My guinea pig is getting fat, and all he does is eat, cuddle and lie down. What can I do?
First of all, it would be a good idea to get your guinea pig checked out by a vet to make absolutely sure that this increase in weight is due to overeating, and the lethargy is not due to a medical condition.
- Obesity can be caused through eating large amounts of molasses-enriched foods, and flaked maize is also very calorific. If you feed these to your guinea pig, it would probably be a good idea to cut them out of his diet, but always change a guinea pig’s diet gradually
- The best diets for guinea pigs use commercially pelleted diets as the basis, supplemented with hay and green food. Guinea pigs have to have enough Vitamin C (at least 10mg/kg/day if they are not pregnant, more if they are). This is normally in the pelleted food, but obviously if it has been stored too long, the Vitamin C content may have decreased
- Guinea pigs are very fastidious when it comes to changing their diet, and changing it too suddenly can cause them to stop eating altogether. If you add more green foods to increase the bulk, yet decrease the calories, this can also cause digestive disturbances
- You can try increasing the activity in his cage. Their ideal fun is burrowing into hay and hiding inside plastic tubes or flowerpots. It is also a good idea to provide a gnawing block, such as a log, a piece of hard baked bread or a chew bought from a pet shop, to maintain their teeth. Make sure the accommodation isn't too crowded, as well
- You could also provide a mobile run - you can buy one for indoor use as well as one for using outside. Make sure you position the indoor run in the shade in a large room so your guinea pig doesn't get too overheated
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