Pig drinking more water than usual and mites

[oreoandcoco]

i recently switched my guinea pigs pellets to oxbow garden select from the regular adult oxbow pellets, and i noticed that my pig oreo has been drinking a lot more water than usual, could the new pellets possibly make her more thirsty? just need some answers

 

[Piggies&buns]

They might be.
One of my boys will eat a pellet and then take water, will eat a pellet, then drink. So he likes to have water to wash the pellet down with.

If you are concerned though then always see a vet

 

[VickiA]

I think I would look to see whether there are any other indications of something going on. What sort of volume are we talking? A few mls or half a bottle? It depends. I would weigh daily at the same time to check for weight loss. I’d also watch behaviour and see if there’s any evidence of discomfort/straining on passing poop or pee and any squeaking in discomfort.
If there’s any concern at all please see a vet.

 

[oreoandcoco]

last night before bed i filled her water bottle all the way up and now it’s a little more than half gone . but she doesn’t show discomfort or anything just when she pees it dries orange i think because of the oxidation? it’s been like that for a long time. i use carefresh bedding. thanks for responding it’s my first time posting on here

 

[oreoandcoco]

They might be.
One of my boys will eat a pellet and then take water, will eat a pellet, then drink. So he likes to have water to wash the pellet down with.

If you are concerned though then always see a vet

that may be the case because she tends to drink a lot when she eats

 

[oreoandcoco]

I think I would look to see whether there are any other indications of something going on. What sort of volume are we talking? A few mls or half a bottle? It depends. I would weigh daily at the same time to check for weight loss. I’d also watch behaviour and see if there’s any evidence of discomfort/straining on passing poop or pee and any squeaking in discomfort.
If there’s any concern at all please see a vet.

last night before bed i filled her water bottle all the way up and now it’s a little more than half gone . but she doesn’t show discomfort or anything just when she pees it dries orange i think because of the oxidation? it’s been like that for a long time. i use carefresh bedding. thanks for responding it’s my first time posting on here

 

[Princess Dustmop]

How much was normal before? My two pigs drink drastically different amounts of water, so it's helpful to know how different that is. Also, how big is the bottle?

 

[oreoandcoco]

well before about maybe a half a bottle or a bit more but now it’s more than one bottle a day . i’ll attach a picture of their bottles because i don’t know the ounces of the bottle

 

[oreoandcoco]

I think I would look to see whether there are any other indications of something going on. What sort of volume are we talking? A few mls or half a bottle? It depends. I would weigh daily at the same time to check for weight loss. I’d also watch behaviour and see if there’s any evidence of discomfort/straining on passing poop or pee and any squeaking in discomfort.
If there’s any concern at all please see a vet.

i attached a photo of the bottle on another reply i forgot to hit reply when i sent it,my bad . so just scroll down to see my new message

 

[oreoandcoco]

can someone please reply any give me some advice? not sure what to do, she was just at vet a few weeks ago for something else and they didn’t say anything was wrong with her weight or anything

 

[Piggies&buns]

can someone please reply any give me some advice? not sure what to do, she was just at vet a few weeks ago for something else and they didn’t say anything was wrong with her weight or anything

are you weighing her as part of routine weekly care? It’s so important that you do. It is the only way you can know if they are eating enough hay. Weight loss is often one of the first indicators of a medical issue.
You can’t rely on a vet weighing them sporadically when you take them in, you need to weigh them yourself each week at home, switching to daily weight checks if you have health concerns.

Otherwise, as we have already advised you, if she is suddenly drinking more than is normal for her or there are any other symptoms or weight loss, then please have her seen by a vet.

