Guinea Pig Health Question

[High Roost Ranch]

OK, we have this rescue guinea pig. I'm guessing Reggie is about a year old. He's with a little bun as a cage mate. They are both the same size. Bun is doing great. However, Reggie is getting thin, and I am seriously worried about him! He's on the correct guinea pig diet. I don't feed any bad greens. And lately, I've been restricting his diet to only the guinea pig formulated diet so I know he's supposedly getting what he needs. Does he need deworming? He appears to be in good health with the exception of him getting thin.

Anyone have any ideas? The only other thing I can think of is a possible intestinal blockage from grooming the bunny. Would this cause him to go thin? And would something like Papaya break up any blockage he may have without killing him?

 

[michickenwrangler]

Is the pig being harrassed by the rabbit? You could try giving a few cc's of mineral oil in a syringe, but I would personally take him to a vet. He could be anemic or have another underlying issue.

 

[Akane]

Guinea pigs need unlimited hay. Alfalfa for pigs under about 6 months and grass hay (timothy, orchard, bluegrass....) for adult pigs. Rabbits should have it as well. The long stem fiber is very important in keeping their digestive tract moving, teeth worn down properly, and gives them easier to digest nutrients than the ones supplemented in to pellets. Our bodies all do better getting the vitamins and minerals from a food source than a synthesized powder. Guinea pigs also benefit greatly from fresh vegetables and a small amount of fruits daily. It's suggested for best health to feed them 1 cup of fresh foods daily. Pellets should make up a very small part of the diet. Only 1/8th to 1/4th cup daily. Pellets are a supplement like taking vitamin pills for us and do not contain everything the animal needs to stay healthy. That's one of the main reasons why the standard age for a guinea pig is listed at 4 years while those on good guinea pig forums and knowledgeable rescuers have guinea pigs living to 8years and occasionally more.

A few other concernes....

Even small rabbits can accidentally injure guinea pigs. They have very strong back legs that they use in a variety of ways to express displeasure or in fear. If something upsets or startles the rabbit it may thump it's feet and end up hitting the guinea pig. On a guinea pig forum there was a rabbit and pig pair that laid together all the time. One day something scared the rabbit and it jumped up accidentally hitting and killing the guinea pig.

Guinea pigs and rabbits are both social animals but especially guinea pigs. They should always be kept in a pair or more. Males will require more cage space though and 10sq ft is the suggested minimum with 7sq feet being the minimum for females. See guineapigcages.com for how to build inexpensive large cages.

See guinealynx.info for excellent information on health, illnesses, treatments, and several feeding charts.