Mclayton
Junior Guinea Pig
Does chewing on the hay help wear down their teeth? They do gnaw on their wooden houses & products by Rosewood. They love the hay cubesThat sounds good.
Does chewing on the hay help wear down their teeth? They do gnaw on their wooden houses & products by Rosewood. They love the hay cubesThat sounds good.
Can I provide forage as well as pellets? Or is it one or the other? Sorry for all the questions. I want to get it right
Does chewing on the hay help wear down their teeth? They do gnaw on their wooden houses & products by Rosewood. They love the hay cubes
Now I'm cutting right down the pellets, only half cystease for Squeak, none for Bubble,,, when roughly, do you think the squeaky wees will stop, if it is too much calcium in their wee due to pellet overuse.Please don’t be sorry for asking questions, we are here to help.
You can feed both. Both should ideally be fed in smaller quantities. Dried forage becomes the same as pellets if you see what I mean.
I personally choose to feed one or the other though. I give a larger amount of the forage.
The abrasive silica in hay and grass is what keeps their molars nicely functioning and wears them down.
Chewing wooden houses and hay cubes has no effect on tooth wear.
Now I'm cutting right down the pellets, only half cystease for Squeak, none for Bubble,,, when roughly, do you think the squeaky wees will stop, if it is too much calcium in their wee due to pellet overuse.
Ok, thanks. I have noticed one thing though. Its very strange, but they tend to squeak when doing poos & a wee together.If there is a connection, then it takes several weeks for a reduction in calcium intake to have any effect on the body.
Another strange thing. When Squeak had his infection, he never squeaked,, but squeaks without infection. That's what makes me think, its high calcium wees making them both squeak sometimes when weeing,,, unless it is all behavioural, as they are in their penIf there is a connection, then it takes several weeks for a reduction in calcium intake to have any effect on the body.
Ok, thanks. I have noticed one thing though. It’s very strange, but they tend to squeak when doing poos & a wee together.
Another strange thing. When Squeak had his infection, he never squeaked,, but squeaks without infection. That's what makes me think, its high calcium wees making them both squeak sometimes when weeing,,, unless it is all behavioural, as they are in their pen
Neither are poorly though. Very active, great appetite, etc. Surely if they had a UTI, they would bee unwell.It’s quite common to notice this - you’ll find many posts where piggies have a UTI for example, that they squeak when peeing and pooping. The two areas are very close together and can impact on each other
Yes, he's all clear, but my other one, is Squeaing sometimes as well. But no sign of illness, blood, smelly wee, etcIf they’ve got a big sludgy bladders then it can be uncomfortable to pass urine. I’m not saying that is what it is though. Only the vet can diagnose sludge through X-rays and scans. You said that your vet reported no bladder problems.
Neither are poorly though. Very active, great appetite, etc. Surely if they had a UTI, they would bee unwell.
Yes, he's all clear, but my other one, is Squeaing sometimes as well. But no sign of illness, blood, smelly wee, etc
Its all very strange, & is stressing me. Both are doing squeaky wees tonight, but past 2 nights, nothing. Just don't understand anymore.Then I don’t think it sounds like either has a problem in that respect.
It’s sall very strange, & is stressing me. Both are doing squeaky wees tonight, but past 2 nights, nothing. Just don't understand anymore.
Both chilling out now, after a little chaseThen I don’t think it sounds like either has a problem in that respect.
Bubble has never been checked, as never any problems, until recently, & its the same sound as Squeak. Maybe it is just me, & they are just communicating. They are so lively, & were doing zoomies last nightAs I said on your other thread, maybe they are just chatting. You seemed unsure as to whether it was even a pained sound.
You’ve had them vet checked and confirmed healthy, so I would sort out the amount of pellets they are being given and see how things go.
If you are remaining worried, all you can do is get them back to the vet and have them both checked again.
Both not having a good night , & yesterday, they had 40g of pellets between them & forage. Maybe far too much calcium, & my forage contains kale, carrot, herbs etcAs I said on your other thread, maybe they are just chatting. You seemed unsure as to whether it was even a pained sound.
You’ve had them vet checked and confirmed healthy, so I would sort out the amount of pellets they are being given and see how things go.
If you are remaining worried, all you can do is get them back to the vet and have them both checked again.
Both not having a good night , & yesterday, they had 40g of pellets between them & forage. Maybe far too much calcium, & my forage contains kale, carrot, herbs etc
I just think, they are not poorly for it to be a UTI, & as I've read on here, the squeaking while peeing, isn't like how they sound with IC. There were never any issues when at work (my care home), & they never had forage. Its just, they have been ok for 2 days, then I give them forage, & they have a bad next evening. Will get it tight one day. My anxiety makes everything worse. I don't have enough money at this stage, to get them both checked at the vets. I've already paid loads out for Squeak, & x ray, scan, urinalysis, district tests were all fine, except for a bit of infection, that's gone. The infection was only picked up at a urine sample test as too much sugar in his wee. Thats another story. When on antibiotics, I was told , yet again, by a rescue manager to also put him on the probiotic Pro C. Nobody told me not to continue using it after antibiotic treatment, & with this product containing nearly 90% sugar,,, the sugar in his wee when sky high.It might be that then.
