How to Help a Sad Guinea Pig

How to Help a Sad Guinea Pig

Did you just adopt a guinea pig and it's taking a lot of time adapting to the change? Are you worried because you've noticed any unusual behaviors?

In this AnimalWised article we will take a brief look at the various fundamental aspects in the life of a guinea pig for you to discover what may be happening. It is very important that you pay attention to all the points. Read on to learn how to help a sad guinea pig and do not forget to leave us a comment!

Make sure your guinea pig isn't sick

If your guinea pig stops eating, or if you notice that it does not move and takes on a gruff, unfriendly or simply unusual attitude, you must go to the vet as soon as possible to rule out a serious illness. Check out our list of forbidden foods for guinea pigs to prevent any sickness.

Heatstroke or diarrhea can be fatal if not treated timely and effectively. It can also happen that, when faced with mild physical discomfort, your pet might adopt an abnormal attitude. The first thing to do, then, is to definitely rule out a possible disease.

Is your guinea pig adapting to a new home?

If you just adopted your guinea pig, it might feel depressed and sad at being separated from previous caregivers or other guinea pig friends. This behavior is very common in guinea pigs, so the important thing is to be patient and try to communicate with the little animal gradually.

You must make sure you have prepared well your guinea pig's cage. Sometimes these animals do not know how to drink from a bottle and so they are thirsty. Find out about the animal's previous life.

If your animal has always been with other guinea pigs, you should consider adopting another guinea pig as they are very social animals. Make sure you get one of the same sex to avoid unwanted litters.

Give your guinea pig adequate food

It is very important that you understand how to feed a guinea pig at each stage of their life. Make sure that you always have everything for your guinea pigs and their needs, and always provide fresh hay.

Another point to consider is vitamin C, which is essential for these friendly rodents. You should also know what fruits and vegetables are good for cavies, and what they should never eat at all.

Try to be aware that the food might spoil or rot, and take good care of the general hygiene of the cage to make sure the guinea pigs feel comfortable and at home.

Food, glorious food!

Do not let your little guinea pig feel sad! Learn about their favorite treats and fruits and spend some quality time with your pet, offering them and getting it to trust you. It might take some days or even a week, but eventually your cavy will begin to trust you. You can find treats for guinea pigs in specialized pet shops.

It is also important that you allow your little friend some freedom of movement by playing with it at home. Before releasing the guinea pig, though, make sure there's no danger.

Make sure your guinea pig exercises

Guinea pigs need to move! If they are sad or rather plump, it may be due to a lack of exercise. Let the animals freely roam around your house. Some people will put a wheel in their cage, but you need to be careful with this as some believe that wheels are bad for guinea pigs as it may harm their spine. Even large wheels might not be helpful. What is a better idea is to create a space (big or small) to help your cavy find their own fun and exercise at heir own pace. Some people even go all out and create little guinea pig villages for their beloved pets.

Share your experiences to help others who are going through the same situation in order to learn how to help a sad guinea pig. If you have not found what you wanted in this article, please comment and we will find a solution. You may be interested in how long do guinea pigs live for and costumes for guinea pigs.

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