? is it everytime or like every morning? is it only mine that suddenly stop eating their own poop or just they have specific time, or just they eat it when I'm not around because i'm not always watch them because they're pooping everytime? i see them eating poops like few days ago, they're pooping after morning meal and i really see them pull it out from the anus. but few days after, i don't see it again in the morning because I'm watching them rn. there's nothing wrong with their poop tho.
and i see one of my pig eating his cage mate old poop yesterday. they're really active,eating and drinking well, doesn't have impaction, bloating or diarrhoea then whats wrong?
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Hi

Piggies eat some of their poos at various times through the day and night, not just after meals. They can also occasionally eat their comrades' poos if they feel the need to top up their own gut microbiome for whatever reason.

PS: New research has shown that - unlike rabbits - guinea pigs are coprophages 'poo eaters' and that they do not produce a special kind of poo in their caecum for a second run (caecotrophs); they just eat their normal poos whenever they feel like and as much as they need. Instead they have a mucus membrane at the end of the caecum that retains the gut microbiome.
 
alvarezboy said:
what's gonna happen if they're not eating poops? is that bad for their digestive?
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Piggies unable to eat their poos can still live perfectly fine. Key to a healthy digestion and a longer life span is access to unlimited grass hay or fresh growing, dog pee-free grass, which I know may be a bit of a problem in your country from other members. Fresh grass and hay fibre should make over three quarters of the daily food intake. Both the growth rate in the teeth and the digestive system are fully laid out for their main food source, on which they have evolved as a species. Veg, pellets and any treats together only replace the supplementary role of wild forage for those trace elements that are not in fresh green, growing grass (which is actually very high in vitamin C) and hay. ;)

About 10% of older boars develop impaction from a gradual weakening of the musculature at the back end of the body or from a long term inappropriate diet without unlimited access to hay. They have exactly the problem that their second poos clump up and can no longer be eaten; but they can live without any major problems in the mild to medium stages with regular clearing out of their anal sac and a very strict diet that contains even more hay/grass fibre. Your piggies definitely do not have this problem and are perfectly healthy in themselves as long as they get enough hay and grass.

Please take a deep breath. Just because you don't see your piggies eating their poos (which they don't do all the time) doesn't mean that they are not OK. You may be overestimating the need to eat their poos. But you may want to check whether you have got the dietary proportions of the various food groups right: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

If you have a problem with anxiety and increasing obsessive watching for potential health issues in your guinea pigs, you may find this very practical guide here helpful: Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters
 
i think I'm really the pet owners with anxiety lol😂😂
because i saw my pig eat his poop right after i posted this thread. maybe I'm just busy with my phone and he ate his poop really quick while I'm busy on my screen haha
 
alvarezboy said:
i think I'm really the pet owners with anxiety lol😂😂
because i saw my pig eat his poop right after i posted this thread. maybe I'm just busy with my phone and he ate his poop really quick while I'm busy on my screen haha
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Make sure that you concentrate on enrichment and sharing your guinea pigs' fun, discoveries and adventures rather than on fixating on every little detail that is out of order; do it at least once or more every day. Enrichment can be very simple but sharing the joy with your piggies will help your anxiety because you release positive endorphines. And you will be drawn into the world of your guinea pigs, which are a fascinating species in their own right instead of waiting for them to cross into your human world. ;)

Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
 
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