Weight - Monitoring and Management
All About Drinking And Bottles

 

[Princess Dustmop]

If I had to guess, that looks to ne about a 8oz/236mL bottle. I have one piggy that goes through a bottle that size in about two to three days, and the other goes through an identical bottle in about a day. The latter has to get a bigger bottle in hot weather, though, as she'll finish the larger bottle in a day when it's hot (she'd long furred, so I'm not really surprised by this). Both piggies' water consumption is normal for them. Only you and a vet can assess what is abnormal or concerning for your piggies.
Change in pellets could affect water consumption, as it may cause your piggy to change pellet eating habit ... either eating more pellets than previously or eating the same pellets differently (with more water). My girls didn't really eat whatever pellets the rescues they came from gave them but love the pellets I offer. (When offered both for transition, they picked out our brand and left the rest uneaten.)

Other than flavor, we can assess the make up of the two pellets ...
Listed Analysis:
Garden Select:
Crude Protein (min) 12.00% Crude Fat (min) 2.50%Crude Fiber (min) 22.00% Crude Fiber (max) 26.00% Moisture (max) 10.00% Calcium (min) 0.35% Calcium (max) 0.75% Phosphorus (min) 0.25% Vitamin A (min) 10,000 IU/kg Vitamin D3 (min) 900 IU/kg Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)(min) 250 mg/kg
Essentials:
Crude Protein (min) 14.00% Crude Fat (min) 2.00%Crude Fiber (min) 25.00% Crude Fiber (max) 28.00% Moisture (max) 10.00% Calcium (min) 0.35% Calcium (max) 0.75% Phosphorus (min) 0.25% Vitamin A (min) 10,000 IU/kg Ascorbic Acid (Vit C.) (min) 250 mg/kg Vitamin D3 (min) 900 IU/kg Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg

The thing that I notice here is that the essentials has higher fiber and protein. Pellets are a small part of the diet, so I don't know that that would really affect overall diet percentages significantly, but it might affect water consumption when eating.


Abbreviated Ingredient Lists:
Garden Select:
Timothy Grass, Oat Grass, Orchard Grass, Oat Hulls, Canola Meal, Whole Barley, Whole Yellow Pea,Tomato Pomace (dehydrated), Calcium Sulfate,Flaxseed, Lignin Sulfonate, Salt, Canola Oil, SodiumBentonite, Rosemary, Thyme, L-Ascorbyl- 2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), ...
Essentials:
Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Wheat Middlings, Sodium Bentonite, Soybean Oil, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), ...

I don't really know what affect the different ingredients would have on water consumption, but they certainly look like they'd taste different!

 

[oreoandcoco]

are you weighing her as part of routine weekly care? It’s so important that you do. It is the only way you can know if they are eating enough hay. Weight loss is often one of the first indicators of a medical issue.
You can’t rely on a vet weighing them sporadically when you take them in, you need to weigh them yourself each week at home, switching to daily weight checks if you have health concerns.

Otherwise, as we have already advised you, if she is suddenly drinking more than is normal for her or there are any other symptoms or weight loss, then please have her seen by a vet.

Weight - Monitoring and Management
All About Drinking And Bottles

no i haven’t been weighing her, but i will be ordering a kitchen skill asap, and maybe get her into the vet if she’s lost weight. she’s still eating normally . thank you for your feedback

 

[oreoandcoco]

If I had to guess, that looks to ne about a 8oz/236mL bottle. I have one piggy that goes through a bottle that size in about two to three days, and the other goes through an identical bottle in about a day. The latter has to get a bigger bottle in hot weather, though, as she'll finish the larger bottle in a day when it's hot (she'd long furred, so I'm not really surprised by this). Both piggies' water consumption is normal for them. Only you and a vet can assess what is abnormal or concerning for your piggies.
Change in pellets could affect water consumption, as it may cause your piggy to change pellet eating habit ... either eating more pellets than previously or eating the same pellets differently (with more water). My girls didn't really eat whatever pellets the rescues they came from gave them but love the pellets I offer. (When offered both for transition, they picked out our brand and left the rest uneaten.)

