Diet LOTS of poop

[Bandit'sMom]

I am a first time owner. I have noticed that my piggy poops a lot. I am wandering if it is normal? I know that dogs poop different amounts depending on the brand of food. Is the same true for piggies? I feed him a combination of oxbow and all living things pellets. Plus, he gets a variety of fresh veggies and fruits.

 

[bpatters]

Perfectly normal. They eat and poop, and poop, and poop some more.

Check out the Diet and Nutrition thread here for foods recommended for cavies, and the sample diets.

You are giving it hay, aren't you? They need hay all the time.

Also, All Living Things pellets are crap -- they've got seeds and nuts and other things that cavies aren't supposed to have. The Oxbow brand is good -- Performance for pigs under six months, Cavy Cuisine for those older.

 

[pinky]

I have 5 guinea pigs and some just poop more than others. I'm not sure why. They eat at the same time so I think they eat about the same amount of food. I think it might have to do with their metabolism. Some people eat a lot and stay thin while some gain weight. It might work the same way with guinea pigs. I try and stick with the recommended calcium and phosphorus ratios with the veggies I feed them and limit their pellets. They get unlimited orchard grass. In the morning, there's always a big mound of poop where each of them have slept. I feed them fruits as an occasional treat and not every day. I don't think the Living Things Pellets are recommended but I think that has to do with the ingredients.

 

[Bandit'sMom]

He gets timothy and orchard grass; fresh veggies daily. The fruits are about once a week.

 

[knj240]

I know EXACTLY what you mean! I didn't think it was possible that so much poop come out of such a tiny thing, She is only 5weeks and with in 2days after cleaning her cage it is just ASTONISHING the amount of poop! (One day I did not get to spot clean by the way.)
Spot Cleaning is an absolute MUST I believe LOL Her hidey's are just that, poop hiders lol I look in and think well that's not to bad, WRONG I pick up her hidey and there are huge piles.
She has the same sort of diet.

..Makes you rethink getting another :eye-poppi

 

[4theLOVEofPigs]

Nah! Cleaning up it's POOP is just a labor of love.
I've done it for years and Lord willing I'll be doing it for plenty more years. :cheerful:

 

[Hhbean]

Thank goodness they have hard poops that are easy to sweep up! My one guy is a poop factory and lap time is always funny. We have to be very careful getting up( fold the towel just right) or else there is a poop rainfall!:yuck:

 

[LilPig]

My pigs eat a lot of hay so they produce a ton of poops. I still can't believe how fast I go through hay with 4 girls.... lol

 

[lovelearnmore3]

my piggys alot poopoo every nigh , in the every morning i clean up cover of carefresh bedding, i use cage from petstore so cage square little put fleece layer more space and other side less area put carefresh bedding and pellet/hay.

need ur help how less clean up every in the morning and i do change carefresh alike almost a everyday ..waste i will buy re over again freshcare and also fleece. sigh
my piggys 1 month and ahlf old.


i ask u a question, why my piggys do teeth chew on my fingers, not like bite but i scary if will bite ?? i always wash hand then pick them holding relx..them do my finger. i worry abt what if 1 day piggy will bite us and kids also ..i not want to happen in future. plz god take care it.

 

[pandaloki]

very normal! ) It's actually better than a piggy who doesn't poop at all, that's when you have to start worrying.

 

[bpatters]

Lovelearnmore3, your cage is probably too small to keep clean very easily. A pet store cage isn't large enough for one pig, much less two. Click on the Home button above to see the cages that we recommend.

A small cage is always harder to keep clean than a larger one. If they pee and poop in one corner, and a lot of them do, then put a litter pan with carefresh there, and you can just dump the carefresh every day. Do the same thing under the hay -- put a litter box there and just empty the litter box.

Pigs will pee and poop the most where they eat and sleep. If you can figure out where those places are and put something to catch the pee/poop, it will make cleaning the cage easier.

About chewing on your fingers. Just don't let them do that. Most don't bite unless they're hurt or very frightened, but occasionally one will. I don't think it's a good idea to let any young pet chew your fingers. They get the idea that it's ok, and then when they take a bite out of you, they're very confused because you react so strongly.

 

[lovelearnmore3]

bpatters, my cage large not small alike tank more than that, i will figure out abt poo/pee, but my piggy do poo pee most there on other side carefresh area, and few there fleece too..sigh

how i teach them dont chewing on fingers?? i scary why reason when piggy will bite us n kids in later before toolate grab it do seomthing? i try to understand what u meaning ...i trying figure out what u mean explain to me ..sigh sad. i am very sorry.

 

[bpatters]

You're fine, lovelearnmore3. You don't have to keep apologizing. We'll get past the language problems.

how i teach them dont chewing on fingers??

Just don't put your fingers around their mouths. You can pet their backs, or scratch their ears or their stomachs (if they'll let you), but move your hands when their mouths are there.

Can you measure your cage and let us know how big it is? It may be bigger than a tank but still way too small for two pigs.

 

[lovelearnmore3]

ok try my best to understand you ...I will tell our family dont use finger on piggys face to mouth also.
I mean why my piggy nibbles on the side of my thumb? i put chew fingers (my mistake) but anyway got me learn something also smile.
i will ask hubby more smart math than my (shame on me). i will ask him what measure of cage. that true u mean still small.. i will buy cubes of cage. it still good buy 1 box of 6-cubes storsge unit or 2??

 

[bpatters]

One box of storage cubes is probably plenty for two pigs. Just be sure to get the ones that have the 9 spaces across, not 8 -- they'll be able to get their heads stuck in the ones with just 8 spaces.

Also, if you do make C&C cage and your pigs are young, you'll need to babyproof it to keep them from escaping or getting their heads caught. You can do that by putting 10-inch-high cardboard inside the grids. When they're big enough not to get hurt or loose, you can take the cardboard out.

 

[lovelearnmore3]

( 9 spaces across, not 8 -- they'll be able to get their heads stuck in the ones with just 8 spaces)
and
(if you do make C&C cage and your pigs are young, you'll need to babyproof it to keep them from escaping or getting their heads caught. You can do that by putting 10-inch-high cardboard inside the grids)... i not understand mean? explain clear plz if u mind?

 

[Rayvn]

Hmm.... my piggy poops a lot as well. I'm not sure why, but ever since I switched him to KMS 3rd cut hay, he's been pooping almost twice as much. I have to spot clean once or twice everyday to keep up with it, and I've only got one piggy in a 2x6 C&C! It's ridiculous! Did you guys notice any significant increase in pooping since switching to KMS?

On a related note, How do you stop a piggy from pooping/peeing all over you during lap time? Almost every time, without fail, he poops or pees on me in the first 15 minutes. I love him, but he can be a little gross sometimes :ashamed:.

 

[lissie]

If he poops more on KMS, it means he's eating more hay. That's a good sign.

To stop them for pooping and peeing on you, you could hold him on towels or make a fleece pad with waterproof layer on the bottom.

Some pigs will give you a sign when they have to go. Mine will tug on my shirt.

 

[bpatters]

lovelearnmore3, take a look at the grids at this site: Whitmor Black Wire Storage Cubes - Walmart.com

If you count the holes in each grid, there are 9 holes across and 9 holes down. These are fine to use.

Some brands of cubes have the same size grids, but only 8 holes across. Those are not safe for any age pigs.

Look through the pictures at Baby Proofing - Guinea Pig Cage Photos for examples of baby-proofing the cage. There are a few pictures with cardboard to make the sides higher.

 

[preacherman]

I have only had mine for 3 days now, but thankfully they haven't pooped or pee'd on me or the kids once. But they make up for it in their cage.