Guinea pig not eating hay after moving? Is this normal behavior?

Hi there! Guinea pigs really like their veggies and pellets, so your guy may be starting to want those more often instead of hay. However, Guinea pigs really need to be eating hay as the main staple of their diet. This makes sure their gastrointestinal tract is always active and working. Try to continue to offer your pig hay and very small amounts of the other stuff. He also needs to have a vitamin C supplement in the diet. If your pig isn't eating much though in general, my biggest concern is always checking the teeth (which should be done a couple of times a year anyway by a veterinarian who is skilled at treating Guinea pigs), and also making sure the pig isn't bloated. Guinea pigs can also colic and have issues with the gastrointestinal tract not moving at an appropriate pace. I would monitor your pig for another 12 hours and if he is not improving, I'd take him in to see his veterinarian to insure nothing serious is going on.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Keep in mind that she just may simply not like those. I would encourage you to try other vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers or celery and also other types of dry food until you find what she prefers. Best of luck!

Hello, thank you for your question about Layla. It is possible that Layla is experiencing mild stress secondary to her recent move. I would recommend continuing to monitor her for the next 24-36 hours and ensure that you offer her a wide variety of foods including fruits and vegetables. If her signs do not resolve or she develops any additional symptoms I would recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

If your guinea pig isn't eating at all then this is concerning as they can get GI stasisand become very ill. I would offer your guinea pig hay, pellets, and perhaps some small pieces of carrot or apple and then try to observe from an area he cannot see you- could he be eating when you aren't in the room because he is nervous in his new home? You can often look in a guinea pig's mouth and see leftover food in the mouth of he has been eating. If you don't see this or feel sure he isn't eating, I would bring him in for an examination.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is very important that Guinea Pigs continue to eat and poop continually. If Cookie hasn't been eating, drinking or pooping for over 12 hours, he should be seen by a vet. It could be due to the new environment causing stress and setting off a gastric stasis event, however this needs to be treated. Best of luck with Cookie!

I think this is normal behavior for a guinea pig that is in a new environment. It will take some time for her to get used to her new home and her new enclosure. I would encourage you to spend as much time with her as possible to help her feel more comfortable. When you are handling her or playing with her offer her her favorite treats so that she will learn that she can trust you. I think small amounts of fruit are fine to give her but start off slowly. If you give her too much of a new thing all at once she may develop diarrhea. Congratulations on your new pet! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello. Any change in formulation of feed can change the color & consistency of the feces, especially in hindgut fermenters like guinea pigs. It does take time for the bacteria to adapt. But if your pigs are only picking out the good parts, then it makes sense to change back to their regular hay. This should not be too upsetting to their GI tract since you are doing a relatively fast switch back. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.