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Small pets

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Original poster

New Guinea Pig has stopped eating

37 replies

Lench · 28/04/2025 19:33

We got our two boars last week and they are about 10 weeks old. One is a lot bigger and more dominant than the smaller one.

Smaller GP is docile and has seemed more nervous around us. He has been gaining confidence and has been eating vegetables from our hand.

When I came home today he was very withdrawn and is refusing to eat anything.

I’ve taken him out and checked him over and no sign of injury but he feels very skinny. I’ve syringe fed him some pellets mixed with water and he’s had about 4ml of that. I’ve pushed a piece of red pepper under his nose in the hope he would eat that but he’s refused it.

Big boar is still bounding around the cage as normal and doesn’t seem bothered by little boars lack of energy.

I’m going to take him to the vet tomorrow if he doesn’t improve. Has anyone else ever experienced this with their guinea pigs and have any recommendations?

Thanks

OP posts:
Picklechicken · 28/04/2025 19:35

Do they each have a food bowl? Are you sure he’s not intimidated by the other one? I’d separate them if you can and see if he starts to eat. Make sure they both have a lot of hiding places away from you / each other.

Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 19:35

Photo of little boar. He looks so sad 😢

New Guinea Pig has stopped eating
OP posts:
Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 19:37

@PicklechickenThere’s three hideys in their cage. Two food bowls. Two water bottles. Plenty of hay and I separate their food.

Will they get more distressed being separated? If not, I’ll definitely do that.

OP posts:
Judashascomeintosomemoney · 28/04/2025 19:52

You need to keep feeding every three to four hours with the syringe. Do you have any Critical Care food? Mushed pellets are ok but if you can’t get him to eat that then maybe try liquidising his favourite veg and try that. Have you had guinea pigs before? Gut stasis can set in very quickly and waiting til tomorrow if you can’t get him eating may be too late to avoid that happening and then it’s a much bigger problem. When did he last eat independently? Do you have emergency vets nearby?

AlmostSummer25 · 28/04/2025 19:54

Poor little fellow. I hope he's ok 🤗

WombatCowgirl · 28/04/2025 19:56

He's lovely. Hope he perks up soon. I think I would try separating them in case it's that.

Picklechicken · 28/04/2025 19:58

Lench · 28/04/2025 19:37

@PicklechickenThere’s three hideys in their cage. Two food bowls. Two water bottles. Plenty of hay and I separate their food.

Will they get more distressed being separated? If not, I’ll definitely do that.

It’s hard to say, I was more thinking that perhaps if the other one is bullying him (happened to us several times over the 20 plus years we’ve had many Guinea pigs) but if you’re confident that isn’t happening and there are lots of bowls / hides etc I’d be tempted to leave him and just see how he goes (obviously vet trip necessary). As others have said get some critical care if you can and try feeding that. Poor little thing.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/04/2025 20:03

Poor little boy , he looks very subdued Sad and puffed up ( starey coat )

Can you + another person cuddle both ( ideally one piggie per lap) you din't want to cause any jealousy .
I would bribe him with anything that is guinea-pig high treat .
Parsley is you have any
Grass and dandelions were my piggies favourite . Make sure there's nothing sprayed or any animals having peed on the area and cut some nice leaves . ( You can rinse them for extra fluid)

Is he peeing or poohing ? Are his poos normal ?

If there's nothing visible it could be teeth or he might've ingested something that got stuck (plastic on veg is a risk )
Vet vist for a check for sure , you cannot see his back teeth

Piggies are designed to eat pretty constantly (then eat their first passing when it's quiet ) so a guinea pig not eating is bad news

Paws crossed

Orangesandlemons82 · 28/04/2025 20:03

It's tricky with guinea pigs, but generally once they stop eating they are quite unwell. Because they are prey animals they don't visibly show they are sick until it's quite late. I would be tempted to find an out of hours vet. You can get sachets or critical care food which is quite handy to keep in the house for emergencies.
I hope he is ok, always such a worry when pets are unwell.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/04/2025 20:05

If there's no squabbling and he can have peace from his cage mate then leave them together .
If they fight then its another matter

Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 20:07

I’ve mixed pellets with water (no critical care food). He took the mixture relatively well.

The bigger boar is very exciteable and is jumping all over the cage quite a bit and he is getting humped quite a bit (no aggression from either of them). I read online that it was all relatively normal behaviour but I am a bit worried that the little one is just retreating into himself 💔

Haven’t had guinea pigs before but was worried about gut stasis. Looking at the camera footage of them today I think he has eaten this morning but not convinced he’s eaten this afternoon.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 20:08

Sorry, I should have said thanks for all your advice and insights. I’m a bit on edge and forgetting my manners, sorry.

OP posts:
starpatch · 28/04/2025 20:09

Vet advised me once to use apple sauce to feed when they are sick as they like the taste.

Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 20:11

No Apple sauce in the house and in the past week they’ve both refused anything sweet and have been much more interested in veg. I’ve put all of his favourites in the hidey in the hope he will have a nibble. I’m going to do to the garden now and check for dandelions.

This is all so stressful! Poor boy 😢

OP posts:
Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 20:28

I’ve taken him out again and he’s sat calmly in my arms. I put him back into the seperate enclosure and he just sat there for a few minutes and then calmly walked to his hidey.

Just looked up and our vets has changed its emergency vets partner and the new one is 40 mins drive away (doable, but I’m a SP and would need to take DD with me).

OP posts:
Original poster
Lench · 28/04/2025 23:47

DD and I took him to the emergency vets earlier and they said that he was really unwell. Low glucose, low body temperature. Said it was a failure to thrive, she said we could give him lots of medication but said the kindest thing to do would be to and put him to sleep. Heartbreaking, I can’t quite believe it. Just so so sad.

OP posts:
DesertIslandDreams · 29/04/2025 00:01

So very sorry to read your sad update - but glad you were able to see a vet tonight. Poor little chap. Thinking of you and your DD.

Orangesandlemons82 · 29/04/2025 06:59

I'm so sorry to hear this update. But this guinea pig was very lucky to have you and your daughter, as soon as you realised something was wrong you got out of hours care for him and not everyone would have done that xx

Picklechicken · 29/04/2025 08:13

Lench · 28/04/2025 23:47

DD and I took him to the emergency vets earlier and they said that he was really unwell. Low glucose, low body temperature. Said it was a failure to thrive, she said we could give him lots of medication but said the kindest thing to do would be to and put him to sleep. Heartbreaking, I can’t quite believe it. Just so so sad.

So sorry to read this. Guinea pigs go downhill so quickly. You did the best you could for him.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 29/04/2025 08:22

Ahh sorry to hear that OP. But you made the effort to get him seen quickly and that means his suffering wasn’t prolonged, it was the only thing you could have done. My DDs work at a local animal rescue and they always have a herd of Guineas. When individuals get elderly or poorly, they do better inside in a smaller group or pair and we have had soooo many here that I have lost count. They go downhill very quickly and even when you’re used to nursing them, as we now are, there’s not much that can be done but to recognise when they have had enough and need that final kind act. ❤️

Your remaining Guinea is going to need company very quickly though. If you’re not familiar with the process, is there a rescue local to you that could help with a companion and bonding?

Original poster
Lench · 29/04/2025 09:08

We haven’t stopped crying, it was just so awful. Keep trying to remind myself that we did the right thing by giving him being a dignified end.

I’m now really worried about big boar being on his own. I’m WFH today so can keep an eye on him and make sure he’s eating (he was eating and jumping around this morning).

I’m not experienced at all with bonding boars. big boar is about 10/11 weeks old, is is better to get him another guinea pig his age, or one who
is older? I’ve looked at most of the local rescues and they all either bonded boars or sows. No individual boars. And how quickly should we do this, is there a mourning period for them or is it a case of the quicker the better?

It feels so crass to be thinking about replacing little boar this quickly but I’m aware big boar will need company.

Thank you all so much

OP posts:
Orangesandlemons82 · 29/04/2025 09:17

Where did you get these ones? Do they have any others from that litter left?

Picklechicken · 29/04/2025 09:18

Lench · 29/04/2025 09:08

We haven’t stopped crying, it was just so awful. Keep trying to remind myself that we did the right thing by giving him being a dignified end.

I’m now really worried about big boar being on his own. I’m WFH today so can keep an eye on him and make sure he’s eating (he was eating and jumping around this morning).

I’m not experienced at all with bonding boars. big boar is about 10/11 weeks old, is is better to get him another guinea pig his age, or one who
is older? I’ve looked at most of the local rescues and they all either bonded boars or sows. No individual boars. And how quickly should we do this, is there a mourning period for them or is it a case of the quicker the better?

It feels so crass to be thinking about replacing little boar this quickly but I’m aware big boar will need company.

Thank you all so much

The quicker the better re the other boar. Get another one the same sort of size and age as him. The alternative is to wait until he’s old enough to neuter and then get a girlfriend or two for him - boars do often fight and if you can neuter and get a girlfriend they often do better. We’ve had a small herd of a neutered male and 4 girls together and that was the most harmonious group we’ve had (in a huge 6ft x 6ft c and c cage). If you did want to consider waiting and neutering him you could consider getting the girl / girls now and putting them in another cage alongside side him so they can wheek at each other and get used to each others noises (but obviously don’t let them mix)!

Orangesandlemons82 · 29/04/2025 09:18

People tend to think bonding boars is more difficult, but we have never had any problems. Yours is also very young still which will make it easier.

Original poster
Lench · 29/04/2025 10:04

Thank you.

No more from the litter left, so imagine it will be rescue or pets at home. Not sure how many rescues get boars at two to three months.

Thanks all

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