Is this normal?

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CrazyCricutChick

Our guinea pig, Nibbles, pees and poops in her food bowl. I thought maybe she didn't like the food so I bought I a different kind but she still uses the bowl as a litter box. I've moved the bowl around but to no avail. Is this normal? Should I get her some sort of small litter box?

We've had guinea pigs in the past but this behavior is new to us.

Thanks,
Michelle
 
We have a litter pan in every corner of the cage, it holds down the fleece nicely and the pigs seem to like it. We put carefresh in the bottom and sweet orchard hay on top. The two pigs in the cage each use one to piddle and poo, or directly beside it, and then they each use one for snuggles and sleep. Hawk, living alone, uses his hay bin/veggie bin to piddle, and uses the little box to sleep, and Jr., also living separately, pees and poos where-ever he feels is the spot of the day.

They are all difference, we thought for a while Max and Robot were pooing in their dish, but we think they might have them on their paws when they go to eat since the bowls are lifted up, we have seen neither occur, so it is just speculation at this point...
Try a litter pan, see what happens, if your piggy wants to "go" where he eats, try two food dishes, or putting some food in the litter pan :)
 
Is Nibbles a baby? I've found babies, because they can fit into the bowl will poop & pee in there but stop because they can no longer fit :))
 
My piggies have always launched at least the odd poo in a food dish. I've also found that younger piggies sometimes wee in the food dish as well. I don't think it does them any harm, even if it does seem a bit gross to us humans! :-)

I just make sure the dish is thoroughly washed and dried every day.

I've never managed to get any of my piggies to use a litter tray, but because they are on newspapers and hay, it's not really a problem. Incontinence is a small price to pay for the level of joy they give me! x)
 
also dont forget that guinea's actually eat some of the poo's they produce (special ones- cant remember the name) so they can fully digest them, so poo'ing where they are eating is a very natural thing for them!

Tony
 
Some guinea pigs are very tidy and others are real slobs; it depends on how they were brought up!

Poos in the food dish are not uncommon at all. Hopefully, Nibbles will stop weeing in her food when she gets older!
 
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