he’s just sitting

[savanasmith]

hi. i’ve had my piggy since november, and he’s been great! but i recently broke my ankle and have had to relinquish my duties to my family, and the last few days i have noticed my little man is just sitting on the top bar of his cage not really moving or eating much. should i be worried? or is it possible he just misses me?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum and I’m sorry to hear of your injury.

If he really isn’t eating and his hay intake has dropped, then you will see a drop in his weight.
At this point you need to switch from the normal weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily so you can more closely monitor his food intake. You must step in and syringe feed him and see a vet if he isn’t eating. A piggy who isn’t eating is a poorly piggy - it may be because has isn’t having interaction that he seems to be like this but they need the fibre constantly going through their guts and lack of interest in food and subsequent drop in weight require you to step in with support and vet treatment.

Does he live alone? If so, then he may be lonely. Piggies need to be kept in pairs as they requirement companionship of their own kind. While human interaction isn’t enough for them, if you have not been able to spend time with him and he doesn’t have a piggy companion, then he will notice that.

Is there somebody who can help you weigh him, syringe feed and see a vet?

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

 

[Bradshaw Piggies]

 

[savanasmith]

Welcome to the forum and I’m sorry to hear of your injury.

If he really isn’t eating and his hay intake has dropped, then you will see a drop in his weight.
At this point you need to switch from the normal weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily so you can more closely monitor his food intake. You must step in and syringe feed him and see a vet if he isn’t eating. A piggy who isn’t eating is a poorly piggy - it may be because has isn’t having interaction that he seems to be like this but they need the fibre constantly going through their guts and lack of interest in food and subsequent drop in weight require you to step in with support and vet treatment.

Does he live alone? If so, then he may be lonely. Piggies need to be kept in pairs as they requirement companionship of their own kind. While human interaction isn’t enough for them, if you have not been able to spend time with him and he doesn’t have a piggy companion, then he will notice that.

Is there somebody who can help you weigh him, syringe feed and see a vet?

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

he is eating! he just seems kinda sad, so i was wondering if it could be from the drastic change in our routine. i spend all day everyday with him and caring for him and then had to just stop

 

[tabelmabel]

Definitely get your wee piggy seen by a vet asap - healthy piggies are munching pretty much all the time so a change like you have noticed with behaviour warrants an urgent vet visit.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hay is the largest part of their food intake and you cannot judge intake by eye - watching them eat veg or pellets isn’t enough so the fact you say he doesn’t seem to be eating much but that he is eating, would require a switch to daily weight checks to ensure he is getting enough hay. The only way to know they get enough hay is via the weight checks.
Being alone (without another guinea pig) can stop them from eating enough (through loneliness) but you must always assume illness first, given how quickly guinea pigs go downhill during an illness.

If he is alone without another guinea pig to live with, then he will be feeling lonely. They aren’t wired to be by themselves as they are herd animals. The companionship you provide to him is important to him but as you and he can’t speak to the same language, then it isn’t enough, no matter how much time you spend with him. When they live with another piggy then they get all the companionship they need, so if us as owners are not able to be around as much for whatever reason, it actually doesn’t make any difference to them (as long as they are fed and clean).