fat and nervous guinea!

Question
Hi Laura i need your help! I have noticed my guinea pig (which i hav had since october given to me by a friend who moved away) is particularly large i know she cant be pregnant because she hasnt come in contact with any male guineas. is it dangerous? i put her out in her run most days when its dry but she never leaves her pot shes so nervous she doesnt come out of her pot and therefor doesnt get any proper excercise what can i do? thanks for you help bye !

Answer
Hi Beth,

Since your guinea has not been in contact with any other guineas for 6 months she definitely cannot be pregnant. Gestation is only two months so she would have had pups long before now if she was pregnant.

What weight is your guinea pig? Anything from 1 lb - 4 lb (800g - 1800g) is very normal for adult cavies. Ideally you should be weighing your guinea at least once every 2 weeks, since weight loss is one of the very first signs of illness.

Is it just her lower body which seems to be getting bigger? Does she have hair loss on the sides of her body, or enlarged nipples (normal nipples are mostly thin, small and floppy)? If she does have enlarged nipples, hair loss and a very rounded belly area it is a good idea to see your vet since these three symptoms indicate ovarian cysts.

If she only has a rounded shape then it is more likely to be that your guinea is still growing. Pigs continue to grow until around 18 months old.
The youngest of my four guinea pigs, Jasmine, is 11 months old and is heavier than all my other 3 pigs, and she still has a few months left to grow. She is just under 3lb and she does look pretty 'fat' but she is perfectly fine. Some pigs are just that way no matter how you look after them.

There are a few factors which can lead to weight gain and obesity:
- Dry feeds with seeds and coloured bits in are full of fat and aren't too healthy for piggies. The best dry feed are plain pellets, ideally Oxbow Cavy Cuisine for your guinea due to her age (over 6 months). Science Selective Guinea Pig, Burgess Supa Guinea Excel and Mazuri 5664 are the most common plain pellets advised.
- The size of the cage is another factor. A cage which is too small limits the space they have to exercise comfortably in their own time. The cage should be at least 3ft by 2ft, but the bigger you can make it, the better. www.cavycages.com is the website many rely on for excellent guinea pig cage advice.

The amount of time spent outside the cage is also important. Provide a variety of toys and plenty of little hideys everywhere so that your guinea is tempted to come outside her pot. Put a small pile of hay at the opposite end of the run for her and a series of hideys so she at least gets some movement. Also put some veggies in another area of the run. Supervise her but don't sit right next to the run; get yourself a nice spot a few feet away from the run and limit your movement so that she doesn't feel threatened in this strange environment. In time she will learn that she is safe in the run and she will get braver.

Best of luck! She will get there eventually. Maybe a female friend or neutered boy from a rescue or shelter would help her adjust. Guinea pigs thrive when living with a friend. Have a think about it.

- Laura