Food Bowl

[Shaz]

I have a slight issue with my two boys and their food bowl.

I got them off a girl who when we went to collect them they were in a cardboard box that had what was sawdust, straw and rotting carrot peelings, the box was soaked through and they had obviously been in there for sometime. So we checked them over and promptly took them away.

They're in perfect health, only I think they had only ever been fed carrot peelings and they're about 5 months old now. So I have had to introduce them to different food and I found that they were quite picky in eating certain things and would eat something one day and then leaving it the next.

So I got them a second bowl and now every night I chop up their food mix it up and put it in the bowl and it is all gone by the next morning. However recently they've being using it as a toilet, weeing and pooing in it and because the urine can't soak away it obviously smells. Yesterday me unaware of what they had done assumed the carpet was stinking and tried everything to get the smell out only to discover what they'd done.

Now the obvious solution is to take away the bowl but when they're out running and I put a mixture of food down not in a bowl they again pick and choose what to eat and what not too. So I don't want the situation of throwing away uneaten food.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to combat this? I clean them out every other day and I always move their stuff around so it's not a case of them thinking that it's in their toilet spot.

 

[piggyfan]

Poor babies. Thank goodness you took them away from that awful home. Guinea pigs are very fussy and your poor boys have not been used to a variety of vegetables. They will have to get used to eating different things. Even though they may not eat a vegetable it is worth trying it at a later time as sometimes they just have to get used to it. Have you tried cucumber and romiane lettuce? They are big favourites with mine.

Many guinea pigs go to the toilet in their food bowl. It is meant to be cleaned out everyday so it should not smell.

 

[Wiebke]

Many guinea pigs who have never had a choice of veg (if they had any at all) are hit and miss at first. Just persist and they will eventually come round.

They have also obviously not had enough space and have scatty habits because of that. Peeing in the food bowl is not that unusual, anyway. Just wash it out daily (or in the morning) before you put new food in. By the sound of it they are probably peeing in it only after they've eaten the veg! The other possiblity is to give the veg in two small portions, one in the morning and one in the evening, so they eat more of it at once.

 

[deeandnick]

I'm so glad you saved them and they were ok! lucky you came along

I'm not the most experienced owner, mine are causing me so much trouble lol! But I know mine both love mint, basil and parsley. I take a whole stalk of the herbs and hide it on a paper bag, or on top of their house. They eat the rest of their veg from their bowl, but get all excited later when they find their fav treat hidden, maybe you could try that?

Morrisons are selling fresh corn on the cob for 49p at the min, mine love ripping off the leaves and getting to the corn - its more a game than eating. Id do as the others say, and clean the bowl out twice a day. And hide some tasty treats, maybe food games will distract them from their food issues!

Or have a few food bowls, they might only use one as a toilet

 

[Toffeewoffee]

I feed my 3 a bowl of fresh veg morning and one at night, usually celery, cucumber, peppers, cherry toms, lettuce, spinach, fruit occassionally. They have days were they wont eat something then the next day they cant get enough.

Mine have been known to use the bowl as a toilet too the little devils however it is washed everytime it is used. You could try putting some hay in a box either tupperware/ cardboard or an actual pet toilet and see if they will use that for the toilet.....?
All of mine like to pee and poo where the hay that falls out of the hay rack is on the bottom of the cage.

 

[Shaz]

Thank you for all your responses and suggestions.

I've actually just broken their cage, I tripped and stood on it and cracked it while cleaning them out so I've just had to order a new one. mallethead

I've been wanting to get a hanging ball cage thing for them but the current cage they have has no where to hang on, where as the brand new one hopefully getting shipped today will. So I'm thinking I'll use a mixture of the bowl and hanging ball.

I like the idea of the pet toilet in the corner, at the moment their hay and grass gets stuff in tubes that they like to throw around. The new cage will have a built in hay rack so I shall look at setting something up.

Don't worry I do wash their bowls everyday, but our current routine is that I get them out on a morning have them sit with me and eat a vegetable for breakfast, then a bit later on I get them out and let them run around and give them little tidbits and they get their main meal at 10 on an evening (my dad watches the 10 o'clock news so when they hear the music, they know its tea time). Hence why I didn't realise where the smell was coming from.

We were quite shocked with them not knowing what certain's foods were, for the other guinea pig's we've had cucumber has always been a firm favourite and they just looked at it when we gave it to them. We've given them some sweetcorn with the leaves at first they were a bit unsure but by the next morning they'd eaten it all, they're coming round slowly.

 

[piggyfan]

When I got Sophie she was only used to peelings and it took her a while to learn how to eat cucumber. She has no problems with it now and loves. it.

What a shame you broke the cage! That is such bad luck. At least you have the money to order another one. That is why c&c cages are great. They do not break and can be changed any time.