Guinea pig doesn't seem as interested in hay

[ginatrue]

Guinea pig doesn't seem as interested in hay

He doesn't seem to be consuming much hay lately, whether it's timothy or alfalfa, which is always available to him. Is that a problem? He is eating his pellets some, but prefers fresh veggies over everything else it seems, which he devours. I've been trying to give him adequate amounts of c via the fresh leafy greens. He's 7wks. old.

To give a little background, I had been told wrongly by the petstore person that he was too young yet for fresh fruits and veggies, and to hold off on them for a few more weeks. After one week I learned better and started giving him the fresh stuff, but in that first week I had him he only had pellets and timothy hay and he ate alot more hay then. Suggestions? Thanks again.

 

[SpackyCymru79]

RE: Guinea pig doesn't seem as interested in hay

Have you been weighing him regularly? If he hasn't lost any weight then it might just be that he is going through a phase. My pigs (the girls) go through phases where they won't eat celery and hardly touch their carrots but devour romaine lettuce and parsley etc. If he has lost weight then he may have a problem such as overgrown teeth. So long as he is eating some hay along with his veggies and pellets and gaining weight then I can't see that there is any big deal as such. Just leave plenty of hay in and keep an eye on his weight and stuff.

Boxer on the other hand has BIG teeth problems. I've just had to take him to the vet today to get his teeth trimmed and get some critical care food and I'm hoping that he is going to start eating properly soon, but I haven't noticed him eating any hay either. I've been having to hand feed him as he just won't eat. Since he has been in with the girls (he has been neutered) he has shown an interest in his food, but by this time his teeth had grown slightly too big for him to eat properly.

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[ginatrue]

Re: RE: Guinea pig doesn't seem as interested in hay

Thanks for responding! Since I'd posted I've been observing him and withholding a big feeding of romaine in the eves. until later after he's eaten a more noticable amount of hay. And I've noticed the hay supply going down in his cage again, so maybe he was just getting filled up with the quantity of lettuce he was getting. He seems ok and it's as if I can see him growing in front of me. It does seem he has a definite preference for timothy hay over alfalfa, but I keep giving him both.

As for his teeth, I'm pretty confident he's trimming them on his own ok, judging by the teeth marks around the edge of his tube. Thanks again, g.