What is a good diet for a guinea pig?

Question

i think my guinea pig is over weight and i don't know what to do or if that is a bad thing.

Answer 1

my guinea pigs are fat too. i don't think it is a problem, they just need exercise take them out more.

Answer 2

they needs lots of floor time and they need lots of fresh veggies and hay. no yogurt treats or anything really sugary which included too much fruit. and they shouldnt get too much pellets either

Answer 3

for diet, unlimited hay, unlimited hay based pellets, and good veggies given in moderation (romaine, kale, other greens and some fruits. look at guinealynx.com)

i agree with more floor time. and you should get your piggie a buddy. if you need a bigger cage (4 sq. feet per pig, but should be about 7.5 sq feet for one pig) look at guineapigcages.com for the c&c method. don't worry about him getting fat too much, but do let him out as often as possible to run around and be its guinea pig self

Answer 4

More floor time! Your guinea pig needs more exercise. What are you feeding?

You should consider getting your guinea pig a same s*x friend. Guinea pigs are highly social.

Answer 5

yeah, it's kind of bad.  overweight guinea pigs can get back problems and paralysis...

feed it fresh lettuce (dark greens preferably) and water daily and cut back on treats.  keep hay available.  if you want to give them treats, go with apples or oranges instead.  

your guinea pig needs exercise!!  i've found that the best way to get a guinea pig moving is to buy a pen and bring them outside on your lawn.  make sure your grass is unfertilized.  i don't know why but they get excited and energetic when they're taken outside.

those running balls don't work.  i put mine in it and it just sat there.

i also agree with the other 2 people who said get it a friend of the same gender.  my guinea pig was extremely lazy until she had babies.  we kept one daughter as a companion and we didn't have a weight problem after that!

Answer 6

How old is your guinea?  If it is not very young and is not pregnant or nursing, you should not be feeding it alfalfa because that can cause weight gain.  You can feed it timothy hay instead, and make sure it gets plenty of fruits and veggies along with the pellet food.  You may also have a cage that is too small so that it does not get adequate exercise.  A single guinea pig housed by itself should have a MINIMUM of 7.5 square feet of cage space for it to be happy and healthy.  Most of the cages sold at pet stores are just too small and don't even supply half of this requirement.  You should also make sure that the guinea gets plenty of exercise outside of the cage (supervised, of course, so he won't get into any trouble).  Guineas typically don't like or use the hamster-type wheels or balls, they just love to run around, so make sure that they have the ability to run.  A great website to check out is Cavy Spirit.  It has tons of information on anything you would ever want to know about guineas, and if your cage IS too small, they have a link for how to build a cheap, custom cage that is the right size.  Getting a friend is a great idea because GPs are VERY social, just make sure that you are POSITIVE they are the same s*x (pet stores often missex their animals, so it is a good idea to make sure that you can tell what s*x you have.  The link I provided has a page on sexing your guineas).  My GP has been so much happier and more active since she had her babies two weeks ago, because now she has two friends to run and play with.  If you do end up getting a second GP, you should have a cage that is 10 square feet.  The link I provided has great instructions for the C&C cage.  I made one last weekend for my guineas and they love it!  You can remove the choroplast bottom and set it on the lawn for some outdoors time as well (which they are obsessed with!), just make sure that you either have a secure cover or that you supervise their outdoor time.  Good luck and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

Answer 7

It is very rare that guinea pigs get overweight- it's usually due to a health problem. Remember that guinea pigs grow very large and should have a smooth oval shape to its body. If it does [have an oval shape] you have nothing to worry about.

Answer 8

It's overweight?

First of all, you should make sure it's eating the right stuff, like hay, pellets, and the correct amount of fruits and vegetables (for vitamin c). Remember - never give them things that are made for humans to eat. They could be dangerous.

Second of all, make sure you are giving your piggy enough space to exercise and run around in! Running, scurrying, and popcorning are their things - so make sure you have enough space to have them do those things.

Third of all, bring your piggy out of the cage once in a while! If it's constantly in its cage, there's no doubt it would be overweight. Play games with them using vegetables and fruits for treats, make mazes for them to play in, or let it play around with another piggy (but make sure they dont fight).

Good luck to you and your piggy!

If you are still unsure about things you could always ask your vet.