Hmmm? Do you want to know all about guinea pigs? Why do guinea pigs eat their poop and not just poop, but guinea pigs’ poops? Yes, you heard me Guinea poop.
Guinea pigs, also known as domestic cavy from the family of Caviidae, are one of the most petted animals and are safe to touch and easy to keep an eye on. Because they can stay in an indoor and outdoor space, there is nothing to worry about as long as their comfortably inside the cage.
Another thing to mention about guinea pigs is the cute body figures, they have short ears and large heads.
Guinea pigs’ behavior in an activity or when playing they are afraid of jumping so high, they can only jump on small stumbling blocks, and aside from jumping, they have a problem at motion or moving from place to place. But guinea pigs are good swimmers.
In this article, you will know all about guinea pigs eating habits, the benefits of eating poop, why they poop, and more. So stay tuned and read on.
Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Poop?
Yes, guinea pigs eat their poop because everyone should know that this eating habit of guinea has nothing to be worried and it’s normal for them to eat their poop. Studies say that guinea pigs poop are healthier compared to rats and other rodents animals. Why? Because most of their foods are vegetables and food that is full of nutrients.
Guinea pig’s poop is safe for them to eat. Guinea pigs have different types of poop, such as soft poop, dark poops, and hard poops, it helps the guinea pigs owner identify whether their guinea pigs are okay and are sick with their poop appearance. Or if they don’t eat poop, what will happen? I will discuss it with you later about this question.
Expert Tip: If you noticed, when they turn their heads down and are working downwards, indeed they are busy eating their poop, and that’s normal at all. Again, it is usual for them to eat their poop.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Poop?
Guinea pigs are known as poop eaters or guinea eating habits, considered normal because it is their usual behavior. They want all the nutrients that they need, so they eat poop. Study shows that the poop of guinea pigs has a significant impact on their body.
Poops appearance of guinea pigs may describe their food intakes, and what kind of food they eat can be seen in guinea poop appearance. However, they have normal poops called the hard poop, and another type of poop is the cecotropes poop. It has a softer appearance that is most likely to eat guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs mostly eat vegetables that are rich in fiber and vegetables that have lots of vitamins. Like the green pepper and broccoli, both are rich in vitamins C. Other vegetables that have high nutrients are sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots.
Guinea pigs eat organic and healthy foods, so there is nothing to bother about their eating habits called poop eating. If you are the owner or a first-time pet owner of guinea pigs and you notice that they eat their poop, never stop them because they need it for their survival, and so they can get lots of nutrients from it.
Is It Normal For Guinea Pigs To Eat Their Poops?
Most first-time guinea pet owners wonder why their guinea eat their poop, and we can’t blame them for coming with this question. Is it normal? Some people have these worrying questions about is it expected that guinea pigs eat their poop? Yes, it is normal.
Everyone knows what poop is, it is not the poop you are familiar with but a kind of healthy poop that guinea pigs typically consume to eat every day. So why is it normal for them? Because they are used to it, they will feel active and healthy if they eat their poop.
Another typical thing about the eating habits of guinea pigs has something to do with their health. If guinea pigs feel sick they will eat their poop as their remedy for their illness. Other health conditions of guinea pigs need to be checked by health experts and other health professionals.
Do All Guinea Pigs Eat Their Poop?
Absolutely Yes. All guinea pigs eat their poop as their way of feeding nutrients from their body, and other guinea pigs usually make this eating habit when they get sick, they tend to get other’s poop from their friend. To make them heal and back to be active again.
They eat only the soft poop because it is easy to digest, and they need to extract the nutrients from the poop again.
Guinea pigs do not usually eat the hard poop, they eat the soft poop. Both types of poop are still safe to eat for all guinea pigs. All guinea pigs can eat their poops, make sure that guinea pigs eat organic and healthy. Otherwise, it will cause damage to their body or may cause health problems if they eat food that is not suitable for them.
Are There Benefits Of Eating Poop For Guinea Pigs?
There are many benefits of eating poop for guinea pigs, one of those benefits is the health benefits, by eating poop, they can get high nutrients. Vitamin K and C also have vitamin B and it is highly rich in fiber, which makes their poop healthier. It is a benefit for them.
Vegetables that are leafy and rich in vitamin K are lettuce, spinach, kale, and collard which guinea pigs eat. Other foods that are rich in vitamins C are cauliflower, parsley, tomatoes, etc. These are the foods that guinea pigs eat that can make their poop benefit their body, and the other guinea pigs can also help.
Other guinea pigs could also help from their poop, when other guinea pigs are sick, they will eat poop too.
Expert Tip: Another benefit of guinea pigs eating poop is that their body will stay highly active most of the days, and they are more healthy compared to other animals out there.
How Often Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Poop?
Scrubbing lots of poop in guinea pigs’ cages is not a joke, right? Well, guinea pigs love to eat poop every day, so it is customary to clean lots of poop in a cell. But how often do guinea pigs eat poop?
It depends on the level of their food diet or the food the guinea pigs consume in a day and if you feed guinea pigs almost every day, except that they poop a lot because they are known as the poopers. Even if they’re sleeping, they still poop, and after eating, poop again, so it is expected they poop frequently.
And as a guinea pigs owner, it is hard to know when is the last time your guinea pigs poop because they often poop a lot that you didn’t expect to happen. The more they eat food or vegetables, the more they will go for sure poop and poop.
What if Guinea Pigs Don’t Eat Their Poop?
It sounds alarming and needs attention because we all know that guinea pigs are poop eaters and poopers. As guinea pigs pet owners, you can’t avoid feeling worried and feel like your guinea pigs can’t survive. You are not alone to think about these questions because we can ask someone who knows the best solution to this problem.
But what if guinea pigs don’t eat their poop? What will happen to them if they don’t eat their poop? Experts say that guinea pigs that don’t eat their poop have a problem with their health.
Possible health problems would be malnutrition, digestive problems, infectious diseases, etc. That is why they are weak and have a terrible appetite when they experience this kind of illness.
Conclusion
Guinea pigs prove that they eat their poop, and their eating habits make them known. They eat healthy foods that are rich in lots of nutrients that make their poop safe to eat.
Remember that there are two types of poops which are the normal poops and the cecotropes poop. Cecotropes poops are soft poops that usually like to eat with guinea pigs, and normal poops are color black, and it is a hard poop. The poop of guinea pigs has such a valuable and significant role in their bodies.
The usual everyday routine of a guinea pig’s eating habits is to eat poop, but it is not normal when guinea doesn’t eat their poop. Soft poops are poops that guinea pigs choose to eat again just to digest the nutrients. At the same time, normal poops or hard poops are also good to eat for guinea pigs.
Aside from eating habits and poop appearance, we can also tell that guinea pigs not eating poop needs attention and help.
If you have any questions about this content, you can comment down below.