Other than flavor, we can assess the make up of the two pellets ...
Listed Analysis:
Garden Select:
Crude Protein (min) 12.00% Crude Fat (min) 2.50%Crude Fiber (min) 22.00% Crude Fiber (max) 26.00% Moisture (max) 10.00% Calcium (min) 0.35% Calcium (max) 0.75% Phosphorus (min) 0.25% Vitamin A (min) 10,000 IU/kg Vitamin D3 (min) 900 IU/kg Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)(min) 250 mg/kg
Essentials:
Crude Protein (min) 14.00% Crude Fat (min) 2.00%Crude Fiber (min) 25.00% Crude Fiber (max) 28.00% Moisture (max) 10.00% Calcium (min) 0.35% Calcium (max) 0.75% Phosphorus (min) 0.25% Vitamin A (min) 10,000 IU/kg Ascorbic Acid (Vit C.) (min) 250 mg/kg Vitamin D3 (min) 900 IU/kg Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg

The thing that I notice here is that the essentials has higher fiber and protein. Pellets are a small part of the diet, so I don't know that that would really affect overall diet percentages significantly, but it might affect water consumption when eating.


Abbreviated Ingredient Lists:
Garden Select:
Timothy Grass, Oat Grass, Orchard Grass, Oat Hulls, Canola Meal, Whole Barley, Whole Yellow Pea,Tomato Pomace (dehydrated), Calcium Sulfate,Flaxseed, Lignin Sulfonate, Salt, Canola Oil, SodiumBentonite, Rosemary, Thyme, L-Ascorbyl- 2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), ...
Essentials:
Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Wheat Middlings, Sodium Bentonite, Soybean Oil, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), ...

I don't really know what affect the different ingredients would have on water consumption, but they certainly look like they'd taste different!

thanks for all of the information! and she has been eating these pellets a lot more than her old ones and she usually takes a bite of pellets then drinks a bit of water so maybe that’s the reason ?

 

[oreoandcoco]

i give her pellets at night so tonight I'm not going to give them to her to see how much water she drinks. that will determine whether or not it’s the pellets

 

[oreoandcoco]

are you weighing her as part of routine weekly care? It’s so important that you do. It is the only way you can know if they are eating enough hay. Weight loss is often one of the first indicators of a medical issue.
You can’t rely on a vet weighing them sporadically when you take them in, you need to weigh them yourself each week at home, switching to daily weight checks if you have health concerns.

Otherwise, as we have already advised you, if she is suddenly drinking more than is normal for her or there are any other symptoms or weight loss, then please have her seen by a vet.

Weight - Monitoring and Management
All About Drinking And Bottles

i am ordering a scale asap to start weighing them weekly

 

[Seven7]

I give my boys Bene-Bac Plus to help them calm their digestive system during transition period and during stressful times.
Immediately after Bear came to live with us, he had to be taken to be seen by Dr. Jayne who prescribed him with Baytril for 10 days. Bear was under a lot of stress from the travels and from being taken to see Dr. Jayne for his Upper Respiratory Infection.

Needless to say, Bene-Bac Plus helped him through such stressful time. Bear was very tiny, and was drinking a lot of water when he came to live with us. I believe he wasn't fed or was intimidated by other boy piggies at the pet shop so he couldn't eat and he was filling himself up with water.

Bear is very strong, and happy now.

 

[oreoandcoco]

i give her pellets at night so tonight I'm not going to give them to her to see how much water she drinks. that will determine whether or not it’s the pellets

so last night i didn’t give her any pellets to see how much she would drink and she drank just as much as she did with them, idk if she found some on the floor but I'm ordering a scale to make sure everything’s okay.

 

[oreoandcoco]

I give my boys Bene-Bac Plus to help them calm their digestive system during transition period and during stressful times.
Immediately after Bear came to live with us, he had to be taken to be seen by Dr. Jayne who prescribed him with Baytril for 10 days. Bear was under a lot of stress from the travels and from being taken to see Dr. Jayne for his Upper Respiratory Infection.

