Overeating?

[ivegotpiggies]

So I have 7 girls 3 are babies as some of you have probably seen in my previous threads. And one of them, the eldest I have had her for about a year (the rest are new) she eats Soo much. The 3 mums of the 3 babies are quite young probably 4-6 months old so they aren't fully grown. Victoria (the fat one) is estimated about 2 years old and she is really big idk if it's her breed or if she is overeating. I didn't think that guinea pigs could overeat but she never stops eating and I feel like she is stealing the food from the others. Is this a problem?

If you were wondering her breed she is a tri with a Mohawk but with straight hair. Most likely a mixed breed. She almost looks like a ridgeback I guess... And the others are just like a standard straight hair. But Victoria is like huge, at least double the size of the others, almost triple.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hay is the most important part of the diet, they need to be eating it constantly. It makes 80% of what they eat in a day.
There needs to be a lot of hay available in the cage at all times and in multiple places around the cage.

Veg is around one cup/50g per pig per day.
Pellets are just one tablespoon per pig per day.

The way to know a piggy is healthy for their body type is to check their heft (piggy BMI). If you put your hands around their ribs and can feel their ribs but with a thin layer of fat, then they are healthy. If you can feel ribs and bones with no fat covering at all then piggy is likely underweight. If you cannot feel any ribs because there is too much fat, then piggy is overweight.

Weekly weight checks are important to know a piggy is eating enough hay. Any weight loss is due to reduced hay intake and requires action to be taken - vet care and syringe feeding. But the number on the scales doesnt tell you whether a piggy is healthy for their own size as there is a wide range of healthy weights.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[ivegotpiggies]

Hay is the most important part of the diet, they need to be eating it constantly. It makes 80% of what they eat in a day.
There needs to be a lot of hay available in the cage at all times and in multiple places around the cage.

Veg is around one cup/50g per pig per day.
Pellets are just one tablespoon per pig per day.

The way to know a piggy is healthy for their body type is to check their heft (piggy BMI). If you put your hands around their ribs and can feel their ribs but with a thin layer of fat, then they are healthy. If you can feel ribs and bones with no fat covering at all then piggy is likely underweight. If you cannot feel any ribs because there is too much fat, then piggy is overweight.

Weekly weight checks are important to know a piggy is eating enough hay. Any weight loss is due to reduced hay intake and requires action to be taken - vet care and syringe feeding. But the number on the scales doesnt tell you whether a piggy is healthy for their own size as there is a wide range of healthy weights.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Weight - Monitoring and Management

Can my pig be eating some of the other piggies food? And how do I stop my pig being overweight?

 

[Piggies&buns]

They will all share food. As I say, its hay they need to eat most of and they cant eat too much of that!
As for veg and pellet portions, the best thing is to scatter feed it around the cage so each piggy can forage and get their share. You are going to find some get more than others at times though and that's ok. As long as they are all getting plenty and free access to hay, then that is the main thing.

Its unlikely she is overweight if you are feeding a good, healthy hay based diet and given plenty of exercise - its just not really an issue well kept piggies face. She may just be bigger but that doesnt mean she isnt healthy for herself - hence the importance of checking her heft. If she is being fed a good diet, and gets lots of exercise, you do not need to do anything and certainly do not restrict a healthy diet in any way.

A piggy will be more likely to become overweight though (as well as facing other health problems) if you are feeding the wrong diet ie feeding too many pellets and overfeeding on unhealthy, sugary veg.

 

[ivegotpiggies]

They will all share food. As I say, its hay they need to eat most of and they cant eat too much of that!
As for veg and pellet portions, the best thing is to scatter feed it around the cage so each piggy can forage and get their share. You are going to find some get more than others at times though and that's ok. As long as they are all getting plenty and free access to hay, then that is the main thing.

Its unlikely she is overweight if you are feeding a good, healthy hay based diet and given plenty of exercise - its just not really an issue well kept piggies face. She may just be bigger but that doesnt mean she isnt healthy for herself - hence the importance of checking her heft. If she is being fed a good diet, and gets lots of exercise, you do not need to do anything and certainly do not restrict a healthy diet in any way.

A piggy will be more likely to become overweight though (as well as facing other health problems) if you are feeding the wrong diet ie feeding too many pellets and overfeeding on unhealthy, sugary veg.

Okay thank you so much I will check all of their hefts now! Thanks again