Why are guinea pigs always hungry? Basically, guinea pigs are always hungry because they are foragers by nature. They always have the urge to eat whenever they can.
Whenever guinea pigs stop eating for a few hours, their gut system will slow down or even collapse, leading to severe health conditions.
Nursing or shedding guinea pigs usually tend to eat more than usual, as a responsible owner of a guinea pig, you must provide your guinea pigs with an unlimited amount of hay, a cup of vegetable every day, and a small amount of treat occasionally.
Why Are Guinea Pigs Always Hungry?
Guinea pigs are always hungry because they are herbivores, and as such, they are plant eaters.
However, your guinea pig needs to eat in an orderly quantity every day. The feeding mode of your guinea pig is going to remain constant day after day.
However, if your guinea pig appears hungry almost all the time than usual, this can also indicate that they have health problems like diabetes or parasites.
It is very important for a guinea pig owner to understand his/her guinea pigs dietary need to ensure that your guinea pig gets a healthy balanced life.
The particular reason will make sure that your guinea does not feed too much or starve for food.
If there’s a sudden increase in the appetite of your guinea pigs diet, you need to look out for their health. Your guinea pig becomes hungry because of these few reasons:
1. Shedding
Shedding which can also be known as molting maybe be a possible reason why your guinea pig is always hungry.
This lovely animal doesn’t need to have their thick coat when the winter season is over. They will start molting or otherwise shed their coat fur to a thinner layer to makes themselves comfortable in spring.
Also, guinea pigs can start shedding in the fall, right before winter. They shed their fur two times per year. For animals like the guinea pig, to shed takes a lot of energy and increases the level of their appetite.
You need to make available an unlimited supply of food for your guinea pig if they are molting in chunks.
Once the season of molting or shedding is over, they will regain their energy, and their appetite will go back to normal.
2. Breeding
Have you ever noticed that the appetite of your female guinea pig increases in the springtime? This can affect the season of breeding.
It is incredible to note that, the female guinea pig goes through supporting their nutrients and energy in the anxiety of pregnancy.
However, this is not a known fact or acceptable for all guinea pigs. Generally, this affects only those guinea pigs that are exposed outside frequently for play or housing. Other factors this can trigger this may include sun, light.
Also, all those kind of guinea pigs that are neutered and spayed will not exhibit any symptoms at that season, because they release a small number of hormones.
3. Diabetes
Another common reason for the starving of guinea pigs can be caused by diabetes. Fortunately, it is a disease that is not common in guinea pigs.
A health condition in the pancreas than can be the cause of diabetes in guinea pigs. This is a condition where the pancreas is not efficient to produce as much insulin, which is vital to control the sugar in the blood.
Examining this disease can be a hard one because it is not common in guinea pigs. The symptoms of this disease exhibited by guinea pig can vary from one guinea to another.
In addition to this, the veterinary surgeon has to eliminate the most common disorders first.
But even at that, when there is an increase in the appetite of a guinea pig it can be a sign of diabetes. Loss of weight that occurs in guinea pigs can follow that.
You need to make some changes in the feeding mode of your guinea pig if you want to treat diabetes.
Because most guinea pigs that are overweight are always the sufferer of diabetes, you need to correct their eating habits.
There is a high chance of recovery for any guinea pig with a strict diet plan. It is highly recommended to prevent this disease instead of treatment. It is advised that guinea pigs have a balanced diet, which includes high fibre and low sugar food.
Read Also: Can I Overfeed a Guinea Pig?
4. Parasites
A sudden increase in the level of appetite in guinea pigs can be caused by parasites.
The parasites that are located in the intestine can suck the nutrients from the stomach of your guinea pig. Therefore, you need to make available much food for your guinea pig to eat and earn the same nutrients.
The kind of symptoms shown by your guinea pigs is dependent on the parasites, your guinea pigs will show different symptoms.
