Bloated New to owning a guinea pig: Possible start of bloating?

[MsKiyo]

Hello, I'm a new co-owner of a young 6 month (going on to 7) hairless guinea pig and I'm a bit worried about her.

Recently when my parents let her out for floor time they neglected to pick up a doll that has rubbery plastic hair strands and my guinea pig Meimao (but more often called "Piggy") went and ate about half an inch of one of them.

It's been a week and there's been no change in her poops, she still pees a good deal, and she's never drank a lot of water so there's no change there, and she still happily chows down on hay and vegetables. But it seems that she's starting to turn her nose up to her pellets (Oxbow brand). And she's become a bit lethargic - often sleeping in her hut (but another friend told me that this could be cage depression - she still runs around a lot on our living room floor). Occasionally she makes a high pitched squeaking sound that sounds almost painful when we pick her up - but when my sister or I touch and rub her belly she doesn't make a sound so it could just be that she doesn't like to be picked up (she runs away whenever we try).

The thing is that we've noticed that she's becoming fatter and my sister commented that her stomach feels a bit tight. But guinea pigs can pass gas naturally, right? If her poops are still normal, isn't that okay?

We put her in the living room since that's where we spend our time since I don't want her to be lonely, but that means at night I don't know if she's making any sounds or not. I'd bunk down there if I could for a night, but if she knows that I'm there she starts chewing on her cage bars because she wants to be let out.

Basically, I don't know if I'm being paranoid or not. Maybe I just need to change her diet...

Any advice from experienced guinea pig owners would really help!

 

[bpatters]

How long have you had her? And is there any chance she's pregnant? That would be my first guess.

If she's eating and pooping normally, I wouldn't worry. Pigs sometimes change their minds about pellets, and they're the least important part of her diet.

But I would weigh her daily, first thing in the morning before breakfast, and record her weights. If they're rapidly going up, she's most likely expecting. See https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...inea-pig-is-pregnant-And-how-far-along-is-she for moreinformation.

You do know she needs a buddy, right?

 

[MsKiyo]

We've only had her for about a month, and I don't think she's pregnant... I'll have to check with where my sister got her.

I do know that she needs a friend, but she's really more of my sister's guinea pig than mine (I just am a hovercraft aunt, in their own words), and for the moment we don't have enough accommodations for more than one pig. My sister is actually looking around to see if there are any more female hairless guinea pigs that we can adopt (our dad's allergic to fur).

At any rate, thank you for the advice! And the reassurance. I'll try to weigh her and see what happens if I can get her onto the scale for long enough...

 

[bpatters]

Just an FYI... Guinea pigs are particularly hypoallergenic animals, so your dad's not at all likely to be allergic to the pig. The hay is another matter, and timothy is a big offender.

 

[spy9doc]

The thing is that we've noticed that she's becoming fatter and my sister commented that her stomach feels a bit tight. But guinea pigs can pass gas naturally, right? If her poops are still normal, isn't that okay?

Sometimes cavies can have gas and bloating without g.i stasis. Cavies seem to naturally generate quite a bit of gas which can make them uncomfortable. An essential part of any cavy owner's medical kit should be simethicone drops (marketed as childrens' gas drops) which you can buy in almost any drug store or even in some grocery stores. If your piggy doesn't have excess gas and bloating, the drops won't hurt her. You can check on Guinea Lynx for the suggested dosage. I tend to give a full dropper for the first dose and taper off if they need more. The drops actually taste good so you shouldn't have difficulty in administering them.

I love skinnies.....please post a photo of your girl!

 

[MsKiyo]

From my phone so they might show up sideways but here she is! I’m not much of a photographer but she’s cute either way~

 

[spy9doc]

What a cutie! Thanks for posting these.

 

[ItsaZoo]

A full tummy that feels firm could be from fresh veggies or any fruit she might be getting. I notice it on mine in the evening after she has green peppers or fresh grass. You might also notice more digestive noises with veggies as well. And that would explain her loss of interest in pellets since she may be hoping for the fresh stuff.

If her tummy is tight and sounds hollow when you tap on it, that can be a sign of bloat. It’s serious when accompanied by pain, discomfort and GI issues. The baby drops are a good idea. More hay and smaller feedings of veggies might help. Running around during floor time also aids digestion.

Most piggies don’t like to be picked up. Sometimes mine fusses, kicks, and squeals like she is fighting for her life. As soon as I give her a blade of grass and sit down for lap time she’s fine.

BTW, your piggy adorable!