Weight Loss Overweight Guinea Pig?

What makes you think she is overweight? She is at a perfectly fine and healthy weight, my sows range in weight from 850g to 1350g and none are over or underweight. My heavier sows have longer bodies, my lighter sows have shorter bodies. Do keep in mind most weight averages online and in books are values for lab animals not pet animals. https://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html if you read the section labeled how much should my guinea pig weigh that may be very helpful.

It is very hard for a herbivorous animal to become overweight unless they are fed an inadequate diet and confined to a small space. If she doesn't have issues with calcium in her urine, and your pellets are high quality (either KMS or Oxbow brand) she can get 1/8 of a cup a day. It is a good thing to cut out high sugar fruits, guinea pigs don't process sugar well which can cause gas and bloat issues. I'm not quite sure what you mean by fatty veggies?

It is sometimes a good thing for a guinea pig to be slightly heavier, provided their diet is good, as when they are sick they can drop weight very quickly and it is very hard to get them to gain it back.

I meant fatty like gassy calcium rich foods. Sorry that wasn't super clear Sort of like romaine lettuce or broccoli. That makes it a bit clearer. I'll keep an eye on her urine just in case but otherwise I'll start feeding her like all the other pigs. Which means a little bit of baby carrot and a blue berry (sometimes a little bit of apple, like once a month or so) Thanks for the help!

Definitely not fat. It's almost impossible for a herbivore to be overweight unless they're overfed on pellets or have mobility issues.

Mickeys Piggies said:

I meant fatty like gassy calcium rich foods. Sorry that wasn't super clear Sort of like romaine lettuce or broccoli. That makes it a bit clearer. I'll keep an eye on her urine just in case but otherwise I'll start feeding her like all the other pigs. Which means a little bit of baby carrot and a blue berry (sometimes a little bit of apple, like once a month or so) Thanks for the help!

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I assume you already know this but just in case... Guinea pigs need one cup of veggies per pig per day. Green or Red leaf lettuce and Green Bell Peppers should be staples. You'll also want to limit how much fruit you give because they're high in sugars. Have you checked out the veggie chart on the diet section of the forums? It's really useful to print out and check how much you can feed of what how often and it also shows calcium amounts. Just make sure to also scroll down to the second post below the chart for additional information on diet and I'd also recommend reading the vegetable section on the Guinea Lynx guide if you haven't yet:

https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...vy-Nutrition-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List
https://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

What kind of pellets do you feed her? These can also be the source of too much calcium. Also ditto on the weight thing.

I hope this helps! Let us know if you have any more diet questions.

My guinea pigs were over weight when I got them because they were neglected in one case and not given the right diet in the others case. My vet told me what diet is right for them and I weigh them regularly to see their progress. So I'm in a similar situation as you.
Here is what I recommend; graph there weights! This was especially helpful when Hazel got sick and dropped in weight. Use Google sheets and make a graph (find directions online if you don't know how) is it super easy and you just put the date and weight in and it updates the graph. This will allow you to see the overall direction there weight is going because it varies suprisingly day to day especially if you weigh st different times.
As long as they are getting the right diet and exercise this should put you at ease that there isn't a problem that can be fixed right now. It takes a while for weight to balance out if they were at one point on an unhealthy diet.

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Is 4.1 pounds overweight for a male piggie?

That's a pretty hefty pig if it's a normal guinea pig, but not for a cuy. But some normal guinea pigs can reach that weight. What is his diet like?

Can you post a picture?

I know people say this all the time but you should really consult a ln exotic pet vet

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@lizpow, vet visits are expensive. It's always the owner's choice to see a vet, but one of the things we try to do is sort out whether a vet visit is needed or not. In the absence of any symptoms of illness, a 4.1 pound pig isn't enough of a reason for me to spend money seeing a vet.

I understand that.

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bpatters said:

That's a pretty hefty pig if it's a normal guinea pig, but not for a cuy. But some normal guinea pigs can reach that weight. What is his diet like?

Can you post a picture?

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He gets 1/4 cup of Oxbow pellets and we usually give him 3-4 leafs of romaine lettuce. (He dos not get it when hes been outside in the run eating clovers and grass all day) And of course, Unlimited hay (Plus some cardboard if he decides to eat the cardboard from the DIY Toilet paper roll hay treat).

That's too many pellets, and may be the reason he weighs so much. Adult pigs only need 1/8 cup per day of pellets.

The other thing you should consider is that romaine lettuce (and the old Oxbow pellets) have been implicated in bladder stone formation. Some pigs have trouble, some don't, and no on knows why. But the safer thing to do is to switch to red or green leaf lettuce, rather than romaine.

Ok thanks for the Information. Are you saying I should stop feeding him Oxbow pellets?

No, she is saying to give him 1/8 of cup, down from 1/4 cup ( half of what he is getting now)

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Ditto @rotto77. And look for the new Oxbow pellets the next time you buy. They should not have limestone or calcium carbonate in the ingredients list.

Ok!!! Sounds Good!

I think the reason for such a variation in weight is that you have to weigh them around the same time every day. They can way significantly more after eating a big meal, and less later on in the day. I think the best time to weigh them is the morning before you refresh their foods.