Diet Help! Will not eat grass hay!

[Amber2744]

I have a new 6 month old Guinea pig that refuses to eat grass hay. She is currently recovering from GI Stasis and on medications. She spent 4 days at vet and was eating hay, pellets and greens so they sent her home. Day 1 and 2 home she was eating everything like crazy but then she stopped eating hay. She will eat pellets and greens no problem. She will also eat alfalfa but not grass hays. I spoke to my vet and he said to feed her as much alfalfa as she wants if that’s the only kind of hay she likes right now. He said he isn’t concerned about bladder stones because she is still young. My concern is how will I ever get her to eat grass hays again? She can’t eat alfalfa forever. Also her poops are small and teardrop still. I have tried all types of hays, Timothy, Orchard, Oat, Botanical and she wants nothing to do with any of them. She is vibrant, active and has an appetite. Her teeth were fine when she was checked at vet during her stay. I have placed hay in different containers throughout cage, tried mixing the grass hays in with the alfalfa that she will eat and she just picks out the alfalfa. She has 2 other guineas in the cage with her and she will run over when they are eating and want to eat with them and then turn her nose up to it and run away. I’m at a loss for what to do. Has anyone else dealt with this before? Any suggestions would be appreciated,

 

[bpatters]

You can try a couple of things.

First, make sure that any grass you offer her is fresh and green. That can be difficult to find, but I always had good hay from Small Pet Select and American Pet Diner.

Second, soak a small amount of hay in water and then offer it to her. You'll have to be careful doing this, as the wet hay has to be removed fairly quickly, say within an hour or so, so that it doesn't mold. But soaking it sort of rejuvenates the hay and pigs will sometimes eat it when they wouldn't otherwise.

Or, you might try misting the hay with some sort of flavor that she likes. Mine loved watermelon above all else, and would have eating anything in the world that was watermelon-flavored. Some cautions apply to misted hay as to soaked hay.

 

[Amber2744]

You can try a couple of things.

First, make sure that any grass you offer her is fresh and green. That can be difficult to find, but I always had good hay from Small Pet Select and American Pet Diner.

Second, soak a small amount of hay in water and then offer it to her. You'll have to be careful doing this, as the wet hay has to be removed fairly quickly, say within an hour or so, so that it doesn't mold. But soaking it sort of rejuvenates the hay and pigs will sometimes eat it when they wouldn't otherwise.

Or, you might try misting the hay with some sort of flavor that she likes. Mine loved watermelon above all else, and would have eating anything in the world that was watermelon-flavored. Some cautions apply to misted hay as to soaked hay.

Thank you very much for your advice. I will give them a try.

 

[MyPigs=MyLife]

I have a new 6 month old Guinea pig that refuses to eat grass hay. She is currently recovering from GI Stasis and on medications. She spent 4 days at vet and was eating hay, pellets and greens so they sent her home. Day 1 and 2 home she was eating everything like crazy but then she stopped eating hay. She will eat pellets and greens no problem. She will also eat alfalfa but not grass hays. I spoke to my vet and he said to feed her as much alfalfa as she wants if that’s the only kind of hay she likes right now. He said he isn’t concerned about bladder stones because she is still young. My concern is how will I ever get her to eat grass hays again? She can’t eat alfalfa forever. Also her poops are small and teardrop still. I have tried all types of hays, Timothy, Orchard, Oat, Botanical and she wants nothing to do with any of them. She is vibrant, active and has an appetite. Her teeth were fine when she was checked at vet during her stay. I have placed hay in different containers throughout cage, tried mixing the grass hays in with the alfalfa that she will eat and she just picks out the alfalfa. She has 2 other guineas in the cage with her and she will run over when they are eating and want to eat with them and then turn her nose up to it and run away. I’m at a loss for what to do. Has anyone else dealt with this before? Any suggestions would be appreciated,

Try offering a fluffy piece of hay, they are the seed pods and a known fav. If the pig is absolutely not eating at all, try syringing a ”smoothie“ of pellets, hay and water. Hope your baby does well, Hoping for ya!!