Needless to say, Bene-Bac Plus helped him through such stressful time. Bear was very tiny, and was drinking a lot of water when he came to live with us. I believe he wasn't fed or was intimidated by other boy piggies at the pet shop so he couldn't eat and he was filling himself up with water.

Bear is very strong, and happy now.

should i start giving her bene-bac she’s had some in the last and i have a lot unopened

 

[Piggies&buns]

should i start giving her bene-bac she’s had some in the last and i have a lot

Probiotic is useful if there is A digestive upset. There is no real need to give it otherwise, but it won’t do any harm to give some

 

[Seven7]

should i start giving her bene-bac she’s had some in the last and i have a lot unopened

After giving him Bene-Bac syringe, Bear drinks less than half to only about 25% of what he used to drink when he first came to live with us.

At the pet shop, Bear was tiny and the sales person told me Bear was there for a very long time. Bear was probably intimidated by other boys during feeding time and starving, which is why he appeared to be filling himself up with water.

Bear is much bigger, stronger, and healthier now. He eats hay all day, veggies, pellets, and occasional fruit snacks.

 

[oreoandcoco]

glad he got healthier ! oreo does have another pig living with her but they are split up most of the time(they can still smell eachother and socialize) and they get floortime everyday together. but she is able to eat whenever she wants

 

[Piggies&buns]

glad he got healthier ! oreo does have another pig living with her but they are split up most of the time(they can still smell eachother and socialize) and they get floortime everyday together. but she is able to eat whenever she wants

If she is drinking was much whether she has pellets or not, then it may just be her normal.
Either way, only a vet can determine whether there is something going on medically which may cause her to drink more.

Weight checks will help you determine that she is eating enough, and are important so it’s great you can get some scales.


Why don’t they properly live together permanently?

Piggies either get on and must either be properly bonded and be together all of the time or live separately and never have physical contact/no floor time together.

if two piggies don’t get in well enough to share a cage then they should not have floor time together. Each meeting and separation causes then to try to establish a hierarchy every time only for it to be stopped by being out in their own cage. This is hugely stressful for them to never be properly bonded.

 

[oreoandcoco]

If she is drinking was much whether she has pellets or not, then it may just be her normal.
Either way, only a vet can determine whether there is something going on medically which may cause her to drink more.

Weight checks will help you determine that she is eating enough, and are important so it’s great you can get some scales.


Why don’t they properly live together permanently?

Piggies either get on and must either be properly bonded and be together all of the time or live separately and never have physical contact/no floor time together.

if two piggies don’t get in well enough to share a cage then they should not have floor time together. Each meeting and separation causes then to try to establish a hierarchy every time only for it to be stopped by being out in their own cage. This is hugely stressful for them to never be properly bonded.

she’s getting to the vet on wednesday, and a scale is coming very soon . they are separated because coco was biting some of her hair out (barbering), but i am trying to bond them closer. she doesn’t do it anymore but it’s best to keep them separated unless i’m in the room to make sure she’s not doing it again . they are getting better together and i think oreo is asserting more dominance and not just letting coco push her around.

 

[oreoandcoco]

she’s getting to the vet on wednesday, and a scale is coming very soon . they are separated because coco was biting some of her hair out (barbering), but i am trying to bond them closer. she doesn’t do it anymore but it’s best to keep them separated unless i’m in the room to make sure she’s not doing it again . they are getting better together and i think oreo is asserting more dominance and not just letting coco push her around.

i didn’t realize it could be stressful for them i will try to get them permanently together asap . thanks for the help

 

[oreoandcoco]

i didn’t realize it could be stressful for them i will try to get them permanently together asap . thanks for the help

I'm going to give them a few hours of floortime a day at first and then let them be in the cage together afterwards, do you have any bonding tips ? they are for the most part pretty well together except for the barbering

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm going to give them a few hours of floortime a day at first and then let them be in the cage together afterwards, do you have any bonding tips ? they are for the most part pretty well together except for the barbering

she’s getting to the vet on wednesday, and a scale is coming very soon . they are separated because coco was biting some of her hair out (barbering), but i am trying to bond them closer. she doesn’t do it anymore but it’s best to keep them separated unless i’m in the room to make sure she’s not doing it again . they are getting better together and i think oreo is asserting more dominance and not just letting coco push her around.

