For those who’re happening trip, and even should you’re unexpectedly caught away from dwelling in a single day, you would possibly surprise in case your guinea pigs shall be okay on their very own. How lengthy can they go with out meals or water?
Guinea pigs can go into GI Stasis, a lethal situation the place their digestive tract slows, after simply 6-8 hours with out meals. In the event that they’re additionally with out water, this would possibly occur extra rapidly. Guinea pigs ought to by no means go greater than 24 hours with out water.
Please notice that in case your guinea pig is already affected by underlying sickness or is in any other case unhealthy, they may go downhill with out meals or water extra rapidly than a wholesome guinea pig.
On this article, we’ll talk about how lengthy guinea pigs can go with out meals and water, how lengthy they are often left alone, and extra.
How Lengthy Can a Guinea Pig Survive With out Meals?
Guinea pigs can die in the event that they don’t have entry to meals for simply 6-8 hours. It’s because their digestive system is constructed to be always processing meals, and with out it they will rapidly go into GI Stasis.
GI Stasis is a lethal situation the place the gastrointestinal tract slows, or goes stagnant, which implies meals and water is now not transferring by means of the guinea pig’s physique.
That is why guinea pigs want fixed entry to contemporary hay. It’s greatest to supply it in giant piles, and to proceed replenishing it all through the day. After piggies flatten their hay from strolling on it and even pee on it, they gained’t eat it!
What About Greens?
In fact, guinea pigs additionally want day by day veggies. Whereas greens are usually not an elective a part of their weight loss program, your guinea pig is not going to die or go into GI Stasis with out veggies for a day or two as long as they’ve contemporary hay obtainable.
Longterm, although, they will develop scurvy from not getting sufficient vitamin C. Their poops may also turn out to be agency and dry from having an unbalanced weight loss program.
Can Guinea Pigs Survive With out Pellets?
In relation to pellets, some folks don’t feed them in any respect! However this weight loss program is greatest left to specialists on guinea pig diets, as a result of guinea pigs can endure from dietary deficiency if pellets aren’t changed by a variety of veggies that meet their dietary wants day by day.
As with veggies, although, your guinea pig is unlikely to endure if it’s a must to wait a few days for pellets to be delivered. Further greens on this case can assist make up for the vitamins they’d often get from pellets.
And, in fact, make sure that your piggies nonetheless have entry to loads of contemporary hay whereas they’re ready for that pellet bowl to be refilled!
GI Stasis in Guinea Pigs
Guinea pig’s programs are constructed to always eat, drink, pee, and poop. You would possibly discover your piggy consuming hay and pooping on the similar time–that is tremendous frequent!
Gastrointestinal Stasis, often known as intestine stasis or GI Stasis, is when a guinea pig’s digestive system basically shuts down from lack of use. It sometimes occurs when guinea pigs don’t get sufficient to eat.
A guinea pig in GI Stasis would possibly cease pooping or peeing, and should not eat even when supplied meals.
Symptoms of GI Stasis in guinea pigs embody:
- Tooth grinding
- Comfortable poop or diarrhea
- Small poops or not pooping in any respect
- Tiredness
- Melancholy
- Decreased urge for food
- Heavy, speedy respiratory
- Bloat
- Hunching over
- Hiding
- Grunting
Scurvy in Guinea Pigs
Scurvy in guinea pigs happens once they don’t get sufficient vitamin C.
Guinea pigs ought to get vitamin C by means of their pellets and day by day greens, not by means of drops of their water. These drops are sometimes unhelpful as a result of the vitamin C disintegrates in daylight they usually also can discourage piggies from consuming because of the style.
The very best veggies which can be excessive in vitamin C are bell peppers and darkish, leafy greens.
Symptoms of scurvy in guinea pigs embody:
- Vocalizing in ache
- Weak point
- Decreased urge for food
- Diarrhea
- Stiffness
- Transferring lower than regular
- Tough coat
- Gradual therapeutic of wounds
- Tooth grinding
- Stillbirth
- Continual illness
- Hunger
- Petechiae (pin-sized, crimson dots from bleeding beneath the pores and skin)
How Lengthy Can a Guinea Pig Survive With out Water?
Guinea pigs shouldn’t ever be with out water. Even a wholesome guinea pig shall be dehydrated after simply 24 hours, whereas some will see penalties sooner.
Dehydration can result in kidney damage in extreme instances and in case your guinea pig can also be with out meals, they’re extra seemingly to enter GI Stasis. With out water, your guinea pig may additionally develop urinary issues comparable to bladder stones or urinary tract infections (UTIs).
In case your guinea pigs are stored in a sizzling surroundings, lack of water could make them extra inclined to heat stroke as nicely.
It’s essential to needless to say piggies get some water by means of their greens. Some piggies hardly ever drink as a result of they’re fed numerous watery veggies. Their folks can assist them out by leaving them just a little damp after washing them, and giving greens excessive in water content material.
Different piggies will drink extra throughout the summer season when it’s sizzling, they usually want further hydration, however will drink much less within the winter months.
So, it’s not essentially time to panic in case your guinea pig isn’t consuming loads. But when your guinea pig’s consuming habits change immediately and with out trigger, please deliver them to the veterinarian rapidly as this can be a signal of sickness.
Do Guinea Pigs Favor Water Bowls or Bottles?
Analysis reveals that guinea pigs don’t have a clear preference by some means. Nevertheless, they do are inclined to drink extra from water bottles than from bowls. It’s hypothesized that consuming from bottles is enriching for guinea pigs due to their must chew.
In fact, each guinea pig is totally different, so the one option to know what your piggy prefers is to strive each.
Different issues to remember are cleanliness and security. As an illustration, bowls can turn out to be soiled rapidly and this would possibly trigger your guinea pigs to not drink their water. Water bowls needs to be heavy sufficient that your guinea pigs can not knock them over, as it will go away them with out water. It may possibly additionally get the cage or piggies moist.
Water bottles can be knocked over and a few types will spill, whereas others are extra tightly sealed. It’s essential to examine the spouts recurrently to make sure they aren’t blocked up and are releasing sufficient water on your pigs.
I like to recommend all the time preserving at the very least two water sources within the cage always, in order that you realize your piggies gained’t ever be with out water if one thing occurs. This may additionally cut back useful resource guarding the place one pig chases the opposite away from the water.
How Lengthy Can Guinea Pigs Be Left Alone?
For those who’re happening trip, you’ll want to rent a pet sitter on your guinea pigs. They shouldn’t be left alone for greater than 24 hours.
Any greater than this, they usually gained’t obtain correct care that they want comparable to topping up on contemporary hay, feeding them day by day veggies and pellets, and spot cleansing their cage.
Leaving huge piles of meals and plenty of water isn’t sufficient, and leaving sufficient greens for the time you’re away isn’t sensible. Greens must be refrigerated to remain contemporary, they usually could make your guinea pig sick in the event that they start to rot earlier than they’re eaten.
This may additionally result in bugs within the cage, particularly if it goes a number of days with out being cleaned.
There’s additionally an opportunity that one thing goes improper, comparable to their water bottle leaking and them having nothing to drink for the entire time you’re away.
Guinea pig sickness progresses rapidly as nicely, and never having somebody round to watch them may be harmful in the event that they get sick when you’re gone.
It’s essential to always be on prime of feeding your piggies and refilling their water, as a result of they want fixed sustenance. Bear in mind to by no means let your guinea pigs go with out hay, and that they will go into GI Stasis in the event that they’re with out meals for simply 6-8 hours–typically much less.
We hope this text has helped you to study extra about preserving your piggies wholesome and protected!
