My new guinea pigs won't eat or drink and are hiding. What to do?

I am sorry to haer about your concern for your guinea pigs. They can be nervous creatures at first and are probably a big scared in their new surroundings. I would put them in the quietest room of your house with the door shut and lights out and give them some time. Provide them with plenty of hay, fresh water, pellets, and perhaps a treat of a carrot or apple slice and just give them a bit of time!

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.

Your new babies are probably very stressed living in their new home. They're more likely to come out at night when the house is quiet. I would make sure the nervous piggy has access to water, just incase he doesn't know how to use a bottle. You may want to place a small dish of water in his cage.

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, 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!

Continue to give the attention and handle them daily. And offer them treats. Try to find treats that a high in vitamin c since they can't produce their own vitamin c (kiwi, bell peppers, kale, oranges, etc). It will take some time for them to get use to you as changing environments can be stressful. I hope this helps

A [guinea pig](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-new-guinea-pig) that is not eating or drinking needs to be seen by an exotics species veterinarian ASAP. Your guinea pig is at risk of developing (or may already have) a medical condition called Gastrointestinal Stasis (GIS). Without treatment, this can be a fatal condition. GIS is a common condition in guinea pigs and rabbits. Gastrointestinal stasis occurs when the normal emptying of the stomach and passage of food through the intestinal tract slows or stops. Food, fur, and other ingesta then accumulates in the stomach. Without sufficient water intake, the stomach contents become dehydrated, making passage of the contents even more difficult. Anything that causes your guinea pig not to eat/drink, such as disease, dental disease, pain, stress, or starvation, can lead to gastrointestinal stasis. Be sure to have your vet check your guinea pig's teeth for overgrowth or misalignment. A guinea pig's teeth are constantly growing. He or she must chew constantly to keep them trimmed. If not they can quickly become overgrown which will affect the appetite. Until you can get to your veterinarian for treatment, it is important to encourage your guinea pig to eat and drink. Some guinea pigs will readily drink fruit-flavored electrolyte replacement solutions, such as PediaLyte or Gatorade, from a syringe. Offer your guinea pig a [balanced diet](https://www.petcoach.co/article/things-to-know-about-feeding-your-guinea-pig) including a large selection of fresh greens such as cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, carrot tops, dandelion greens, spinach, collard greens and good-quality grass hay. Don't forget to supplement with [Vitamin C](https://www.petcoach.co/article/guinea-pig-vitamin-c-requirements). Your vet may recommend syringe-feeding a special herbivore diet, such as [Oxbow Critical Care](https://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/critical-care), or you can mix ground up pellets with fresh greens, vegetable baby foods, water, or juice to form a gruel. Introduce the syringe tip into the mouth behind the front incisors and depress the plunger slowly, giving your guinea pig time to swallow. If your guinea pig is still mobile, encourage exercise for at least 10–15 minutes every 6–8 hours, as activity promotes gastric motility.