Guinea Pig Size-O-Meter
Getting hands-on is the key to this simple system.
Whilst the pictures in the Guinea Pig Size-O-Meter will help, it may be difficult to judge your guinea pig’s body condition purely by sight alone.
Some guinea pigs have long coats that can disguise ribs, hip bones and spine, while a short coat may highlight these areas. You will need to gently feel your pet which can be a pleasurable bonding experience for both you and your guinea pig.
Our tips for keeping your guinea pig at an ideal body-condition:
- Always buy specialist guinea pig food (and not rabbit food) – ask your vet or pet shop for advice. Do not overfeed as guinea pigs tend to control feed intake through volume rather than calories and over use of nutrient dense feeds will tend towards obesity.
- Ensure your guinea pig has an unlimited supply of good quality hay or fresh grass which are an essential form of fibre for guinea pigs. Hay and grass are necessary for their teeth, digestive system and to keep them occupied. Lawnmower (grass) clippings should never be fed due to potentially fatal conditions they may cause.
- Always provide access to fresh water from a bowl or metal tipped feeding bottle and check the bottle regularly to make sure it is working properly. If vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is being provided through this route, it will require refreshing every day. Vitamin C degrades rapidly in water in daylight and may affect the amount of water taken in. Instead, a suitable food should be fed, and over-supplementation should be avoided.
- Guinea pigs must have a daily supply of vitamin C. They need approximately 10mg/kg/day, either via suitable commercial feed, supplemented water, adequate fresh vegetables (not fruit) or in combination. Such vegetables as kale, dandelion greens and parsley are good sources of vitamin C. Guinea pigs’ vitamin C requirements increase during times of stress or illness.
- Guinea pigs can get fat quickly if they don’t eat the right food or don’t take enough exercise. Use our body condition score chart (Pet Size-O-Meter)every four weeks or so to check your guinea pig’s body condition score.
