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New Piggie Won't Eat Timothy Hay?

rinlalin

rinlalin

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
May 10, 2018
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Location
Ohio, USA
hello all! i got a new piggie today to be a buddy for my bootsy, but when i went to pick him up, the cage he was in had NO timothy hay whatsoever. just pellets and water. the pigs were all healthy and plump, so it's not looking like they were starving. the boy i picked out ate some pellets on the way home, so i know he's eating, but he won't touch hay like it's the plague.

i put some on one side of the pen and he just stood on it for a minute before running away. i tried putting some up to his nose/mouth to tempt him, but nothing.

i'm worried because i know timothy hay is a HUGE part of their diet. he might be scared, i realize that, but i wish i could see him eat the hay for my peace of mind.

any advice?
 
Just leave him to settle. He's just had a big change in his life. Put yourself where he is.

He has been taken from the only home he knows. Put in a small dark place with strange food, taken in a scary journey, then put somewhere with a huge open space where a giant who has shoved some hay under his nose! Poor boy is terrified at the moment. I know if that happened to me,the last thing I'd want to do is eat and all I'd want to do is hide!


You know you'd never hurt your new little piggy but he doesn't know that. You have to teach him with love and kindness as you know. I'm sure he'll be just fine in a while. Leave food and plenty of hay about and he can scoff it when you're not around.
 
I had a similar thing with one of my piggies so I’d sprinkle the pellets in their hay tray so they’d have to forage for them. Also you could mix a bit of fresh grass in there too.
 
Betsy said:
Just leave him to settle. He's just had a big change in his life. Put yourself where he is.

He has been taken from the only home he knows. Put in a small dark place with strange food, taken in a scary journey, then put somewhere with a huge open space where a giant who has shoved some hay under his nose! Poor boy is terrified at the moment. I know if that happened to me,the last thing I'd want to do is eat and all I'd want to do is hide!


You know you'd never hurt your new little piggy but he doesn't know that. You have to teach him with love and kindness as you know. I'm sure he'll be just fine in a while. Leave food and plenty of hay about and he can scoff it when you're not around.
Click to expand...

thanks a bunch! i know he's super scared, i was just really paranoid for some reason he was never going to touch the timothy hay.
 
EJMA82 said:
I had a similar thing with one of my piggies so I’d sprinkle the pellets in their hay tray so they’d have to forage for them. Also you could mix a bit of fresh grass in there too.
Click to expand...

thanks! i'll try that today. ^^
 
Panic not - as has been said he’s probably just scared at the moment.
So long as he has a safe hidey and plenty of hay available he’ll probably start eating it soon.
Do let’s have pics.
 
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