Guinea Pig Not Eating And Drinking Much Whilst I Am Away

[Little Pigs]

I went on a short holiday over the weekend, this is the first time I have left my piggie on his own for a long period of time; I made sure to leave Ollie with plenty of food, hay and two big water bottles. When I came home, I noticed that he had drunk very little and would of normally have drunk more in a day! he had also only eaten half of the pellets I had given him and left a big handful of hay.

I know that my boy isn't a big foodie and has always picked a cuddle rather than gorging himself on food, however even for him it was rather unusual. It has been two days since then and he has been eating and drinking just as normal, I weighed him and noticed that he had lost 12 grams.

Ollie is oddly affectionate and clingy and becomes stressed when left alone. One weekend I was very busy and unable to spend his daily hour floor/cuddle time with him, because of this he became quiet and refused to be affectionate towards me for the next 2 days.

Ollie did have a cage mate but due to his clingy behavior he aggravated my other boar (Biscuit) who then became violent towards Ollie and nipped him often, due to this I separated them as they fought almost constantly and I didn't want to risk any serious injury's. I allow Ollie to spend time with Biscuit daily but he cannot be with him for more than 10 minutes until he aggravates Biscuit and gets nipped. When I say clingy I mean Ollie sleeps on top of Biscuit, has his face constantly pressed against Biscuit and follows him around with his nose up Biscuits bottom!

The boys have been separated for about 2 months, when I separated them to begin with, Ollie was put on the top layer of the cage and biscuit was put on the bottom layer (I have a two layer cage), Ollie then showed little interest in eating and drinking. Two days later Biscuit was put into a new cage and Ollie was then allowed to roam the whole cage, after which Ollie became more lively and ate and drank normally again. I believe that Ollie's behavior was due to change in his habitat.

I wonder if the reason he didn't eat and drink much over the time I was away was due to change in habit? - I am going on holiday again next week for 6 days, on the third day a family member will go and top up their food and water. Will he be OK during the time I am away? I do worry about my Ollie as he is very much a mummy's boy - does anyone have any solutions or reasons to why he may be behaving like this?

 

[Wiebke]

I went on a short holiday over the weekend, this is the first time I have left my piggie on his own for a long period of time; I made sure to leave Ollie with plenty of food, hay and two big water bottles. When I came home, I noticed that he had drunk very little and would of normally have drunk more in a day! he had also only eaten half of the pellets I had given him and left a big handful of hay.

I know that my boy isn't a big foodie and has always picked a cuddle rather than gorging himself on food, however even for him it was rather unusual. It has been two days since then and he has been eating and drinking just as normal, I weighed him and noticed that he had lost 12 grams.

Ollie is oddly affectionate and clingy and becomes stressed when left alone. One weekend I was very busy and unable to spend his daily hour floor/cuddle time with him, because of this he became quiet and refused to be affectionate towards me for the next 2 days.

Ollie did have a cage mate but due to his clingy behavior he aggravated my other boar (Biscuit) who then became violent towards Ollie and nipped him often, due to this I separated them as they fought almost constantly and I didn't want to risk any serious injury's. I allow Ollie to spend time with Biscuit daily but he cannot be with him for more than 10 minutes until he aggravates Biscuit and gets nipped. When I say clingy I mean Ollie sleeps on top of Biscuit, has his face constantly pressed against Biscuit and follows him around with his nose up Biscuits bottom!

The boys have been separated for about 2 months, when I separated them to begin with, Ollie was put on the top layer of the cage and biscuit was put on the bottom layer (I have a two layer cage), Ollie then showed little interest in eating and drinking. Two days later Biscuit was put into a new cage and Ollie was then allowed to roam the whole cage, after which Ollie became more lively and ate and drank normally again. I believe that Ollie's behavior was due to change in his habitat.

I wonder if the reason he didn't eat and drink much over the time I was away was due to change in habit? - I am going on holiday again next week for 6 days, on the third day a family member will go and top up their food and water. Will he be OK during the time I am away? I do worry about my Ollie as he is very much a mummy's boy - does anyone have any solutions or reasons to why he may be behaving like this?

Hi and welcome

Please do not leave a guinea pig for more than 24 hours without fresh hay (which makes over 80% of the daily food intake), fresh daily water, fresh veg and pellets.

If you do not have reliable family or friends or found a space in a pet boarder that also looks after small animals, you can google for local pet sitters, some of which are willing to come and feed your guinea pig in your abscess for a reasonable fee.

I would also strongly consider to work out a solution where the two boars have interaction through the bars for mutual round the clock stimulation of their own kind that they need even when they can no longer share a territory. Single piggies are much more prone to be picky eaters because they lack that "I want what you have" kick from a companion.

 

[Little Pigs]

Hi and welcome

Please do not leave a guinea pig for more than 24 hours without fresh hay (which makes over 80% of the daily food intake), fresh daily water, fresh veg and pellets.

If you do not have reliable family or friends or found a space in a pet boarder that also looks after small animals, you can google for local pet sitters, some of which are willing to come and feed your guinea pig in your abscess for a reasonable fee.

I would also strongly consider to work out a solution where the two boars have interaction through the bars for mutual round the clock stimulation of their own kind that they need even when they can no longer share a territory. Single piggies are much more prone to be picky eaters because they lack that "I want what you have" kick from a companion.

Thank you for the reply, I will try and find find somebody who can take care of my pigs whilst I am away. My boys were originally able to have interaction through the bars but they Ollie would gnaw the bars causing Biscuit to feel stressed and aggressive, I also had little space for the two cages next to each other that is why I originally opted for a two layer cage. They do vocalize to each other but it often turns aggressively. When I give them their daily veg, I get them out together as Ollie is very picky and Biscuit encourages Ollie to eat more than just the basic 3 different types of veg.

 

[sport_billy]

You can find lots of pet sitters advertised in vets and there are several guinea pig boarding places dotted around the UK if you are UK based.