Getting more worried

[Fatty@11324]

I am not quite sure what is wrong with Coco, but I think something is going on.
I am not sure how to phrase this, but he is pooping a lot.... a lot more than I think is usual
Please help, I don't know what to do or why he is doing this.

 

[Betsy]

Guinea pigs do poop A LOT. They are poop machines. Has Coco been eating more than usual? More hay perhaps? Have you changed hay recently and he likes it more so is eating more of it?

If you are worried about your guinea pig at all, I would take him to the vet. A vet would rather see a guinea pig who is well with an anxious owner than an ill guinea pig and an owner who has left it too late.

 

[Fatty@11324]

Yes, I have been trying to get him to eat more hay, but he will only eat kibble. so, with that being said, all he does is sit in front of his dish eating kibble.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes, I have been trying to get him to eat more hay, but he will only eat kibble. so, with that being said, all he does is sit in front of his dish eating kibble.

Lots of pooping is good!
It’s when they stop pooping which is an emergency situation.

He should only have just one tablespoon per day of kibble/pellets and then once those few have gone it doesn’t get topped up until the next day.
Dry food like pellets (what you call kibble we call pellets or nuggets) should never be left in the cage and not be overfed.

If you are giving too much and allowing him free access to pellets then it is like leaving a toddler with a choice of chocolate or fruit - they’re going to choose the chocolate.
Pellets are the chocolate equivalent.

Give him just one tablespoon and then no more for the rest of the day. One tablespoon of pellets literally only amounts to a few individual pellets and he should have eaten them within around 30 minutes. He should then only have access to hay for the rest of the time.
Too many pellets cause health issues - they contain too much calcium so over feeding them can risk issues with bladder stones.
They also cause unhealthy weight gain.
More importantly they cause them to not eat enough hay and as hay keeps their digestion and dental health in top condition, lack of hay can cause health issues.

Some of us, myself included, don’t feed any or feed much less as pellets aren’t needed in the diet.
My piggies get just five pellets each, twice a week.

Also we do not recommend that food bowls are used.
Pellets should be scattered into loose piles is hay so to encourage foraging and natural behaviours.
It keeps them mentally stimulated and means that both piggies can get their share and no risk of the dominant piggy food hogging.

If you are ever worried about their health, then switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh them daily so monitor hay intake more closely.

Thread 'Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets'

Jul 14, 2014

1 The recommended ratio of food groups
2 Hay and fresh grass
3 Vegetables, fresh herbs and fruit with an illustrated balanced sample diet
4 Special dietary needs
- Urinary tract infections, bladder stones and sterile IC (non-bacterial interstitial cystitis)
- Diabetes and long term digestive problems
- Impaction in boars
- Pregnancy and nursing dietary tweaks (only visible to registered members who have accepted our no intentional breeding policy)...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Diet

• 

 

[Fatty@11324]

Lots of pooping is good!
It’s when they stop pooping which is an emergency situation.

He should only have just one tablespoon per day of kibble/pellets and then once those few have gone it doesn’t get topped up until the next day.
Dry food like pellets (what you call kibble we call pellets or nuggets) should never be left in the cage and not be overfed.

If you are giving too much and allowing him free access to pellets then it is like leaving a toddler with a choice of chocolate or fruit - they’re going to choose the chocolate.
Pellets are the chocolate equivalent.

Give him just one tablespoon and then no more for the rest of the day. One tablespoon of pellets literally only amounts to a few individual pellets and he should have eaten them within around 30 minutes. He should then only have access to hay for the rest of the time.
Too many pellets cause health issues - they contain too much calcium so over feeding them can risk issues with bladder stones.
They also cause unhealthy weight gain.
More importantly they cause them to not eat enough hay and as hay keeps their digestion and dental health in top condition, lack of hay can cause health issues.

Some of us, myself included, don’t feed any or feed much less as pellets aren’t needed in the diet.
My piggies get just five pellets each, twice a week.

Also we do not recommend that food bowls are used.
Pellets should be scattered into loose piles is hay so to encourage foraging and natural behaviours.
It keeps them mentally stimulated and means that both piggies can get their share and no risk of the dominant piggy food hogging.

If you are ever worried about their health, then switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh them daily so monitor hay intake more closely.

Thread 'Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets'

Jul 14, 2014

1 The recommended ratio of food groups
2 Hay and fresh grass
3 Vegetables, fresh herbs and fruit with an illustrated balanced sample diet
4 Special dietary needs
- Urinary tract infections, bladder stones and sterile IC (non-bacterial interstitial cystitis)
- Diabetes and long term digestive problems
- Impaction in boars
- Pregnancy and nursing dietary tweaks (only visible to registered members who have accepted our no intentional breeding policy)...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Diet

• 

Ok, thank you so much! I will go fix his eating situation right now.