How Long Can A Guinea Pig Last Without Food?

[Charlotte01]

About 2 years ago, I had to rush out in the morning with my mum and I didn't have time to feed the guinea pigs because we were in such a rush. Back then, I used to keep their bowl full with gerry guinea pig (before swapping to burgess) and always stuffed loads of hay in with them. When I checked on them after we got back, one of my guinea pigs was curled round the back of her house dead. I have absolutely no idea how she died and even though it was a few years ago, I really need to know. I had only been back from a 3 week holiday for a few days and so hadn't seen her everyday. Can a guinea pig die that quickly without food? Just exactly how long can a guinea pig last without food? Btw when I checked on them they had loads of hay as we use it as bedding as well and also a lot of gerry guinea pig. I feel so awful and I just want to know if she was possibly already ill?

 

[Wiebke]

About 2 years ago, I had to rush out in the morning with my mum and I didn't have time to feed the guinea pigs because we were in such a rush. Back then, I used to keep their bowl full with gerry guinea pig (before swapping to burgess) and always stuffed loads of hay in with them. When I checked on them after we got back, one of my guinea pigs was curled round the back of her house dead. I have absolutely no idea how she died and even though it was a few years ago, I really need to know. I had only been back from a 3 week holiday for a few days and so hadn't seen her everyday. Can a guinea pig die that quickly without food? Just exactly how long can a guinea pig last without food? Btw when I checked on them they had loads of hay as we use it as bedding as well and also a lot of gerry guinea pig. I feel so awful and I just want to know if she was possibly already ill?

Hi! You can safely assume that your guinea pig didn't die of starvation, but from another cause. Heart failure, strokes or heat stroke can kill very quickly, right out of the blue. It could have also been that you may have overlooked one of the usually very subtle signs of illness, especially as you'd just come back from your holiday. Guinea pigs are very good at hiding their illness until it is nearly or too late.

The guts are slowly stopping to work (gut stasis) if a guinea pig has been without any food or water for more than 24 hours, but it is not going to die immediately.

It speaks for your conscientiousness as a caring owner that this still haunts you! Sadly, you will never be able to really know.

 

[Freela]

Like Wiebke said, a guinea pig would not die of starvation in that short a time. And having gut stasis or other conditions that arise from not eating would also take longer to kick in. It's more likely that she passed from some unforeseeable sudden condition (heart failure, stroke, etc.) or that she had an illness whose early signs were subtle and not noticed. ((HUGS)) and sorry for your loss.

 

[Kate L]

Sick Guinea Pig Emergency - Please Help

I am new to this forum and don't know how to post but does anyone know what I should do?
My 3 1/2 year old guinea pig phoebe has recently been put on pine bedding (as I read it was safe on guinea lynx). I have woken up this morning and she had a crackly sounding breathing that went after about 10 mins, she then did quite a few sneezes that sounded (watery and quite chesty). She was immediately put in a separate cage with fresh hay, pellets, water and her favourite veggies (watermelon). She has just been lying down for the last hour with the occasional sneeze and hasn't touched her watermelon which she would normally gobble up with in about 2 seconds. I'm scared that the pine bedding has given her a URI after all I have read on the internet about it. I cant get her to the vet for the next 24 hours as none are open as it is a public holiday in New Zealand. I don't know weather this is serious enough to kill her over night? Since she hasn't been eating for the last hour should I give her some critical care?. and is there anything I can do to help her.
Kate

 

[Lady Kelly]

Sick Guinea Pig Emergency - Please Help

I am new to this forum and don't know how to post but does anyone know what I should do?
My 3 1/2 year old guinea pig phoebe has recently been put on pine bedding (as I read it was safe on guinea lynx). I have woken up this morning and she had a crackly sounding breathing that went after about 10 mins, she then did quite a few sneezes that sounded (watery and quite chesty). She was immediately put in a separate cage with fresh hay, pellets, water and her favourite veggies (watermelon). She has just been lying down for the last hour with the occasional sneeze and hasn't touched her watermelon which she would normally gobble up with in about 2 seconds. I'm scared that the pine bedding has given her a URI after all I have read on the internet about it. I cant get her to the vet for the next 24 hours as none are open as it is a public holiday in New Zealand. I don't know weather this is serious enough to kill her over night? Since she hasn't been eating for the last hour should I give her some critical care?. and is there anything I can do to help her.
Kate

I don't know enough about URI's to help so I will tag a couple of more knowledgeable users for you. You should open a new topic in the health and illness forum as your request for help will get overlooked here.

