One Guinea Getting Fat, What To Do?

[Cavies1023]

I am a new owner of two male brothers. I got them at about 5 weeks old. I had them now for a bit over 2months. One was already on the small side when I got him and the other much bigger. The smaller one almost seemed the runt of the litter. The one that was bigger to begin with is now getting fat. I have two separate feeding stations to make sure the smaller one is getting his fair share, the bigger one is trying to dominate anyways. They share a cage...what do you do when one needs to loose weight and how do you do it, how do you feed him?

Thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

I am a new owner of two male brothers. I got them at about 5 weeks old. I had them now for a bit over 2months. One was already on the small side when I got him and the other much bigger. The smaller one almost seemed the runt of the litter. The one that was bigger to begin with is now getting fat. I have two separate feeding stations to make sure the smaller one is getting his fair share, the bigger one is trying to dominate anyways. They share a cage...what do you do when one needs to loose weight and how do you do it, how do you feed him?

Thank you!

Hi!

Please feed pellets and veg in small amounts that can be eaten in one go several times a day. Don't leave them just hanging around. In the meantime, your boys eat hay (ideally more then one station or one which can be accessed more than one way to prevent blocking). Hay should make up to 80% of the daily food intake.

It is normal that weight differences between small and large babies increase over time without there being a problem. You can find tips on how to check for whether a piggy is a good weight for its size ("heft") together with lots more information in this link here. At that young age, everything is converted into growth, not yet overweight, so your larger boy is not fat as such; they are both still very much in the initial phase of fast growth. This can last shorter or longer. it is generally short for fast growing youngsters and longer for slow growing ones. Guinea pigs usually stop growing sometime between 12-15 months of age, so your boys have still way to go. As long as both are putting on weight every week when you check them, I would not worry.

Please take the time to read these two guides here. You will find them very informative and helpful!
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet

 

[luckyandsammy]

Are you sure he's overweight and not just a big pig? Do you weigh them?

Do they get out often? Guinea pigs need exercise and they shouldn't be overweight unless they eat big amounts of nuggets, I find that that's what makes them put on weight.

Also, your piggies are still very young and they will put on weight as they grow, I wouldn't worry too much about their weight right now, I would just make sure they have a good, healthy diet.

Mine eat a lot of hay, vegetables in the evenings and some nuggets in the morning. They also get treats and they are a perfect weight, the vet also said they are very healthy at their health check about 3 months ago.

 

[Cavies1023]

Hi!

Please feed pellets and veg in small amounts that can be eaten in one go several times a day. Don't leave them just hanging around. In the meantime, your boys eat hay (ideally more then one station or one which can be accessed more than one way to prevent blocking). Hay should make up to 80% of the daily food intake.

It is normal that weight differences between small and large babies increase over time without there being a problem. You can find tips on how to check for whether a piggy is a good weight for its size ("heft") together with lots more information in this link here. At that young age, everything is converted into growth, not yet overweight, so your larger boy is not fat as such; they are both still very much in the initial phase of fast growth. This can last shorter or longer. it is generally short for fast growing youngsters and longer for slow growing ones. Guinea pigs usually stop growing sometime between 12-15 months of age, so your boys have still way to go. As long as both are putting on weight every week when you check them, I would not worry.

Please take the time to read these two guides here. You will find them very informative and helpful!
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet

Thank you for for your reply. That is some helpful information. I work all day and cannot feed them throughout the day. I think may be I will feed them pellets and veg in the am and pm and leave hay for the rest of the day.

 

[Cavies1023]

Are you sure he's overweight and not just a big pig? Do you weigh them?

Do they get out often? Guinea pigs need exercise and they shouldn't be overweight unless they eat big amounts of nuggets, I find that that's what makes them put on weight.

Also, your piggies are still very young and they will put on weight as they grow, I wouldn't worry too much about their weight right now, I would just make sure they have a good, healthy diet.

Mine eat a lot of hay, vegetables in the evenings and some nuggets in the morning. They also get treats and they are a perfect weight, the vet also said they are very healthy at their health check about 3 months ago.

Thank you, that sounds like a plan. They get out ones a week but have a large cage with 2 levels, 6x2 CC cage with a loft. I do not weigh them, did not know anything about it.

 

[Adelle]

Thank you, that sounds like a plan. They get out ones a week but have a large cage with 2 levels, 6x2 CC cage with a loft. I do not weigh them, did not know anything about it.

Great sized cage for 2 boys. Weekly weighing before feeding is the best way of keeping track of piggys progres as well as any weight loss which is usually one of the first indications of illness, meaning any problems can be picked up in the early stages. Any weight loss of 50g in a day should put you on alert, and anymore warrants a vet check. Weights can fluctuate by 30g due to full/empty bladder and stomach, this is normal as long as it doesnt continue on a downward spiral.

 

[Cavies1023]

Thank you! They are actually having a vet check tomorrow as one has been sneezing...I will find out more then, he works a lot with guinea pigs so hopefully he can give me an update and some advise

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for for your reply. That is some helpful information. I work all day and cannot feed them throughout the day. I think may be I will feed them pellets and veg in the am and pm and leave hay for the rest of the day.

Yes, that should work well! Please be aware that the difference in weight is going to get larger nevertheless. As long as your small boy is getting all the food he needs and is a good heft, there is nothing for you to worry. Guinea pigs can vary enormously in from the day they are born.

My litter sisters Nerys and Nia were 150g apart when I adopted them and in their prime where whopping 500g in difference in weight (Greedy lazy Nerys reached a very impressive 1500g and energetic Nia, who ran the whole group, only ever got to a very acceptable 1000g). Yet both lived to a good age. Nia died two years ago at nearly 6 years old and Nerys is celebrating her 7th adoption anniversary with me today, not far off her 8th birthday.

My Triplets were already 100g in weight difference when they arrived here at 8 weeks old and are now 250g between the heaviest and the lightest sister, but all straddling nicely the ideal weight range of 1000-1200g at the peak of their life.

 

[Freela]

There can be a pretty significant different in healthy weights between individuals (my original pair was made up of one huge, big-boned pig and a little itty bitty dainty pig... the big one in her prime weight almost 3 pounds, the little one never hit 2 pounds in her entire life!) I would make sure that there is more than one bowl, as you have done. As long as the little one is able to eat and is gaining and not losing, even at his own pace, I would chalk at least some of it up to natural differences in size.

 

[Cavies1023]

There can be a pretty significant different in healthy weights between individuals (my original pair was made up of one huge, big-boned pig and a little itty bitty dainty pig... the big one in her prime weight almost 3 pounds, the little one never hit 2 pounds in her entire life!) I would make sure that there is more than one bowl, as you have done. As long as the little one is able to eat and is gaining and not losing, even at his own pace, I would chalk at least some of it up to natural differences in size.

Thank you, yes, the little one is eating well, they both just saw the vet and are healthy and I just ordered a scale. Both of mine are just like yours size wise I cannot say that the bigger one ( who is white and my kids named him Marshmallow lol ) is big boned, but he is definitely food obsessed he loves to eat.