# how to fatten a guinea pig up



## giant snail (Oct 25, 2009)

i have a sow 8 months old. she was bred out of my two pigs last year

she was in fine health etc etc when bred from and had the babies
but few days after she lost a bit of weight so iv fed her more. she had 3 small but healthy babies. 1 has died other two are still small for thier age but healthy for now. she just doesnt seem to be putting the weight on even though she is eating a little more then my average pigs.

is there anything i can do to fatten her up?
iv been putting her on the grass she has been eating it...... and she can still run faster then me :whistling2:


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## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

How much does she weigh now?

And what age was she mated and what weight was she then?


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

make sure she has been wormed. you can get an ivermectin spot on that does outsdie and inside parasites specifically for small animals.
plenty of high quality hay, good grass and a good quality feed ad lib should see her gaining weight ok.

i have found a product called rabbit royale helps thin guineas gain weight. you will need to put a supplement in their water though for the correct vit c addition. some of the guineas i get off the meat man are really thin.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Dee_Williams said:


> make sure she has been wormed. you can get an ivermectin spot on that does outsdie and inside parasites specifically for small animals.
> plenty of high quality hay, good grass and a good quality feed ad lib should see her gaining weight ok.
> 
> i have found a product called rabbit royale helps thin guineas gain weight. you will need to put a supplement in their water though for the correct vit c addition. *some of the guineas i get off the meat man are really thin.*


 
Please explain this to me:gasp:


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## giant snail (Oct 25, 2009)

havnt a clue on weight as to be honest i havnt got a pair of scales for them. but she was nice and round like all pigs should be.

she is prob half the weight she is ment to be.

mated at 6-7 months as she is almost 9 months checking her details.

all are wormed liced etc with ivorec.

they are fed on rabbit royal with few other bits. they always have vit c in thier water 2/3 times a week. fed on very good quality hay and straw unlimited as well as graze on 4 times a week also been adding equine sensitive feed ( dry herbal nuggets)

i just hope she puts on weight soon.......... as you cant give pigs sugar beet can you?? would give them dihorea???


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

you can give pigs sugar beet, but it has to be soaked the same as for horses and the uneaten thrown away before it goes off.

you need to introduce it slowly though.

some of hte old skool pig breeders use it, mixed with rolled oats.

i`ve never tried it, too scared i`ll give them all the squits and bump them off, i have no sense of smell and cant tell if stuffs rancid and manky.

if you`ve wormed her and she`s eating normally, have you looked at her teeth and checked they`re ok?
you should be able to get your little finger in her mouth and check the back ones by touch.
you`re looking for them being overgrown, in extreem cases they can grow over the tongue in an arch and trap it!


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

Shell195 said:


> Please explain this to me:gasp:


meat man. you know. sells meat. there are a fair few people that eat guinea pigs in this country. as well as rabbits, pigeons and chickens.

i get them off him when i can, treat them for bugs, get them in good health and sell them on to nice homes for what they cost me. i do the same with rabbits. it distresses me to see them go for meat.


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

you could also give her some rolled barley or maize. that should help get weight back on her if her teeth are ok. but only a bit, mixed in with her usual food. rolled peas are good too.


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## angiepie (Jul 7, 2011)

When my piggy was sick and lost weight my vet told me to feed him Complan through a syringe x


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## eightball (Jan 1, 2011)

giant snail said:


> i have a sow 8 months old. she was bred out of my two pigs last year
> 
> she was in fine health etc etc when bred from and had the babies
> but few days after she lost a bit of weight so iv fed her more. she had 3 small but healthy babies. 1 has died other two are still small for thier age but healthy for now. she just doesnt seem to be putting the weight on even though she is eating a little more then my average pigs.
> ...


getting it pregnant will fatten it up :2thumb: nah, high protein food will fatten them up or alot of unhealthy food? maybe that would make it sick though lol


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

barleys heating in pigs and can make their skin pink sore and itchy, and a lot can be dangerous in hot weather.

has she been drooling at all, or does her breath smell funny? kinda sweet and sickly like someone on the atkins diet?


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Dee_Williams said:


> meat man. you know. sells meat. there are a fair few people that eat guinea pigs in this country. as well as rabbits, pigeons and chickens.
> 
> i get them off him when i can, treat them for bugs, get them in good health and sell them on to nice homes for what they cost me. i do the same with rabbits. it distresses me to see them go for meat.


 

I know what a meat man is but wondered why he had guinea pigs!
Weve bought a fair few from from Clitheroe auction as we heard they were used for ritual slaughter, we buy them for very little, get them healthy,neuter the boars and rehome them into good caring homes.


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## giant snail (Oct 25, 2009)

hmm okay yeah iv got maize i mix a bit of that in her feed. iv been picking her long green grass when i get the chance too...... i have noticed small dribble but iv ashumed its where she drinks out the bottle like a nuter like most pigs do LOL as they waste alot of it when using it unlike the rabbits that lick it....... not the pigs who have to shake it bite it tip thier heads upside down :lol2:

nope hear front and back teeth are fine as that was the 1st thing i checked. even though she is young and shouldnt have any teeth problems. but all are okay

yeah i got to an auction and i know alot of them go for snake food as they go for 1-4.00 each ussally. the rex's went for more but they where labled as rex.

i picked up some stunning young coronets and sheltie boars 1.00 and 2.00 each.... as well as some what look like swiss x alpaca sows 4.00 each.... i bought as many as i could house must of been about 28 in total few months back. most have been rehomed now.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

have you smelt her breath? can you smell the ketones?

it could be pregnancy toxaemia, add some vitamin c to the water and some glucose for a couple of weeks
( you should do this with heavily pregnant sows you think are going to have big litters as a prevention imo )

the sugar should jump start her metabolism, and make sure she gets plenty of fresh greens and good hay and as much mix as she wants.

hopefully that`ll sort it, otherwise she could have wasting disease.......


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## giant snail (Oct 25, 2009)

pigglywiggly said:


> have you smelt her breath? can you smell the ketones?
> 
> it could be pregnancy toxaemia, add some vitamin c to the water and some glucose for a couple of weeks
> ( you should do this with heavily pregnant sows you think are going to have big letters as a prevention imo )
> ...



no i havnt, ill check in the morning..... yes has vit c. ill give it to her all the time. nd ill give her some veg every day too now. yeah i up all feed etc when they are preg.

thanks she seems fine in her self.... giving me the run around in the garden:lol2:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

add the sugar too and see if it helps.


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