GP not drinking water...

Question
About 3 weeks ago, my 5 yr old inherited a 9 mo old female piggy from a family friend.  She's a wonderful addition to our family and we truly love her and want her to be happy, healthy and well cared for.  Up until now it has seemed that she has been adjusting well to her new family- it's just 3 of us and no other pets- but now I am not so sure.  For the past 3 days I have noticed that she has been drinking little to no water at all (the fill level in the bottle has hardly changed at all... only enough to account for drips when her cage has been jostled) In addition, she seems quieter than normal and not as lively.  I've cleaned the water bottle and spout, checked her over for obvious wounds etc, cleaned her cage as normal and watched her diet closely.  She has been eating pellets and veggies as usual but seems to be almost frantic when you put the veggies in her dish and then she devours them as fast as she can.  I am worried about what may be causing this... Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!  Thanks a ton! Jana

Answer
Jana --

It sounds to me like your guinea pig is still adjusting to life in your home.  However, I am worried that you mentioned that she is not only off water, but also becoming listless.  I would watch this carefully, as they may be symptoms of a more serious problem.  Also, is there any chance that the animal could be pregnant?  You didn't mention anything about this possibility, but if so, these are almost classic symptoms of pregnancy toxemia.  If not, then I would just monitor her symptoms closely and take her to the vet if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

I hope this is helpful.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact me again.  Good luck!

Lorena