Why won't my guinea pig eat hay but still eats pellets and veggies?

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 reaching out about Lucy. Dental disease (cheek teeth) are fairly common in guinea pigs, as their teeth grow throughout life. Infections, inflammation, scurvy, can all be causes. Dental disease can be infections or inflammation, and therefore painful. If it hurt to chew, and hay requires more chewing, then she might be shying away from hay. A veterinary visit is recommended to check, more important if you think she is loosing weight. Good luck.

Hay is not a bad diet for guinea pigs but the do have an absolute requirement for vitamin C - this can be from vegetables/fruits (sych as peppers, dark leafy greens, brocolli or squashes), supplemented pellets or in Rose's case vitsamin C srops for her water may be helpful also

It might not like that hay. If it comes from a pet store there is a chance it is old and dusty. Try finding someone with horses and ask if you can buy a slice of grass hay from them. Might cost you two or three dollars, but will be far nicer hay and your piggy will likely eat it.

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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The new environment may have made Alexis not want to eat her hay. As long as she is eating and drinking normally, it is normal for her to eat less hay (or none) than usual. You can also try putting a small amount of water on her hay to see if she is more interested in it. You should change the moistened hay daily as it can promote mold growth. I hope this helps and that all is well!

It sounds like Kinako may not be getting enough fibre from her diet, so her poop is small and dry. Make sure you offer her fresh hay and pelleted food made for g.pigs that has a high fibre content. Raspberries are higher in fibre, so worth trying to offer her some. If this problem continues, your vet should examine her teeth to make sure there are no sharp spurs which may prevent her chewing properly. Change her water daily.