3 Elderly Guinea Pigs Care Tips

Caring for elderly guinea pigs isn’t talked about a lot, so let’s talk about it today. Guinea pigs can live from 5 - 7 years depending on their health and how they are raised! Each piggie shows signs of aging differently and at different rates. It really shows in their activity, physical appearance, and more. Many believe that piggies show their senior side after 3 years of age, some show signs way later in their lifetime. Hopefully these tips will give you an easier time understanding and caring for your guinea pig no matter what age they are. Better to be prepared!

1. Comfortable Living

It’s important to keep your elderly piggies comfortable in any possible way. You can do this by providing plenty of plush and soft places for your piggie to rest. Since older piggies sleep more, a bed or soft fleece liner would be a good alternative to a shaving type of bedding. And because they sleep more, this means they stay in one place for longer periods of time so you may have to clean their home a little more frequently than when they were younger! Be sure to also limit the amount of toys and obstacles you place inside their cage so that they will be able to have easier access to the necessities. Things that are hard to climb, like ramps, should be removed. Keep everything on a single floor so your piggie doesn’t have to work too hard when walking around!

2. Health Issues

As your piggie ages, the more health issues they may have. Weighing your piggie frequently could let you diagnose if there is a problem or not and the sooner you figure it out, the better. Weight loss is one of the first signs that shows something is off. As piggies age, some of the health issues they may experience is arthritis, heart failure, kidney problems, overgrown molars, brittle teeth, cataracts, and more. Most problems may be small and can be easily solved with some medicine while others may need more serious attention. If you suspect that there is a problem, get in contact with a veterinarian as soon as possible.

3. Food and Water

Food intake for older piggies differ from when they are younger. It is recommended to not give them as many pellets as when they were younger. A pellet with low protein and low calcium would work better. Giving them too many pellets at an old age could lead to bladder stones so be aware! A sign of good guinea pig health is how much food they take in, a healthy guinea pig of any age should have a good appetite. To monitor how much your elderly guinea pig is eating, you can use a measuring cup for pellets and hay. For water, take a marker to mark before and after each day to see how much they drank. Remember, older piggies are more susceptible to illnesses so be sure to change out their water and good more frequently!

Guinea pigs should still be loved just as much as when they were young! Just because they need a bit more care doesn’t mean they can’t give the same amount of love to you. Be sure you familiarize yourself with your guinea pig’s habits and routine so that you can spot when it changes and don't be scared to quickly reach out to a vet when problems arise.