Typical complaints of Peruvian guinea pigs
Peruvian guinea pigs have a life expectancy of around four to six years. However, many guinea pigs suffer over the course of their life from dental problems or gastrointestinal complaints, which can severely affect their quality of life.
Danger of malpositioned teeth
The teeth of Peruvian guinea pigs grown uninterruptedly throughout their entire life. Every week, around one to two millimetres are added to the front and back teeth. They are constantly dependent on plenty of raw fibre to wear down their teeth enough so that they don’t grow too long.
However, as many foods for guinea pigs are low in raw fibre and rich in energy at the same time, many guinea pigs suffer from their teeth growing long. This gradually leads to malpositioning and injuries to the oral mucosa.
These painful wounds are often a reason why affected animals no longer want to eat or appear ill. It’s not uncommon for vets to have to treat the resulting purulent jaw abscesses under anaesthetic.
Special digestion
Furthermore, guinea pigs have a very special digestive system. Their stomach only pushes food into the small intestine when new food forces out the older food pulp.
Here too there can be difficulties if guinea pigs eat too little food rich in raw fibre, as the food pulp then remains stuck in the stomach, so bacteria that are vital for digestion also lack the required energy source. To avoid this happening, you should always ensure a supply of raw fibre!