Guinea Pig eating bedding.

Status
Not open for further replies.
SophRuss5

SophRuss5

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 12, 2012
Messages
335
Reaction score
7
Points
255
Location
Nr Tewkesbury
Hi I have had my two Guineas for three days now, they are inside large cage each has their own bed area but I have noticed one is eating the bedding? They are called Hodge and Dutch and it is only Dutch who is eating the bedding. It was the white shredded paper bedding from PatH. They are 10 weeks old, they were someone's unplanned litter, ended up at my local pet shop for a few weeks where no one would buy them, I couldn't resist. I am giving this background knowledge as I was wondering if the paper eating might be due to some deficiency or perhaps a habit developed from poor housing?
I have googled around but most say they shred it, however, he is full on eating it!
My question was really, why is he doing this and should I switch to a different bedding or keep supplying it as he knows what he is doing?
Sorry if this comes up often!
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. Guinea pigs eat everything! They like to eat paper and cardboard. You can switch to fleece which you may find nicer to use for your piggies. I use a layer of towels and two of fleece. If you wish to use fleece you have to wash and dry it three times to make it wick away the water.
 
Thanks! I have been reading up about fleece, it does look much cleaner and nicer for both pigs and me! I have just ordered a fleece snuggle bed, a lot has changed since I last cared for Guineas, all for the better! I have been undertaking intensive research and envious looking at other peoples cage and hutch designs, I am slowly getting them used to me, have yet to stroke or pick them up as they are still very skittish, I want to take things slow. Will let them settle down before I plan any drastic changes. I am glad the paper eating is not a sign of something else!
 
When I first put mine on fleece they popcorned with happiness. It was so cute!
 
piggyfan is right, they do like to eat everything. Our guinea-pig Cotton recently got hold of my hair when I had her on my lap and started eating it - didn't want to let go, either! rolleyes
 
They'll probably stop when they've settled in. They're very curious animals and, like piggyfan says, they'll try and eat pretty much anything. I use that compressed wood pellet cat litter in their litter tray, and when we first started putting that in they tried to eat it for a day or so before realising it definitely WASN'T food, and never bothered again.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top