Jbrophy1021
New Born Pup
Both my girls have lost a little bit of weigh not loads but a little is this ok should I be worried or does this happen once in a while
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Weight
- Thread starter Jbrophy1021
- Start date
It depends how much weight they've lost and over what time period.
A sudden loss in one go of 50g or more is of concern and requires a vet check and you to step in with syringe feeding. Anything up to 50g is within normal fluctuation and isn't concerning on its own. However, if it forms part of a longer and more continual downward trend, then it is of concern and also requires a vet check.
This guide explains further
Weight - Monitoring and Management
A sudden loss in one go of 50g or more is of concern and requires a vet check and you to step in with syringe feeding. Anything up to 50g is within normal fluctuation and isn't concerning on its own. However, if it forms part of a longer and more continual downward trend, then it is of concern and also requires a vet check.
This guide explains further
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Hi
Are your piggies indoors or outdoors or have there any other changes in their daily routine?
We don't count anything below 50g as a weight loss since the difference between a full and an empty bladder is about 10g and that of a full and empty belly 30-40g. If you have concerns, please switching from the normal weekly life-long weigh-in to weighing daily at the same time in order to see whether the weight loss is ongoing and how quickly. See a vet if it continues abd step in with feeding top-up and support as needed. Use your scales as the tool to monitor the daily food intake. Around 80% of what a piggy eats is hay which you cannot control by eye.
You can find more detailed information on weight loss rules, weight monitoring and when to see a vet and how soon etc. via these links here:
Weight - Monitoring and Management
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (Our one stop emergency care information thread, which you may want to bookmark just in case; it includes feeding support and a first aid kit. Emergencies - which yours clearly is NOT - usually happen at the worst of times, so good to have something you can turn to if the forum in its downtime).
Jbrophy1021
New Born Pup
They are indoors they are eating and drinking fine they weighed around 1.81-1.66 last week now they weigh around a couple grams lower
No need to worry then!
It is worth reading the weight guide link; apart from telling you exactly what you need to do at which level of weight loss, it also teaches you how you can work out whether your boys are a good weight for their size, whether they are overweight or underweight (checking for the BMI or heft) so you know whether your boys' weight is actually in the right ball park.
A healthy weight and a healthy diet with mostly grass hay (and some carefully introduced fresh grass in the summer months) but limited veg (preferably green and leafy) and no more than 1 tablespoon of pellets per piggy per can add 1-2 years to the adverage life span and take it from the lower end to the upper and beyond.