How Much? Smaller droppings and teardrop shaped droppings

[Texaschic81]

When I first got cinnamon her dropping were small and teardrop shaped. After a few weeks with me they turned into a more normal shaped then I noticed this week that they are back to being that shape.
I have two piggies. In the early morning (around 6am) I give them a total of 1/4 cup of pellets, make sure the hay is full, and give them either a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of mixed veggies each. Then again around 6 at night I do the same thing. Always two water bottles with water. Nothing has changed. But cinnamon wheeks all the time like she's starving. Now I'm thinking maybe she really is. I watch her eat quite a bit, so I'm not sure what is going on here. Any thoughts?

 

[bpatters]

How much hay does she get, and what kind? And what kind of vegetables are you feeding?

Half a cup of pellets a day is too much -- she should ideally get about 1/8 cup, certainly no more than 1/4.

 

[Texaschic81]

That's what I do really. I have two pigs so 1/4 cup is 1/8 cup each, twice a day. So 1/4 each day. Of course I can't be sure how much each one gets. Foods I give is: cilantro, parsley (not everyday) romaine, red leaf, carrots, tomatoes, gr beans (not everyday) and gr peppers. They get unlimited fresh Timothy hay. And cinnamon begs for food all the time. Drives my husband crazy

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

Not too sure if this is completely relevant but it's anecdotal and seems worthy of me saying...

A while back Maximus von Lichtenwalder did not get cucumbers because the price shot up to $5 each. During the time he had no cucumber in his diet his poops also changed shape to eliptical. When made that connection, and re-introduced cucumber his poops went back to normal. If I skip more than one day he whooks all the time, until I give cucumber. I've now found a variety that are finger length and he gets one or two of those a day depending on how vocal he is about it. Just my thoughts and not the last word in anything as I am pretty new being only one year into Guinea Pig Universe.

Perhaps your food list is not varied enough? Do you give an fruit at all? and do you change up the sorts of food you give or is your list pretty much The List?

I don't believe Cinnemon should be wheeking for food unless she is missing nutritionally something she needs, which is not being met in the diet. This thought comes from Sally Fallon and Dr Enig's findings that babies only scream cry when their cells are screaming for nutrient delivery....? I don't know if this could be relevant at all, but it's maybe something to ponder?

 

[Texaschic81]

Well I have been a little less gr. Pepper since I'm running low. But even when she got lots she would wheek whenever someone would walk into the kitchen or by her cage. That is pretty much the list some times they get some apples or strawberries but not often. But maybe it's the peppers since that is the only change. When I buy more I'll watch for changes.

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

Ok then, that's something, have you tried grapes? I give two at a time sliced in half, one red one green. Since I introduced the two colours of grapes Maximus von Lichtenwalder now also eats carrots regularly and he has decided to eat Tomato Berry a kind of small and pointed tip tomato. He won't eat capsicum regularly so I've had to really get varied to give him enough nutrient tools to be healthy. Perhaps Cinnemon has a plan and is also pointing you in the nutrient diversity direction...?

Fortunately we eat everything Maximus von Lichtenwalder can eat so I have the lists up on my fridge and try to change up his servings to give him as much variety as possible.

 

[bpatters]

I don't believe Cinnemon should be wheeking for food unless she is missing nutritionally something she needs, which is not being met in the diet.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this. Pigs learn to associate the sound of the refrigerator door opening, or the rustling of a grocery bag, or even the water running in the sink with the possibility of being fed. Some will come and wheek their little heads off at every possible noise that might mean food. Granted, they get louder the hungrier they are, but mine can always be counted on to chime in if someone is in the kitchen.

Texaschic, the only thing I see in your diet list that I might change is to hold off on the tomato for a few days and see if that helps. Tomatoes can have a lot of acid in them, but it varies widely by the type of tomato, the time of the year, and how ripe the tomatoes are. You might also limit the veggies to just 1 cup per day total per pig. I suggest this because pigs that aren't fed enough hay sometimes have tear-shaped droppings, and if yours are eating less hay because they're eating more veggies, that might be the problem.

 

[Texaschic81]

Good idea on the less veggies, I'll try that. And I just ran out of tomatoes so that will be easy. I just bought more gr pepper and even scored a red pepper on sale. I figured that she was just begging due to the sounds, but it's really annoying.