Diet Dieting and how to do it?

[Tazzyy]

Hi!

So I am a first timer for guinea pig owning and I have been since somewhere around January. I wish I had seen this site earlier because it would have helped a lot.

Anyway, my guineas pig are overweight and I have no clue how to get them to lose weight. They don’t have toys because they are never interested in them. Are toys a big part of weight loss?

Thank you to anyone who replies, I hope there is enough info in this post. It’s my first so i don’t know.

 

[Snugglybutt]

What does their diet look like? Adult guinea pigs need unlimited hay, a cup of veggies each, and 1/8 cup of pellets each daily. Is your cage big enough for them to run around? If not, do they get floor time for exercise?

 

[Tazzyy]

What does their diet look like? Adult guinea pigs need unlimited hay, a cup of veggies each, and 1/8 cup of pellets each daily. Is your cage big enough for them to run around? If not, do they get floor time for exercise?

Most of the time I give them a branch of kale that I rip into pieces, celery, carrot and usually one other thing if we have it (Brussel sprouts, tomato, little bit of apple). I think I might be giving them a little too many pellets though. And I wouldn't say that my cage is big enough for running around, but yes they do get floor time and we have longer cage that we put on the lawn. But because we also have a dog they don't really like venturing out.

 

[bpatters]

Why do you think they're overweight?

It's actually very difficult for a guinea pig to be overweight. They're herbivores, and that's like you getting fat eating nothing but salads. When we do rarely see an overweight guinea pig, it's usually because it's been fed too many pellets (adults only need 1/8 cup per day), or because it has problems moving around because of an injury.

 

[HollyG]

I'm curious about this too. My pig looks so big sometimes but at other times looks normal or thin. She has a little bit of a belly but it doesn't seem to be fat, it's almost like extra skin. Maybe that's it?

 

[bpatters]

What does your pig weigh?

 

[Tazzyy]

What does your pig weigh?

Being honest, I haven't weighed them in a while, but know that they are overweight. Teddy has had vet visits in the past because of brawls between Magpie and him over dominance. And they both have a double chin. What are the healthiest pellet options and veggies?

(I'll weigh them today)

 

[Tazzyy]

What does your pig weigh?

Both Magpie and Teddy weigh 2.1 kg

 

[bpatters]

2.1 kilograms or pounds? Because 2.1 kilograms is way beyond obese, and is into cuy territory, whereas 2.1 pounds is a pretty reasonable weight for a guinea pig.

"Double chins" are usually dewlaps, common on some pigs, and mean nothing in regard to weight.

 

[spy9doc]

"Double chins" are usually dewlaps, common on some pigs, and mean nothing in regard to weight.

Hmmm......I think the word is do-lap because it "do lap over the neck". lollol

 

[ItsaZoo]

Good one, spy9doc! Reminds me of Norm on Cheers when Woody asked him, “What’s shakin’? and Norm replied, “All four cheeks and a couple of chins.” I got a piggy like that! lol

 

[Tazzyy]

Sorry pounds yes!

 

[bpatters]

Don't put an adult 2.1 pound pig on a diet. It's not overweight, no matter what size frame it's got.