Sam and Dean
Have to keep an extra eye on Dean. He didn't eat much of his lettuce this morning. He did eat the bell pepper and he ate his carrot treat and his hay. He is a bit picky about his lettuce and has been for some time. He only likes the greenest parts. The leaf I gave him this morning was a bit lighter green. At 5 years old, he is in what I call "the window". I'm always careful with what I give him, more so than with the younger pigs.
Another thing I noticed is that he's placed his hut by his water bottle and likes to hang out there. Mr Bubbles did the same thing during the last several months of his life. I'd say he's definitely slowing down. He doesn't just lay there all lethargic. He goes to and from the water bottle and drinks plenty. He'll go to other parts of his cage to forage when he's gotten all of the good stuff in his spot. He's reactive when I come into the room and he gets excited about food and treats, but he spends more time in that spot than anywhere else. I know this because that's where he always is when I go in to see and care for him. I think he moves around to do his business so that spot doesn't get too yucky. I can tell because his droppings are spread out. He's always been one to move his hut around to avoid laying in his droppings. All of my guinea pigs do that except for Val and Earl. That's probably because they're still too little to move that hut.
Another thing I noticed is that he's placed his hut by his water bottle and likes to hang out there. Mr Bubbles did the same thing during the last several months of his life. I'd say he's definitely slowing down. He doesn't just lay there all lethargic. He goes to and from the water bottle and drinks plenty. He'll go to other parts of his cage to forage when he's gotten all of the good stuff in his spot. He's reactive when I come into the room and he gets excited about food and treats, but he spends more time in that spot than anywhere else. I know this because that's where he always is when I go in to see and care for him. I think he moves around to do his business so that spot doesn't get too yucky. I can tell because his droppings are spread out. He's always been one to move his hut around to avoid laying in his droppings. All of my guinea pigs do that except for Val and Earl. That's probably because they're still too little to move that hut.
He's ok. Just think he's slowing down because of age. I made sure he got the greenest parts of the lettuce last night and he ate it all. Also ate his cucumber bits and hay. He went from eating the veggies to foraging through the fresh hay for the little pieces that he likes. It took him a while longer than the younger ones though. I spent some time loving on him and he really likes that. He's a really affectionate guy.