However, infections caused by parasites can always be taken care of by other symptoms. That commonly include:
- Weakness
- Discharge
- Skin irritations
- A shabby coat
- Loss in weight
If you suspect that there is a possibility your guinea pig is infected, then there is no need to worry.
Call on the attention of vet surgeon and he will deliver the treatments to eliminate the parasite from the body of your guinea pig.
Some other supplements can be given to boost the immune system of your guinea pig. That will allow the appetite of your guinea pig to become healthy and help them recover from the disease.
What Happens When a Guinea Pig is Hungry?
Your guinea pigs are always hungry and will always long for more food. Especially when it comes to tasty fruits and vegetables, they can’t stop whisking.
At some point, you may be thinking that your guinea pigs are the greedy ones, and in a way, they are. So the question a pet owner needs to ask is, does your guinea pigs need more food?
Disappointingly, there is no best way to determine if they are hungry. You can invite a veterinary surgeon to examine your guinea pig, but this can be unnecessary unless your guinea pig shows any signs of malnourishment.
There is no better sign or symptom to be exhibited by an underfed guinea pig.
Instead of this, you need to feed your guinea a balanced diet in the right quantities, which is a great approach.
Your guinea pig won’t have any reason to be hungry if you deliver them nutritionally dense meals. But how much food is right for them?
How Much Should a Hungry Guinea Pig Eat?
The food pyramid of guinea pigs contains three various types, which are listed below:
- Hays and grass
- Vegetables
- Pellets
As a pet owner, you can always provide fruits as a treat to your guinea pig in small quantities.
But the question arises, what is the appropriate portion size for your guinea pig? How often can you provide the food to your guinea pig?
Below is how often to feed your guinea pigs and the quantity of food:
- Pellets: Daily ¼ cup Daily
- Fruits: 1-2 times a week 1-2 tablespoon
- Vegetables: Daily Mix Of 4-5 Veggies In A Bowl plate
- Fresh Grass: Almost daily 1/2 Bowl
- Other treats: Once a week
- Hay: Daily Unlimited
When Do Hungry Guinea Pigs Eat?
Mostly, hungry guinea pigs eat throughout the day, but they prefer to eat vegetables and snacks in the morning and evening. Guinea pigs that are wild are very active in the evening hours because it helps them to stay clear from predators.
Guinea pigs that are wild mostly spend this time in the search for food or provisions. Domesticated guinea pigs can also follow this mode of feeding but to a small extent.
Domestic guinea pigs don’t have to search for food, and because of this, your guinea pig will graze throughout the day.
Moreover, guinea pigs have more urge to eat in the morning and evening as they feel safe during those hours.
Also, this gives the body of guinea pigs the orientation to get ready for more activity, as it speeds up the energy levels of guinea pigs with additional food.
What to Do If Your Guinea Pig Is Always Hungry
If you provide an unlimited supply of hay, then also you will notice your guinea pig hungry. Do you have to offer more food to your guinea pig if they have increased appetite?
The quantity of food you provide your guinea pig needs to be the same. It is not advisable to add more pellets, vegetables, or leafy greens. Because, if you try to do this, your guinea pig will completely ignore their hay, which will be terrible for their health.
Instead of doing this, you need to expose your guinea pig to more extra grass hay.
If your guinea pig is in consumption of more hay then it should not worry about it, maybe you need to refill their supply more often.
But, it is best advised for your guinea pig to eat hay instead of eating more vegetables or pellets. These are not recommended or the staple part of their diet.
Read Also:
- Why Do Guinea Pigs Poop So Much?
- Can Rabbits Chew On Wood?
- How Much Greens Should I Feed My Rabbit?
- How Often Should I Feed My Bunny?
Conclusion
Generally, a guinea pig will not always be hungry if you provide them with a balanced diet regularly.
But if by chance they become hungry, then there are some changes that you need to make to their meal supplies. That includes reducing the vegetables, fruits, or pellets that are given to them.
There is no need to be bothered if your guinea pig seems hungry every time. They can consume as much hay as they need. But never give your guinea pig excess pellets and fresh food.
