Guinea pig not eating or movingIt could be a severe health issue like dental problems, liver or kidney disease, or something even more critical. It seems like they are weak and unable to move due to the lack of nutrition in their body. Thus, you should make sure you take them to a vet immediately.
Part 1 of 3:Recognizing When Your Guinea Pig is Dying
- Loss of appetite.
- Slow movement or lack of activity.
- Incontinence.
- Less playful behavior.
- Labored breathing.
You can hydrate your guinea pig by immediately doing the following:
- Offering your guinea pig his water bottle.
- Feeding him/her water via an eyedropper or medicine dropper (if he/she is unable to drink on his/her own).
- Offering veggies that have high water content, i.e. cucumber, iceberg lettuce, melon.
Hand Feeding Your Ill Guinea PigHand feeding can save your guinea pig's life. Sick guinea pigs very seldom get over an illness without help and can decline VERY QUICKLY. Do not hesitate to seek competent veterinary care if you suspect your pig is ill.
Senior Guinea PigIncreasing water is a good idea it will help flush out the bladder Putting sugar or honey in it is a no. Can't believe it was suggested.
In order to correct dehydration, extra water must be given to your guinea pig. Sometimes this can be done by helping the guinea pig drink using a syringe. Some guinea pigs need to have fluids given by other methods, either by subcutaneous fluids, intravenous fluids, or intraosseous fluids.
Your guinea pig is an herbivore, which means he eats only plant material like hay. Herbivores need to have food moving constantly through their digestive systems to avoid serious health problems.
General signs of pain and illness include:
- teeth grinding.
- hunched appearance.
- squinting eyes.
- drooling.
- weight loss.
- fast breathing.
- reluctance to move.
- squeaking in pain.
What should you do if your guinea pig is not moving?
- If you see your guinea pig is breathing fast or heavy, then you must try to cool them down.
- If you suspect that your guinea pigs have any injury in their legs or other parts of their body, then you must take them to a vet immediately.
How do I feed Critical Care to my pet?
- Introduce the tip of the syringe gently into the side of the mouth.
- Deliver a very small amount at a time, insuring that the pet swallows before offering more product.
- Feeding too much or too fast could result in aspiration of food into the lungs.
Dietary management is essential, regardless of the cause of diarrhea. Feeding your guinea pig plain yogurt with active cultures, or the commercial supplement probiotic, may help restore the healthy balance of "good" bacteria in its digestive tract. Otherwise, provide plenty of water for your guinea pig to drink.
Guinea pigs require a minimum of 80–100mls water per day, per animal. Lactating and pregnant sows will have an increased water intake. When providing water for guinea pigs, inverted glass water bottles with a metal or Pyrex glass cannula are recommended as guinea pigs will chew on, and block sipper- tube waterers.
If your guinea pig's belly looks swollen or distended, it may be a sign of bloat. Other signs include weakness, lack of appetite, heavy breathing, restless movements, or stoppage of bowel movements.
Foods for Weight Gain
- Alfalfa: This hay is normally used for malnourished, pregnant, nursing, or young guinea pigs.
- Readigrass: This can be added in moderation to the staple hay as it is high in protein and fiber.
- Oat hay is high in fiber and low in calcium.
Gastrointestinal stasis is a severe slowing of normal emptying of the stomach and passage of food through the intestines, with little to no movement of food. Proper digestion of food and gastrointestinal tract motility are dependent on the ingestion of large amounts of roughage and long-stemmed hay.
Recovery takes more time for other animals. A guinea pig in pain may not eat. Food is extremely important to any recovery so hand feeding a guinea pig that is not eating is vital. It is not unusual for guinea pigs to be more quiet and less active than usual for the first 24 hours after surgery.
If you sit down in a quiet place away from loud noises and place your guinea pig on your lap, he or she will likely climb up you to sit on your shoulder or curl up next to your neck -- an enjoyable time for all, especially if they're fed treats of apples and turnip greens.
It is fine to leave your guinea pigs alone for a day or a little bit more, but anything more than two days can be threatening. There are lots of problems which your guinea pigs might get into, right from lack of hay, water to hurting themselves by fighting or escaping their cage.
Water bowls provide a good alternative to bottles, and some guinea pigs find them easier to use. They can also be better for sick pigs, who might have difficulty raising their head to drink from a bottle. A water bowl is a good alternative to a bottle.
Feed your guinea pig on a consistent schedule, twice a day, morning and evening. Guinea pigs will overeat if given the chance, so, to prevent obesity, remove pelleted food that is left uneaten after one hour and discard fresh fruits or vegetables that are left uneaten after 24 hours.
You shouldn't leave them alone for a week. Guinea pigs need constant attention and get bored easily. Also, they need abundant amounts of hay and someone needs to make sure they have enough food and water. Their cages also need to be cleaned at least 2 - 3 times a week.
Having a single guinea pig is okay but not the best decision always. If you have a boar or even sow who has been living solitary for a while and doesn't enjoy having a cage mate, then they might be happy living alone provided you give them with all essential needs right from food, water, toys, and interaction daily.
You should never leave your Guinea Pig alone and unattended for longer than 24 hours. 12 hours at most is generally considered to be more ideal. Even if you leave them with plenty of food and water, Guinea Pigs are reliant on your care and will likely require your attention within that time.
Adult Guinea PigIf you feed them more green leafy veg, and then only small amount of things like carrots and other root vegetables and fruit. They will eventually stop eating!
Guinea pigs always appear hungry because they are. Guinea pigs are foragers by nature. They have the instinct to eat whenever they can. However, if your guinea pig appears hungry all the time, this can also indicate that they have health problems like diabetes or parasites.
