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Overweight? Who, me?
Help! Guinea pig overweight! It might be funny but it’s a serious issue: your Guinea Pig can be overweight! And it is nothing to be taken lightly…no pun intented! It’s just one of those things you need to keep an eye on, so it doesn’t spiral out of control. These fur babies can be very sensitive and suffer from a lot of afflictions. If your Guinea Pig has a normal weight, this is going to contribute to his overall well being. The dietary choices you makefor your Cavie are directly responsible for their health, so choose wisely!
There are several techniques which can help you determine if your piggy is overweight. Feeling their body and body shape in general is a very easy and straightforward method to see if there is something wrong. So if your piggy is overweight, you won’t be able to feel the ribs even if you press gently. You also may have a hard time feeling its spine. This is no cause for alarm, but it’s an indication that maybe you should make some changes in your piggy’s diet. We know…they’re cute little furballs, all chuncky and ready to cuddle. But it’s the best for them, so try to give them a healthy diet!
How Much Should A Guinea Pig Weigh?
This is dependant on age and gender, so there is no magical number for the ideal weight. Newborn guinea pigs can weigh from 40-120 grams. For mature Guinea Pigs, As a rule of thumb, you can expect a male guinea pig to weigh from 900-1300 grams while a female guinea pig will weigh around 700-900 grams. This can fluctuate but overall the weight will stay within these limits. And while the breed of a guinea pig can influence their weight, the differences between the breeds are basically irrelevant.
How Should You Weigh Your Piggy
Weighing should be a conssitent pat of your routine. You can do it weekly and we recommend keeping a log of your guinea pig’s weight overtime. Why should you do this? In the unfortunate situation when you need to take your piggy to the vet, this could be crucial information. When you take your Cavie to the vet, they are going to want to know as much as possible an get a clear picture of their background. This is when this list comes in handy. This can provide a very powerful image on your piggy’s health situation in general.
What Diet Should You Follow?
Whatever you do, remember one rule: starving is NOT an option! Guinea pigs, unlike cats and dogs, do not tolerate irregular food intake. Their digetsive system is just not equipped for that. Going without proper food can seriously affect your Cavie’s health. Going without food for 24 hours can have a negative effect on their health and this may even cause serious health complications for your pet. So, food deprivation is not an option.
What should you feed them? The recommended diet for guinea pigs is 80% hay, 10% pellets and 10% veggies. Their digestive systems need grass and/or hay to function properly. Hay will help with overall well-being, and will definitely not make your piggy gain weight. You can feed your piggy parsley, spinach, or kale. Broccoli is also a delicious snack, and rich in vitamin C. Also, pay attention to the quantities. Feeding quantities adjusted preventing them becoming seriosly overweight! Adjust the quantity to your piggy’s age and lifestyle. As a rule of thumb, you should offer-about 1/8 cup of pellet food per day. Hay should be unlimited.
