My guinea pig is not eating

Question
my guinea pig has not been eating that well lately, he used to eat loads of food at a time like almost a whole pepper at a time,but now here barely will eat any of it. he has lost a lot of weight,i don't know what is wrong with him :(. please help

katie

Answer
Hello Katie,

Not eating is often the first sign of illness, injury, or stress. Your little boy needs to see a vet. Not eating is very serious in Guinea Pigs and can cause bloating and death long before starvation. Because of the way their stomachs work (they are fermenters) it has to be constantly moving or they will die. I assume he is still eating a bit right now? It's important to get him to the vet before he stops completely especially if he's losing weight already. With that being the only symptom so far, I can't really make an even remotely accurate guess because there are so many things it could be, but he is ill and should see a doctor soon. If he stops eating before you go, you will have to start force feeding him. It's best to take him before he gets to that point though. Good luck. I hope he gets well soon. If you notice any other symptoms before he gets to the vet let me know and I'll try to give you a better idea what's going on.

-kkat
www.geocities.com/abyssinianguineapigs