Why Does Guinea Pig Poop So Much?

How To Potty Train Your Guinea Pig

If you have decided to get guinea pigs as a pet, it is going to take a while for you to adjust to their way of life, such as their eating habits, playing habits, pooping habits, etc. Sometimes, it will appear that they’re pooping too little than usual or more than usual.

But why does guinea pig poop so much? What could make a guinea pig poop more than usual? Well, a few things can affect a guinea pig’s pooping rate, such as age, weight, diet, etc. We’re going to look into these things in detail shortly.

Knowing these things will set your expectations and can help you to know what is normal and what isn’t when it comes to training a guinea pig. This way you can tell when there’s a potential problem with your piggies.

Why Does Guinea Pig Poop So Much?

Guinea Pigs are known to poop a lot regularly throughout the day compared to other pets. you can see up to 100 droppings per guinea pig every day. However, the amount of your guinea pig poop depends on a number of factors, including diet, exercise, age, and weight.

How often they do so and the amount also depends on a lot of factors, but the main factor is how much hay they eat and the guinea pig himself.

Although guinea pigs poop a lot compared to other animals, there are many other factors that can affect the quantity and pattern of their poop.

The most common factors are exercise, age, diet, and weight. But, the amount that a guinea pig poops vary from one guinea pig to the other and it also depends on its diet and lifestyle.

Unlike other animals, guinea pigs don’t have a specific time and regular pooping patterns. They just go whenever they feel the urge. This trait with most other rodents, they poop while eating, sleeping, when they feel comfortable, or anytime they want.

Sometimes it is not easy to figure out when and how much your guinea pig is going to poop but you can make a correct guess by observing their lifestyle and eating habits.

So if you notice your guinea pig eating more than usual in a day, this means they will poop more frequently. A change in their diet and eating schedule also causes some changes in the way they poop.

What is The Normal Quantity Of A Guinea Pig Poop?

Why Does Guinea Pig Poop So Much

When it comes to guinea pig’s poop there is no “normal quantity because that depends on the guinea pig himself as some guinea pigs poop a lot while some don’t.

But on average, a guinea pig can sometimes poop somewhere around 100 droppings in a day. Though it can be more than that in some scenarios.

So if you are a new owner of a guinea pig, you should expect to see up to 100 droppings a day. You may also need to clean out poop from your guinea pig’s cage up to 4 times a day. So, keep that in mind and be fully prepared for it.

Cleaning up a guinea pig poop can be quite time consuming if you decide to do it by hand but you can also use a handheld vacuum to do the job. because you will be cleaning out their poop up to 3- 4 times a day, so you’ll need to find the easiest way.

Should Your Guinea Pig Pooping A Lot Be A Cause For Concern?

It is perfectly normal for guinea pigs to poop a lot, in fact, when you notice that your guinea is popping less, it might be an indicator of an underlying problem. Guinea pigs eat all day so therefore they need to poop a lot.

A guinea pig’s diet should consist of lots of hay and veggies as well as fruits. So pooping a lot is a common trait in most guinea pigs. However, you need to keep an eye out for the color, shape, or smell of the poop and ensure it is normal.

A normal guinea pig’s poop should have an oval-shape and should have a medium brown color. If your guinea pig’s poop isn’t similar to this then this could indicate that your guinea pig is suffering from digestion issues.

There are lots of factors that can cause these problems but the most common is an imbalanced diet like overfeeding your guinea pig with fruits or proteins. Not only does it cause a pooping problem for your guinea pig, but it can also cause dental problems and viral infections.

If you notice any abnormality in your guinea pigs poop, like being really soft, bloody, dry or clumped. It is an indicator of an underlying problem. Here are some things you can do:

  • Ensure that you provide your guinea pig with a sufficient amount of hay. It should be sufficient enough to provide them with the amount of fiber they require
  • Ensure your guinea pigs is given enough water to drink
  • Fruits and other high sugar content and sensitive foods should be Reduced and fed sparingly to guinea pigs
  • Ensure to clean their cage regularly

Where Do Guinea Pigs Like to Poop?

Guinea pigs are usually housed within a cage, so they tend to poop within the cage’s environment. Also, if your guinea pig is taken out regularly for a walk, you may find that they poop on the floor but this depends on the guinea pig, how long they have been out of the cage, the time of the day, and lots of other factors.

Some guinea pigs may be comfortable with pooping at any time and at any location. But this may not apply to all guinea pigs, some may like to visit the same spot and you’ll notice that guinea pigs pig tends to move to a specific area of their cage whenever they want to poop.

This is why it is recommended to make use of litter boxes and you can find great and affordable litter boxes available online both reusable and disposable.

Some guinea pigs can easily adjust to using a litter box and you can simply place it within the area your guinea pig likes to poop. This will enable your guinea pig to continue doing their business in this location but inside the litter box.

