Weight gain of guinea pigs

[@the3piggies]

Hi all! I have been weighing my guinea pigs weekly, but I lost the notebook I was keeping their weights in and I had to completely start over a new chart to track their weight gains. On the 27th of July I weighed them and these were their weights:

Cocoa (oldest, around 8 months, has always been the biggest): 22.6 oz/640.7 grams
Cookie (cookie and cocoa are twins, also around 8 months, has been the second biggest up until this weight check): 15.7 oz/445.09 grams
Cinnamon (around 6 months, was the smallest until this weight check and then she got bigger than Cookie): 21.5 oz/609.51 grams
Nibbles (youngest, got her the same day as this weight check and she's around 2 months, the smallest as of now): 9.1 oz

I'm not at all worried about Nibbles, she hasn't gained an abnormal amount of weight and she's also growing, but it's the other three that have gained quite a bit of weight. I weighed them a few hours ago, technically yesterday, August 5th, and they have all gained quite a bit. These are their current weights:

Cocoa: 32.8 oz/929.86 grams
Cookie: 29.8 oz/844.82 grams
Cinnamon: 30.9 oz/876.3 grams
Nibbles: 13.3 oz/377.487 grams

Because the weight gain is so large between all 3 of my oldest, I am starting to get a bit worried. Am I overfeeding them? I give them 1/2 cup of pellets whenever their bowl is empty (about everyday) because there's 4 of them. I refill the bowl with 1/4 cup when it's empty and I already filled it up that day because Nibbles is a baby and I've read that she needs unlimited pellets. I give them unlimited kaytee wafer cut timothy hay and they have two water bottles (they finish drinking one around every 4 days).

I give them lettuce around twice a day and I try to give them some of whatever veggies I have around once a week (usually consists or lettuce, broccoli, carrots, celery, and bell peppers) and they each get a few treats everyday (usually some pea flakes, freeze dried strawberries, or fruit) I also feed them vitamin c tablets (one per pig per day). I think that's their whole diet but I may have left out something. I know this is a lot of info but I really want to make sure I'm doing everything right and that they're not overweight.

I did read the forum's thread on weight and several other articles on guinea pig's weight before creating this thread and there wasn't anything helpful to my situation. If anyone could help at all that'd be great! Thank you!
Also, I have sexed them multiple times throughout the time they've lived with me, I am almost 100% certain that none of them are males and that any of them could be pregnant.

 

[Black piggies]

Not sure but my 9 month old is the weight of your 8 month old and he's just right. They're still growing at this age.
But just wanted to mention I use an app called Weigh your guinea pig which is so easy to use and gives you a graph of weight over time. I love it, no more lost notebooks

 

[Piggies&buns]

Have you checked your scales are measuring accurately?

In terms of the diet -

The only food they need constantly is hay.

They can have one cup each of a variety of veg every day - focusing on leafy green veg and herbs but including a high vitamin c veg daily such as bell pepper. Lettuce is low vit c and mostly water so doesnt offer a balance of vitamins.
Safe daily veggies include coriander/cilantro, lettuce, cucumber, green bean, bell pepper

They don’t need vitamin c tablets - they get all their vitamin c needs from their hay, veg/grass and limited amount of pellets. Supplementing vitamin c excessively can have detrimental effects. At best, excess vit c is excreted in the urine but continual and long term over supplementation of vitamin c can mean their bodies become used to unusually high levels which means if the levels drop, even if the level they drop to is considered normal for any other piggy, then they can experience symptoms of scurvy.

They can have one tablespoon of pellets per day only and their bowl should not be constantly refilled. Once they have had their portion for the day, then don’t give any more pellets until the next day. No piggy (of any age) needs constant and unlimited pellets (hay is the only food any piggy of any age needs in unlimited amounts) - pellets are the least important and least healthy part of the diet and they should be kept strictly limited at all times. They can contribute excess calcium to the diet along with unhealthy weight gain. Too many pellets can also stop them eating enough hay and reduced hay is essential for healthy gut function and dental health.

Their water should be filtered and refreshed every day.

The treats (pea flakes, strawberries and fruit) including carrot should not be given every day - they can have one small amount once per week. Overdoing sugary items can cause gut issues and unhealthy weight gain.
A healthy treat for my boys is their daily dried forage or a different type of herb.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Edible And Forbidden Veg And Fruit List With Vitamin C Grading

 

[@the3piggies]

Have you checked your scales are measuring accurately?

In terms of the diet -

The only food they need constantly is hay.

They can have one cup each of a variety of veg every day - focusing on leafy green veg and herbs but including a high vitamin c veg daily such as bell pepper. Lettuce is low vit c and mostly water so doesnt offer a balance of vitamins.
Safe daily veggies include coriander/cilantro, lettuce, cucumber, green bean, bell pepper

They don’t need vitamin c tablets - they get all their vitamin c needs from their hay, veg/grass and limited amount of pellets. Supplementing vitamin c excessively can have detrimental effects. At best, excess vit c is excreted in the urine but continual and long term over supplementation of vitamin c can mean their bodies become used to unusually high levels which means if the levels drop, even if the level they drop to is considered normal for any other piggy, then they can experience symptoms of scurvy.

They can have one tablespoon of pellets per day only and their bowl should not be constantly refilled. Once they have had their portion for the day, then don’t give any more pellets until the next day. No piggy (of any age) needs constant and unlimited pellets (hay is the only food any piggy of any age needs in unlimited amounts) - pellets are the least important and least healthy part of the diet and they should be kept strictly limited at all times. They can contribute excess calcium to the diet along with unhealthy weight gain. Too many pellets can also stop them eating enough hay and reduced hay is essential for healthy gut function and dental health.

Their water should be filtered and refreshed every day.

The treats (pea flakes, strawberries and fruit) including carrot should not be given every day - they can have one small amount once per week. Overdoing sugary items can cause gut issues and unhealthy weight gain.
A healthy treat for my boys is their daily dried forage or a different type of herb.

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Edible And Forbidden Veg And Fruit List With Vitamin C Grading

sorry, one tablespoon of pellets per pig or for all of them? also, how would i go about checking if my scale is measuring accurately? i’ll read the thread you linked and make changes to their diet! thanks for your help!

 

[Piggies&buns]

sorry, one tablespoon of pellets per pig or for all of them? also, how would i go about checking if my scale is measuring accurately? i’ll read the thread you linked and make changes to their diet! thanks for your help!

One tablespoon per pig , so with four piggies, four tablespoons in total once per day.
Weigh something you are certain of the weight of - a full bag of sugar or flour for example - just to check the scale is working properly

 

[@the3piggies]

Not sure but my 9 month old is the weight of your 8 month old and he's just right. They're still growing at this age.
But just wanted to mention I use an app called Weigh your guinea pig which is so easy to use and gives you a graph of weight over time. I love it, no more lost notebooks

okay thank you so much for your help! i’ll check that app out!

 

[@the3piggies]

One tablespoon per pig , so with four piggies, four tablespoons in total once per day.
Weigh something you are certain of the weight of - a full bag of sugar or flour for example - just to check the scale is working properly

okay thanks! i’ll check the scale later today when i get home!