There are many reasons for barbering, sometimes it can be because of dominance, or just a social behaviour.
Other times if they are eating their own hair, it can be due to stress, pain or because they have parasites.
The guide below explains barbering.

If you can determine which one is happening in your case it may help you.
If there is a big dominance issue to the point that the two piggies do not get on, then do not attempt a reintroduction and don’t let them have floor time together.

Barbering ( Eating Hair)

You cannot bond them closer - they either get on or they don’t - and they certainly won’t be bonded any closer if they are continually put together but then separate each day.
If you put piggies together they start to try to form a hierarchy and bond. To be fully bonded and have the hierarchy set completely takes two weeks of permanently living together. If you put them together for a few hours floor time, then separate them after those few hours, then the whole thing is interrupted, stops and they are not bonded. When you try to put them together again for another few hours, they have to start right from the beginning in trying to form that hierarchy. Again if you separate again then it’s all undone and they never get far enough into the process to even start to form a bond. They need to be put together for a few hours, then moved into the cage and left together and they go into the two week period of fully bonding. After that and if things are still ok (ie no fights), then the bond is complete.

There can only be one dominant piggy. If they both try to be dominant the bond will fail.

Bonding is a one time thing, seen through to conclusion on one day with no further separation.
You put them on neutral territory for a few hours and if all goes well, then you move them to the cage together straight away that day and leave them together permanently.
If things fail, then they can never be in the same cage and they cannot have floor time together.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[Seven7]

i didn’t realize it could be stressful for them i will try to get them permanently together asap . thanks for the help

Are they both girls?
Finn and Lara lived in separate cages until Lara crossed the rainbow bridge. Lara was given to me by a friend who no longer wanted her. I cared for Lara for about 5 years so she was old, just not very sure of her age however.

Finn is 6 yo now, I got him when he was just 4 months old.

 

[oreoandcoco]

I'm so sorry for your lossbut yes they’re both girls

 

[oreoandcoco]

There are many reasons for barbering, sometimes it can be because of dominance, or just a social behaviour.
Other times if they are eating their own hair, it can be due to stress, pain or because they have parasites.
The guide below explains barbering.

If you can determine which one is happening in your case it may help you.
If there is a big dominance issue to the point that the two piggies do not get on, then do not attempt a reintroduction and don’t let them have floor time together.

Barbering ( Eating Hair)

You cannot bond them closer - they either get on or they don’t - and they certainly won’t be bonded any closer if they are continually put together but then separate each day.
If you put piggies together they start to try to form a hierarchy and bond. To be fully bonded and have the hierarchy set completely takes two weeks of permanently living together. If you put them together for a few hours floor time, then separate them after those few hours, then the whole thing is interrupted, stops and they are not bonded. When you try to put them together again for another few hours, they have to start right from the beginning in trying to form that hierarchy. Again if you separate again then it’s all undone and they never get far enough into the process to even start to form a bond. They need to be put together for a few hours, then moved into the cage and left together and they go into the two week period of fully bonding. After that and if things are still ok (ie no fights), then the bond is complete.

There can only be one dominant piggy. If they both try to be dominant the bond will fail.

Bonding is a one time thing, seen through to conclusion on one day with no further separation.
You put them on neutral territory for a few hours and if all goes well, then you move them to the cage together straight away that day and leave them together permanently.
If things fail, then they can never be in the same cage and they cannot have floor time together.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

okay thank you for advice ! coco is still definitely a lot more assertive and dominant than oreo. so i just give them floortime for a few hours together today and then put them together permanently?