Is my guinea pig overweight at 3 lbs? How can I help him lose weight?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that you think Brownie is overweight. This question is hard to address because I don't know what you are feeding and how much. Those are key questions to addressing this problem. Exercise is key of course but food intake and what types of food are very critical for maintaining a good body condition. I would advise a visit to a vet in your area familiar with guinea pigs to let them see Brownie and make some recommendations or post another question here with the above information. It's all about food intake and exercise unless something is physically wrong with him. Good luck.

Just looking at pictures makes it hard to see if your Guinea Pig is overweight. Maybe a little bit? Just make sure that she gets LOTS of hay, a decent pile of greens, not too many pellets (and the pellets should be timothy based pellets with no junk food in them) and very limited treats and you should be ok.

Hello, I would completely stop the pellets for Flopsy, hay & water only. Increasing exercise is very important, too. This may mean feeding the 2 rabbits separately, but there can be so many health problems associated with an obese rabbit, that it is important to try & get some weight off of him. Make sure that you are very careful with the treats he gets. He should only receive good greens, no fruit or high-calorie rabbit treats. Get a good food scale where you can weigh Flopsy weekly & monitor his progress. As he reaches a more normal weight, you can begin to add a few pellets back into his diet. Good luck & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that Mickey isn't looking well. I'm glad to hear that he is eating, drinking, urinating, and defecating normally, as changes in any of these habits can indicate a disease process. It sounds like he has a great, healthy diet of hay, pellets, and vitamin C tablets - my only suggestion here would be to make sure that the fresh fruits and veggies offered to him are high in vitamin C (such as kale, parsley, guava, broccoli, and sweet peppers), as the tablets are usually only meant to supplement the fresh portion of the diet. It does not sound like Mickey is lacking in vitamin C, however (as you didn't mention any of the typical signs of scurvy), and the muscle loss you are describing is likely not due to anything missing in his diet. Without knowing his other potential symptoms and a full physical exam, the only other thing I can think of is age-related changes (you did not mention his age, but as you seem to has a great grasp of his usual body condition and his daily routine, so I assume that he is at least an adult). As guinea pigs age, they may develop conditions like arthritis, which could result in decreased activity, and therefore decreased muscle mass. These changes usually occur in older guinea pigs (5-7 years), but can start as early as 3 years old, depending on the individual guinea pig's weight and habits. I highly recommend that you get Mickey to the vet when you can - preferably a vet that is comfortable with guinea pigs, or an exotics specialist. It sounds like you are doing right by Mickey at home, but the only way to get to the bottom of his muscle loss is through a thorough veterinary exam. The vet will weigh him, listen to his heart and lungs, and make recommendations for other potential issues that can be checked and ruled out as causes. This may include x-rays or bloodwork. In the meantime, keeping Mickey active with mild to moderate exercise regularly can help keep those joints lubricated and prevent further muscle loss. If Mickey appears at all painful, or if any of his habits change, you should contact a vet as soon as possible. Good luck!

It sounds like the larger pig is getting more of the food you put in the enclosure and as a result one is growing too quickly and one may not be growing enough. Probably the easiest thing to do would be to separate the pigs when you are feeding them pellets or treats. You can leave the hay in the enclosure while they are together. Also make sure you are only feeding fresh veggies with very occasional treats. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Issues with teeth are very common in guinea pigs, and do frequently result in issues eating. Dyba may have an issue with his facial nerves or muscles, making it difficult to bite/chew food. Loss of appetite can be caused by many intestinal conditions, but less specific conditions as well, such as cancer or infections. I recommend having Dyba seen by another vet, you may want to look into having him seen by someone who specializes in small mammals or pocket pets. In the meantime, you can try moistening his pellets to make them easier to eat. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Great question! They make large balls (like hamster balls but bigger) for guinea pigs. You can also put him in a a large area like the kitchen or even a kids swimming pool (empty) when you feed him. Sprinkle the food around so that he has to run around to get to his food. These things helped my guinea pig lose weight and I hope it helps Chico too!