Like other pets, guinea pigs have special requirements when it comes to keeping and caring for them as they get older. To ensure that your chubby cheeks can live happily and healthily as a senior, you should heed the following tips.
Proper nutrition, adapted to the needs of older sea mermaids, is extremely important for rodents – Shutterstock / bowii
Guinea pigs live between five and eight years on average. The life expectancy of the rodents depends on the species-appropriate husbandry. In order to provide your guinea pig with the best possible care as it ages, everyone in the family must understand possible changes in the senior’s behavior and meet their needs.
Feeding guinea pigs in old age: Adjusting the diet
Diet plays a particularly important role for guinea pigs as they age. The feed should be based on hay and greens. It can happen that your elderly fur nose suddenly no longer digests the familiar food so easily, so it suddenly tolerates it less well or not at all.
It is therefore even more important than usual that there is always enough fresh hay available. As the sense of taste and smell decreases with age, you can make the food more stimulating by adding herbs. Basically, senior guinea pigs eat less than young animals. Since the nutrients can no longer be utilized quite as well as before, supplementing with vitamin supplements may be advisable – you should consult your veterinarian about this to be on the safe side.
Check the guinea pig’s weight
Regular weight checks are important for older guinea pigs. Often, although not always, Meeri seniors lose weight continuously in the last few months of their lives. There are many reasons for this – it is possible that the nutrients in the food are no longer absorbed as well or the animal eats less in general. Age-related diseases are also possible. It is best to consult the veterinarian and inform them about the intensity of the weight loss.
The guinea pig enclosure for elderly rodents
Older sea creatures like it quiet and comfortable – the cute animals are no different from older people. This means that at best you avoid making major changes in the enclosure. Changes usually mean stress for older rodents. First and foremost, make sure your pet is warm and cozy. A cozy hay bed is a must.
Adapt the facility to the needs of a senior citizen: Avoid high places in the enclosure, as the little animals, which are no longer quite so mobile, could fall down. It is essential to avoid drafts and temperature fluctuations in the guinea pig enclosure – the elderly’s immune system is no longer as strong, which increases the risk of colds and infections.
Feel free to spoil your guinea pig
Spoil your loved one a little in their final months. A treat every now and then, plenty of rest and warmth or even a cuddle session for two – provided you have a close relationship with your rodent. As a rule, older guinea pigs will gladly accept a few strokes. Older animals are usually more likely to freeze than young ones, so that a (slightly) increased ambient temperature is usually accepted benevolently. Of course it shouldn’t be too hot!
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