6 Health

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INFO
Guinea pigs excrete 2 different types of feces: one which contains "normal" waste, and second which is produced in the animal's cecum and is called caecotroph (also called cecotrope or night feces).

Technically, caecotrophs are not a poop; they contain vitamins, minerals and some proteins that were not absorbed when firstly ingested and are reingested by the animal. They are usually greenish in color, but this is not a general rule.


Operating within normal parameters:

• Uniform and oval, medium to dark brown
• When begin to dry out, droppings turn black
• Frequent excretion is normal

CAUTION:

• Clumped droppings: Possible impaction (males).
• Teardrop shaped droppings: Possible dehydration and/or malnutrition.
• Pitted soft droppings: Possible overgrowth of yeast in the intestinal tract.
• ! Bleeding from rectal area: Red alert!
• Diarrhea: Can be life threatening. Temporarily withholding vegetables may help if the droppings are merely soft.
• No droppings for more than 12 hours.