@Wiebke @helen105281

 

[Wiebke]

Sick Guinea Pig Emergency - Please Help

I am new to this forum and don't know how to post but does anyone know what I should do?
My 3 1/2 year old guinea pig phoebe has recently been put on pine bedding (as I read it was safe on guinea lynx). I have woken up this morning and she had a crackly sounding breathing that went after about 10 mins, she then did quite a few sneezes that sounded (watery and quite chesty). She was immediately put in a separate cage with fresh hay, pellets, water and her favourite veggies (watermelon). She has just been lying down for the last hour with the occasional sneeze and hasn't touched her watermelon which she would normally gobble up with in about 2 seconds. I'm scared that the pine bedding has given her a URI after all I have read on the internet about it. I cant get her to the vet for the next 24 hours as none are open as it is a public holiday in New Zealand. I don't know weather this is serious enough to kill her over night? Since she hasn't been eating for the last hour should I give her some critical care?. and is there anything I can do to help her.
Kate

Hi! Can you please open a new thread for yourself for more responses? Please Start Your Own Thread And State The Problem In The Title!

It is possible that your girl may have an allergy to the dust in the pine bedding; the bedding itself cannot cause a respiratory infection (URI). It is however unlikely that your girl is going to die overnight.

What you can do until you can see a vet:
- Take her off the pine and switch back to your old bedding. There are other possible options you can research if you want to change the bedding. See whether the sneezing stops in the hours afterwards (it may take a while for the dust to be completely sneezed out). Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
- Place a bowl of steaming water next to the cage to help ease her breathing.
- weigh your girl daily at the same time in the evening, ideally before you give her dinner or after. If she has lost more than 50g (2 oz) and is not eating her dinner, then you can step in with topping up or totally syringe feeding and watering. A guinea pig that is not eating or drinking at all in 24 hours is losing about 100g/3oz from one day to the next. if she is not eating at all, you will see that reflected in smaller, drier poos by tomorrow. Remember that up to 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, which you cannot judge, just by watching her eating.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Emergencies and illness never happen at a good time, and as loving owners, we tend to be more jittery over weekends and bank holidays, so it would be good to have a few things at home to help you over that time.
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs

Could you please add your country to your details. We have got members from all over the world, so it is very helpful to tailor any advice that can take in your climate, available brands and vet/rescue access if you clicked on your username on the top bar, then went to personal details and scrolled down to location. That way, we can give you the approprite advice straight away. Thank you!

 

[Kate L]

Hi! Can you please open a new thread for yourself for more responses? Please Start Your Own Thread And State The Problem In The Title!

It is possible that your girl may have an allergy to the dust in the pine bedding; the bedding itself cannot cause a respiratory infection (URI). It is however unlikely that your girl is going to die overnight.

What you can do until you can see a vet:
- Take her off the pine and switch back to your old bedding. There are other possible options you can research if you want to change the bedding. See whether the sneezing stops in the hours afterwards (it may take a while for the dust to be completely sneezed out). Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
- Place a bowl of steaming water next to the cage to help ease her breathing.
- weigh your girl daily at the same time in the evening, ideally before you give her dinner or after. If she has lost more than 50g (2 oz) and is not eating her dinner, then you can step in with topping up or totally syringe feeding and watering. A guinea pig that is not eating or drinking at all in 24 hours is losing about 100g/3oz from one day to the next. if she is not eating at all, you will see that reflected in smaller, drier poos by tomorrow. Remember that up to 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, which you cannot judge, just by watching her eating.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Emergencies and illness never happen at a good time, and as loving owners, we tend to be more jittery over weekends and bank holidays, so it would be good to have a few things at home to help you over that time.
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs

Could you please add your country to your details. We have got members from all over the world, so it is very helpful to tailor any advice that can take in your climate, available brands and vet/rescue access if you clicked on your username on the top bar, then went to personal details and scrolled down to location. That way, we can give you the approprite advice straight away. Thank you!

Thank you for all your responses I have started and new thread