We collected 3 guinea pigs over the weekend. They came from a rescue (but prior to that were with a breeder so they weren't mistreated just saved from going to an auction) and have been with us a couple of days now.
However, they don't seem to be drinking. They've got more confident in coming out of their hidey-holes to get food as the weekend's gone on but only one of them has drunk from their water bottle, and even then only twice in 2 days.
I've left them this morning with a range of veg plus a slice of pear and some cucumber, because of the water content, to try and prop them up until they start drinking.
Looking on the internet other people have reported new guinea pigs not drinking when they first arrive - if yours did this, how long did it take them to start drinking?
Also, do your guinea pigs prefer a water bottle or a shallow bowl, as I've read conflicting views on whether they can have water in an open bowl?
TIA.
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Small pets
New piggies not drinking
InternationalHouseofToast · 30/11/2015 14:05
I think a water bottle is better for most piggies as they have a tendency to knock over/walk through/pee in bowls
Don't worry about them not drinking. They get an awful lot of water from their food. I currently have one pig who rarely drinks and one who drinks quite a bit. They vary. Sometimes I think they're only drinking to make a noise and attract attention
Firstly congratulations on your new piggies, especially as you've given a home to three lovely rescues. They'll be so grateful (OK, I lied. They will be judgey about everything 
)
It might be that your pigs need settling down time. They might not be used to a bottle (though most people use in preference to bowls for the reasons Fernie put. And they take up less space)
Mine never drink.Even in summer.
Their bottle is always there. Clean.Working.In reach. Ignored.
Except for GP3 at 3am one night. Far from being delighted, I had to tell him to pipe down.
But they pee rivers so I'm sure they have enough fluid.
If you are worried about their fluids, you can rinse some leaves (ours love red topped cos lettuce) or dandelion leaves and they'll get moisture from the water on them.
Now. Pigtures.
Don't worry my boys came from a breeder and never used a bottle or a bowl. That made going on holiday and leaving them with NDN stressful. But they took all their liquid from their veg.
My first set of sows came from a pet shop and drank from a bowl. By this time I'd lost one boar. My remaining boar was very old and probably had kidney disease got a taste for tea and couldn't keep his paws off my mug.
Finally I got 2 rescue sows when I was down to one bereaved sow. The new girls showed her how to use a bottle at the age of two.
Good news is you've seen one use the bottle. That means the others will have someone to copy.
Congratulations on your new piggies
Thank you everyone. DH cleaned out the cage last night. He confirms they are definitely peeing, even if they aren't drinking.
They are starting to come out of themselves a bit and don't alway run like hell when we walk past now. DH (broad 6"3 bloke) has developed a worrying tendency to stand in the hall chatting to them. soft touch
and they're eating us out of veg, morning and night, plus hay and nuggets...
Gotta love them.
Oh, and I'll take some photos of them when they're a bit less timid and actually chose to stay out inthe open when you stand in front of them. They are sharing a house with an excited 6 year old boy though, so that may take some time.
good luck with the photos BTW. Trying to get 3 guineas looking in the same direction is like knitting fog or herding cats.
Or herding knitting cats in the fog .
My DH talks to the pigs.
"Hey, you" he says to Himmy GP5.
"Hey yourself " she snips. And hoists in a judgey way.
Though when he was on Pig Duty he bought them an assortment of nice veg to try (and keeps their Pighouse in order so he loves then really )
DD is washing GP4, she has a grubby rump (slightly longer hair on her bum, mixture of pee and boar glue ). She's having a cool waft with the hairdryer and is mega judgey. You have this to look forward to.!!
I missed my chance to photograph them last night when I'd herded them into their cat box whilst I cleaned them out. Unofrtunately, I was the one up to my armpits in chippings and sodden straw and it was too dark by the time I'd finished (my phone has not flash on the camera). Will keep trying.
I suspect they're due a bath this weekend as when I moved them into the box yesterday at least one had a soggy bum and seemed like he needed a spruce up. Hairdrier going on its cool setting this weekend then.
Two of them are a bit more approachable now, just the one who dashes from one hiding place to another like he's been fired from a gun.
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