I just got my guinea pig. and it wont drink. does it know that the water is there? i have the water dispenser thingy but he isnt drinking.
2007-06-23 06:01:06 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Rodents
If you just got him than he's probably just scared. Gini pigs are raised since birth with that type of water dispenser ((the drip bottle)), so he does know it's there and how to use it. I also suggest getting vitamins that you can put into his water. They flavor the water and give them vitamins they can't get else where that they really need.
2007-06-23 06:07:14 · answer #1 · answered by Kellie D 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Try giving it water in a small bowl. It is really important that it does drink so you need to get it to drink asap. Do you know how it used to drink where you got it from? My rabbit used to drink out of a bowl from the pet shop and i didn't know about bottles. Later i used to give her both but if she had water in a bowl she would always drink there first. Make sure the guinea pig can't fall into the bowl so it should be a small one.
2007-06-24 14:30:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not put vitamin C in their water. It weakens the vitamins and you can't accurately monitor how much they are getting. Use Vitamin C drops or the chewable tablets. My boys love the tablets, they are a daily treat. You can get chewable 100 mg tablets at GNC and break them into fourths.
If you are feeding washed veggies ( which I hope you are), then your pig is getting water from them. Pigs who get a lot of wet veggies don't always seem to drink much from their bottles. Just keep it available and I bet you will hear him/her drinking before your know it. Make sure you don't have the bottle put up too high.
If your pig continues to not drink at all, you will need to syringe him water. Dehydration happens quick intheir little bodies.
Read this website (guinealynx.info) for all you need to know about keeping your pig healthy. The forum there too can help you out.
2007-06-23 06:48:02 · answer #3 · answered by MemphisGal 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure that a little water is on the tip of the dispenser, so that he knows the water is there. I think some of the dispensers are made to do that. If he still will not drink, I would think about buying a different dispenser.
2007-06-23 06:10:03 · answer #4 · answered by chrigity 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Vitamin C in pellets degrades to nothing after 90 days, and there is no way to tell how old the pellets you are buying are. Vitamin C does degrade in water, but your pig will get enough of it daily. Make a fresh batch every day. I add 100mg/16 ounces fresh drinking water daily. They only need 15-25 mg day. An alternative is to feed it to them with an eye dropper or syringe. They soon learn to love the orange flavored liquid supplement. It is not easy to feed the amound of vegies necessary to insure your pig is getting enough C, but if you feed vegies, use those with the highest vitamin C content.
As for your drinking question, as long as the sipper tube is within easy reach, your pig will drink. New pigs take a couple of days to relax and begin exploring. A sick pig may not drink so keep a close eye on him to see if he is eating, and bright and alert.
2007-06-23 06:32:12 · answer #5 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
hes just getting used to his new home, if he still doesnt drink after a few days something is probubly wrong, and if u remember the placement of his water bottle in his old cage at the store, try to put it in the some place. (u do know they drink out of thebottles, not a bowl, right?)also the bottle may be jammed so no water can be released, if he cant smell it he doesnt know its water, roll ur finger over the little metal ball a couple of times, and make sure its not to big or to small, i know this is a lot but i hope it helps!
2007-06-23 06:06:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
you're water dispenser might be clogged. Test and see if the little ball thingy is going up and down. If it isn't then it might be clogged and you should clean it. If everythings fine then you should go to your vet and let him examine your guinea pig. Good Luck!
2007-06-23 07:17:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hillary S, Vit. C drops in water become to deluted to be of any value to a guinea pig. If you give them daily veggies, they should get vitamin C from that. Oxbow Cavy Cuisine is formulated to provide cavies with their dietary needs. It's a pellet food made with Timothy Hay, and Vit. C, and it makes sure your guinea pig gets the correct ammount. (oxbowhay.com & thanks to Justified)
Anyways, if you got your piggy from a pet sotre or animal shelter is SHOULD have been given water froma water bottle, so it should know exactly what it is. If not put your finger under it and get it wet, then show your guinea pig. Even if that doesn't work, he/she will figure it out soon enough.
2007-06-23 06:13:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, they are able to't. whether you gave it to them, they probably does not drink it. Guinea pig foodstuff is in many cases enriched with diet C so which you will not might desire to hassle approximately it. Milk does not even incorporate diet C, in step with danger he grow to be thinking of diet D. the two way, no.
2016-09-28 08:41:41 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All of my animals when I've brought them home wouldn't eat or drink in the first day. They are still getting used to their new home and are nervous and the last thing on their mind is eating or drinking.
2007-06-23 07:03:08 · answer #10 · answered by Cavy Slave to 3 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