Guinea Pig Twix

Question
QUESTION: Hey Pat, I'm Twix's owner Elyse. Past questions I've asked you have been about his pooping issue. Lately he hasn't even really been eatting his food. I give him one carrot (which he usually loves) and he will take one bite out of it and then ignore it. It isn't just carrots, its basically all the food I give to him. He also has been having really mushy, light brown poop lately. I don't really know how to get him to eat? Please help!
Thank you! -Elyse


Cavy teeth side view  
Cavy teeth frontal vei   ANSWER: Something is causing him pain or discomfort when he chews, the question is what? Is there a possibility that his teeth are the problem? We can easily see the front teeth, but the molars are something altogether different.

Attached is a picture of a cavy skull which shows the teeth very clearly. The front teeth are very long, as you can see. The molars aren't like our teeth. Human molars grow upward and downward with very little tilt.

Cavy molars grow more inward toward the tongue. When they are out of alignment it is referred to as malocclusion. That simply means the teeth are not in correct position. The arrows show the back teeth that are in proper alignment. You can see how they fit together like a puzzle.

The back teeth have nearly three times the grooves that human teeth do, and for that reason they must be perfectly aligned in order to meet in exactly the right spot to facilitate chewing and grinding.

When you watch a pig chew you will notice that they bite down initially with the front teeth, then grind with the back teeth with a rotating motion rather than straight up and down. We do the same thing but not as exaggerated as with guinea pigs.  When you open the mouth the cheeks tend fall inward to cover the molars making it nearly impossible to see them at all.

That's why it's so easy for us to assume that the teeth are okay because all we can see are the giant incisors, or front teeth. The fronts must also be positioned correctly. The top comes down over the bottom teeth just slightly.  

When they bite down on a food the teeth must be able to grind up the pellet, carrot or whatever so they can swallow. When the teeth are misaligned they may cut the inside of the cheek or tongue, causing pain. The result is the pig won't take another bite.

I would recommend you take Twix to a vet who is familiar with small animals and have him really examine those teeth carefully. They have the tools to keep the mouth opened and get a good visual exam of the molars.

In the meantime you might try grinding his pellets up in a food processor so that the pieces are very small. That will allow him to get enough without having to chew, giving him the nutrition he needs. Soft melons are good too. The red soft meat of a watermelon is the easiest for a pig to eat as they really don't have to chew at all.  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Twix   QUESTION: Thank you so much for answering! I will check out his teeth for sure. I also just made a big mistake of giving Twix some grass from outside that has pesticides sprayed on the grass. I only gave him a little but before I realized, he ate all of it. You think he will be ok?? Thank you! :) -Elyse

I also added a picture so you can see what he currently looks like x) I trimmed his nails a few minutes ago, so his nails aren't too bad anymore.

Answer
He is adorable. And just in case you're wondering about his breed and coloring he is an American (that's his breed) and is called a 'broken' meaning his coloring is two or more colors in patches. He's red and black, is that right? I love his little facial markings. It gives him character.

If the grass has been watered since the pesticides were sprayed on the area it may be diluted enough not to cause him permanent harm. But by all means be careful of what you allow him to eat. The safest thing is to stick with veggies you've purchased from the grocery store or that you've grown yourself and know there are no pesticides. Even then they should all be washed thoroughly before either of you eat them.

The fact that he ate all the grass is encouraging. He's able to chew so you know he can if he wants to. I would stop worrying too much about what he's eating. I think there's a good chance he's eating more than you realize. If he's eating the grass he will eat hay and should be eating his pellets as well.

You have to remember that he isn't very pig, probably only two pounds. His stomach can't hold a lot at one time. These are grazing animals and they eat very frequently in small amounts. If he's getting lots of fruits or veggies he will eat less pellets. He appears to be quite healthy. Hopefully you're worrying more than you need to.