Even if your guinea pig does not have a particular location they love pooping at, there are other ways you can potty train your guinea pig to use a litter box.

If you can’t potty train your guinea pig, there are ways for clearing poop away quickly and hygienically.

They include:

  • Using a handheld vacuum especially one that is very effective and also comes with other additional accessories that can be used to tidy up after guinea pigs
  • Place fleece bedding across the cage, so you can easily take it out and toss it in the washer

How To Potty Train Your Guinea Pig

How To Tell If Your Guinea Pig Is Pooping Too Much

Potty training your guinea pig will take some time and lots of patience, but it is very beneficial for both you as their owner and your guinea pig’s well-being.

Potty training your guinea pig will help to ensure that their cage is much more hygienic, smells less, and requires a lot less cleaning.

The key to training a guinea pig to poop in the same place is by teaching the behavior so it happens naturally. Here are some steps to take if you are trying to potty train your guinea pig:

1. Obtain A Litter Box And Place It In A Dark Area

Guinea Pigs are naturally wild animals, with a long history and they have survived as long as they did due to their inherent tendency to watch out for predators.

So, when a guinea pig decides to go to the toilet, they like to do so in the dark as it makes them feel hidden from potential predators.

So, a great way to potty train your guinea pig is by placing the litter box in an area that is darker than the rest of the cage, this will make your pet feel safe and hidden as they use the toilet.

The darker the area, the better, you can also make use of lamps to create this illusion. You can place the lamps in areas of the cage where you do not your guinea pig to poop like in an area they generally sleep, so this serves a double purpose.

Also, because guinea pigs are known for pooping near where they eat. You can try placing their food bowls within the dark area where the litter box is placed.

With constant repetition of these processes, your guinea pig will soon catch the drift and soon start defecating in the designated and dark areas and will begin to reduce pooping over the cage.

With time, this location will become familiar to your guinea pig, and they will start to wand over there on their own whenever it’s time to go.

But ensure you do not change the location when your pet starts to get used to it, also refrain from changing it too often or you may need to potty train your guinea pig all over again.

2. Using Fleece Bedding

This is another advanced tactic you can. Simply add bedding to the litter box and when you can get your Guinea Pig to poop here, it will reduce the need for using fleece liners across their cage.

This is because when you make use of fleece liners, you would need to take them out regularly and wash them. But when you are able to contain the poop in one area it reduces the need for fleece liners.

To do this, you need to first need to add your guinea pig bedding into a wide container then place the container into the dark area you have created in the cage. You would also need to add your litter tray where the guinea pigs will poop to the container also.

Next, place some newspaper underneath the bedding and place an Igloo/tunnel on top for them to sleep.  to clean the container, take out the entire container, and then remove all the poop on it.

After then all you need to do is replace the newspaper. With this, You have created a calm, relaxing, and clean environment that you can easily clean quickly.

How To Tell If Your Guinea Pig Is Pooping Too Much

A guinea pig will eat regularly throughout the day consuming a lot of hay, vegetables, and any other feed that you provide. This makes them have frequent bowel movements.

When your guinea pig stops eating, its pooping becomes less than normal, or may appear excessive, have a foul smell which is different or stronger than normal, has a different color or changed constancy, and or becomes runnier.

All of these abnormalities indicate that your guinea pig might be suffering from stomach and digestion problems.

There are many different causes of abnormal poop in guinea pigs but the most common one is an unbalanced diet like feeding your guinea pig the wrong food item like fruits or protein. Other causes are dental problems, a sudden change of diet, or a viral infection.

To ensure that your guinea pig remains healthy and is able to digest food properly as well as pass out poop adequately. You will need to ensure that your guinea pig eats sufficient hay and other foods that are high in fiber.

You should also make sure your guinea pig has access to plenty of freshwaters, and do not change abruptly change its diet. You also need to make sure your guinea pig isn’t fed too many fruits or sensitive foods.

Always take your guinea pig for routine health checkups. Also, ensure they undergo regular dental examinations.

Also, regularly clean your guinea pig cage to ensure it is clean and free from bacteria. Ensure to maintain an overall good hygiene standard for your guinea pigs.

Conclusion

Guinea pigs are not like other animals and although they have small body mass, they eat a lot of food causing them to poop throughout the day.

So, if that’s your current situation and you are wondering why does guinea pig poop so much? You shouldn’t fret as it is likely normal.

The amount of your guinea pig’s poop depends on different factors like food, diet, and lifestyle but you need to ensure that their cage is cleaned at least once every day.

Photo of author

Frank Kane

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been head-over-paws for all creatures, great and small. I’m on a mission to help other pet lovers better understand, care for, and enjoy life with their furry, scaly, or feathery friends.

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