Guinea pigs need water to help with their metabolism and to protect them from other health issues. Yes, water is important for the well-being of your guinea pig.
You must provide fresh water every day for your Guinea pigs. Let’s discuss if guinea pigs drink a lot of water.
Here’s If Guinea Pigs Drink A Lot Of Water
Guinea pigs drink a lot of water depending on their size, level of activity, weather, and diet. 80-100ml of water is recommended daily per guinea pig. A sudden increase in water intake can be attributed to underlying health issues. Diabetes, kidney, dental, and liver diseases are typical examples.
How Much Water Should A Guinea Pig Drink In A Day?
Your guinea pig needs water and you must provide them with fresh water every day. It is recommended that you have more than one bottle of water in their cage. This is to ensure your guinea is getting the required amount of water daily.
According to research, your guinea needs 80-100mls water per day.
Do Guinea Pigs Drink A Lot of Of Water At Night?
Guinea pigs continue to eat during the night. As per the age, and level of activity guinea pigs will drink a lot of water at night. Depending on the temperature of the room where your guinea pig is housed, you need to provide enough water for your guinea pigs.
Is It Normal For A Guinea Pig To Drink A Lot Of Water?
Access to fresh and clean water daily is a must for your guinea pig. Your guinea should drink a lot of water but when it becomes abnormal, you must find out the cause. Your guinea pigs’ water intake depends on their level of activity, age, weather, and size.
If observe your guinea pig drinking more excessively, it is time to see a professional veterinarian examine your guinea pig.
Guinea pigs drinking excessively suddenly is a signal of underlying health issues.
Reasons Your Guinea Pig Is Drinking A lot Of Water
Guinea pigs drinking more than the normal amount daily should be a concern. There are various reasons your guinea pigs may be drinking excessively. Here are the reasons your guinea is drinking a lot:
Polydipsia
One of the causes of your guinea pigs drinking more than normal is a condition called polydipsia. A guinea pig with such a condition will experience an increase in water intake and urination. What causes polydipsia may vary but includes the following :
- diabetes
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- behavioral issue
- Large quantities of sodium chloride
Weather Conditions
The temperature of the environment also affects the drinking pattern of your guinea pigs. In hot conditions, their water level intake increases. So it would help if you avoided temperatures 28 degrees celsius and above.
Just as in summer, humans drink a lot of water. Guinea pigs drink a lot to cool their body. It is always important to move their cage away from direct sunlight.
Dental Issues
If your guinea pig is suffering from dental they tend not to eat properly. To compensate for the food they drink a lot of water to keep hunger away. So a guinea pig owner should seek professional help to rule out any dental problems.
Diet
Guinea pig needs a lot of timothy hay and some fresh vegetables. If you feed them only hay without fresh vegetables your guinea pig will tend to drink more water.
So it is important to always include a lot of vegetables because they contain water which helps your guinea to drink normally.
If you feed your guinea pigs the required dietary requirements(timothy hay and fresh vegetables) and still drink a lot of water in addition then see a vet asp.
Urinary Tract Infection
Guinea pigs are prone to urinary tract infections as a result of poor diet and uncleaned surroundings. An increase in intake of water is not a symptom of urinary infection. However, guinea pigs will increase their intake of water when suffering from urinary tract infections.
Do Pregnant Guinea Pigs Drink A Lot Of Water?
If you observe your guinea pigs drinking a lot, it is a sign your piggie is expecting. So yes, pregnant guinea pigs drink a lot of water. If your guinea pig is pregnant, ensure fresh water is provided consistently.
Do Baby Guinea Pigs Drink A Lot Of Water?
Baby guinea pigs are in the developmental phase so it is crucial you provide enough food and water for their growth. So a healthy baby will surely drink a lot of water. You must ensure you monitor their drinking habits at this stage. Make sure you provide adequate fresh water for them.
Can Guinea Pigs Drink Tap Water Or Bottled Water?
Guinea pigs need fresh water daily to maintain good metabolism. Choosing the source of the water you give your guinea pigs must be given some thought.
Your guinea pig can drink tap water if you live in an area where tap water is considered safe for human consumption. Don’t give your guinea pig tap water if you live in a region where tap water is not safe.
A Guinea pig can drink bottled water since most bottled water has passed through some rigorous filtration.
To be sure to you are providing safe drinking water for your guinea pigs, get yourself a water filter. In that way, if there are additional chemicals in the tap or bottled water you take them out before your guinea pigs ingest them.
Can Guinea Pigs Drink Cold Water?
Giving your guinea pig fresh and clean water is part of their daily care. However, should consider the temperature of the water? Of course, giving your guinea extremely cold water is not recommended. They will not be able to drink it.
Your guinea pig can drink cold but make sure it is not to the extreme. Water at room temperature is ideal for your guinea pigs.
My Guinea Pig Don’t Drink A Lot Of Water
If your guinea pig isn’t drinking enough, the first thing you must rule out is sickness. However, if your guinea pig is healthy, you must check what you are using to serve their water.
Guinea pigs find it difficult to drink from open dishes with edges of several centimeters. This results in a low intake of water in your guinea pigs. The best solution is to replace the open water bowl with a mounted water bottle.
You must also ensure if you have your guinea pig cage or enclosure outside, the water in the bottle is not frozen. You must do regular checks to ensure your guinea pig water bottle is not empty.
How Can I Tell if My Guinea Pig Is Dehydrated?
A guinea pig that is dehydrated will definitely have less urination. An excess of salt in the diet of your guinea also causes dehydration in guinea pigs. The salt absorbs water in the cell of the guinea pigs.
You must ensure the nozzle of the water bottle is not blocked. If not checked, your guinea pig will have no access to water.
Final Thoughts
As humans, we need water for our survival. Your guinea pigs also need water for their survival. So you need to make sure fresh and clean water is available to your pigs 24/7.
Guinea drinks a lot of water depending on their age, diet, weather, and size. The amount of water your guinea pigs need daily is about 80-100mls. However, if your guinea is drinking excessively there may be underlying health issues contributing to that. See medical attention immediately.
The source of water you give your guinea pig is crucial. Tap water, filtered water, and bottled water are all good sources. To be on the safe side, we recommend you buy a water filter so you can filter your water again before giving it to your guinea pigs.
References
Health and Welfare Information about your guinea pig