Make sure to cut it down, and see how things go.
I’d not feed a forage containing kale and carrot often at all. Once a week, if that, as a treat only.
All the calcium is more concentrated in dried forage (obviously only the water is removed).
I just think, they are not poorly for it to be a UTI, & as I've read on here, the squeaking while peeing, isn't like how they sound with IC. There were never any issues when at work (my care home), & they never had forage. It’s just, they have been ok for 2 days, then I give them forage, & they have a bad next evening. Will get it tight one day. My anxiety makes everything worse. I don't have enough money at this stage, to get them both checked at the vets. I've already paid loads out for Squeak, & x ray, scan, urinalysis, district tests were all fine, except for a bit of infection, that's gone. The infection was only picked up at a urine sample test as too much sugar in his wee. Thats another story. When on antibiotics, I was told , yet again, by a rescue manager to also put him on the probiotic Pro C. Nobody told me not to continue using it after antibiotic treatment, & with this product containing nearly 90% sugar,,, the sugar in his wee when sky high.
OMG! Just looked at some of the ingredients on my forage. Sorry, no kale, but one of the worst things for adult piggies (nearly one now,), Alfalfa, there's oat & wheat flakes, marigold, parsley, red beet, carrot, dandelion, plantain, edible leaves, whatever they areCut that forage out entirely then - given its kale and carrots it going to be high in calcium and sugar.
Use a better forage from Piggie Parcels which is just one type so you can see what suits them.
Get them eating a smaller amount of pellets, a lot of hay and some wet veggies to increase water consumption and see if that improves things.
Piggies can be given Pro c when on antibiotics but they don’t routinely need to be given any probiotic.
OMG! Just looked at some of the ingredients on my forage. Sorry, no kale, but one of the worst things for adult piggies (nearly one now,), Alfalfa, there's oat & wheat flakes, marigold, parsley, red beet, carrot, dandelion, plantain, edible leaves, whatever they are
Its in the bin! Is this hay ok? It contains 0.15% calcium. I mix it with my 5 a day hayAlfalfa and parsley are high calcium. Dandelion is a little higher in calcium also, particularly when dried.
I’d not feed any more of it.
Its in the bin! Is this hay ok? It contains 0.15% calcium. I mix it with my 5 a day hay
Its in the bin! Is this hay ok? It contains 0.15% calcium. I mix it with my 5 a day hay
You’re not added a link for the hay.
Hay is hay though. You cannot worry about the calcium content of hay - it is their main food - plus nutrient content of hay varies wildly depending on multiple factors including the soil it is grown in.
All you need to do is keep pellets limited to one tablespoon, filter drinking water and don’t overdo high calcium veg (but they can still have some).
As I mentioned on your other thread, if you take calcium levels too low you risk causing them problems by doing so.
You’re not added a link for the hay.
Hay is hay though. You cannot worry about the calcium content of hay - it is their main food - plus nutrient content of hay varies wildly depending on multiple factors including the soil it is grown in.
All you need to do is keep pellets limited to one tablespoon, filter drinking water and don’t overdo high calcium veg (but they can still have some).
As I mentioned on your other thread, if you take calcium levels too low you risk causing them problems by doing so.
From tomorrow, its about 10g pellets each, already filtered water since December. Cucumber, coriander, green/yellow pepper & lettuce daily, wetted with filtered water, half cystease capsule for Squeak, loads of hay. & better forage. Can they have cucumber forage if they have a chunk of fresh cucumber daily?That’s just normal timothy hay, perfectly fine as a main hay
This is 5g of pellets for each one, for the morning, & same at nightThat’s just normal timothy hay, perfectly fine as a main hay
From tomorrow, its about 10g pellets each, already filtered water since December. Cucumber, coriander, green/yellow pepper & lettuce daily, wetted with filtered water, half cystease capsule for Squeak, loads of hay. & better forage. Can they have cucumber forage if they have a chunk of fresh cucumber daily?
Thank you all so much for helping me especially you, whoever you areYes they can have both fresh and dried forage cucumber. The dried cucumber counts as pellets not as fresh food though
How do guinea pigs wear down their incisors then? You only mentioned molars.Yes they can have both fresh and dried forage cucumber. The dried cucumber counts as pellets not as fresh food though
How do guinea pigs wear down their incisors then? You only mentioned molars.