Guinea pigs, like rabbits and other herbivores, need to digest their food twice in order to extract all essential nutrients from it. Their caecum helps maximize this nutrient absorption by breaking down plant matter digestibly; producing soft poops known as cecotropes that contain protein, vitamin K and other essential elements.
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They eat their own poop
As you transition into being a guinea pig parent, you may find some of their behaviors strange. One such surprising activity involves eating their own poop! It is a natural behavior which serves the animal well – for instance, they use their hindgut fermentation mechanism and an enlarged cecum to store fecal matter; when this fecal matter dries up it contains undigested nutrients which provide essential sources of vitamins C and K that the animal may need for health reasons. Guinea pigs like eating their poop!
Eating poop, known as coprophagy, is a behavior commonly observed among many animals. Guinea pigs are herbivores who benefit from eating their own feces to increase nutrition intake from food sources; coprophagy can be observed among wild animals as well. If your guinea pig appears to be feeding on its own waste for an extended period, consult your vet immediately; it could indicate infection or another medical issue that needs urgent attention.
They eat other guinea pigs’ poop
As is common knowledge, guinea pigs produce two distinct kinds of waste. One type is the standard brown pellets seen scattered on cage floors while cecotropes are soft nutrient-packed pellets containing proteins and B-vitamin that weren’t fully digested the first time through their digestive systems – something they naturally seek out and consume as part of their behavior.
Studies show that if guinea pigs are prevented from eating cecotropes, they will quickly become malnourished. Not only are cecotropes an excellent source of protein but they can also aid guinea pigs in digesting vegetables more efficiently.
Though it may seem gross to us humans, guinea pigs must consume their own poop in order to gain essential vitamins daily and prevent an eventual deficiency of essential minerals over time. If your guinea pig stops eating its own waste regularly, consult your vet immediately – otherwise this could result in pain for them and lead to nutritional deficiency over time. If this becomes an issue with your pet guinea pig(s).
They eat other animals’ poop
Guinea pigs are naturally curious animals, making it no surprise they love eating their poop! Eating it aids their digestive process and provides essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, K and Fiber which they need. Guinea pigs produce soft poop called cecotropes in their large colon that they then redigest via their anus to replenish any lost nutrients caused by bacteria digestion.
Coprophagy, or eating other animal’s waste, is perfectly normal in herbivores like guinea pigs. However, if your guinea pig starts eating the waste from other animals it’s essential that you visit a vet immediately as this could indicate an underlying digestive problem and potentially pose serious harm to them if left unchecked. You can prevent coprophagy with regular feed of fresh hay and vegetables as well as providing plenty of fresh water in their cage and making sure there’s plenty of fresh water at all times and regular cage cleanings!
They eat their own droppings
Guinea pigs produce not only the traditional pellet-type waste that we see all around their cage, but they also produce something known as cecotropes; small, soft and smellier than normal pellets, they eat this special kind of waste as it contains protein, B vitamins and beneficial bacteria that they don’t get from food alone – this process forms part of their digestive process and especially assists when transitioning away from mother’s milk as soon as they wean from mother.
Your guinea pig will let you know when they are eating their poop by holding its head between its hind legs – this may look like they’re washing themselves, but is actually an indicator that they are in fact eating coop. Wet or softened poop may indicate they are experiencing digestive tract problems which should be assessed immediately by a vet; loose stools could be caused by too many fresh fruits or vegetables which disrupt their natural balance and could even trigger loose stooling episodes.
