Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:59 pm
Guinea pigs are very interesting and smart pets that eat anything and everything. They are very curious and sometimes know how to eat something they shouldn’t, such as a bit of plastic.
All of us as owners of guinea pigs are worried and wonder if plastic is dangerous for their health and if something bad can happen to them.
Can guinea pigs eat plastic?
Guinea pigs can eat a small amount of plastic and that’s nothing terrible, but if they eat a large amount of plastic they can have health problems, and we need to take them to the vet immediately.
If the guinea pigs eat a small amount of plastic, we should pay attention to their behavior, to see if they show signs of health problems.
If you notice any problems with their health, you must take them to a veterinarian to examine them, to see if it is dangerous or not.
Although eating small amounts of plastic is generally not terrible for your pet, it is still best not to teach them to eat plastic, or to keep it away from them.
Give them chew toys, but do not give them plastic toys or other plastic objects.
In any case, if necessary, consult a veterinarian if there is any concern or danger to your pet’s health.
What to do if a guinea pig eats plastic?
As we said at the beginning, a small amount of plastic is not terrible for the health of the guinea pig.
However, if it has eaten a large amount of plastic or if it shows signs of health problems, you must take your pet to the vet.
The vet will examine the guinea pig and see if it needs to be given vitamins and minerals to refresh your pet a bit.
Most likely, there won’t be any terrible consequences, but just in case, you must have an examination by a veterinarian.
Plastic is best kept as far away from guinea pigs as possible.
What are the signs that a guinea pig has eaten plastic?
If your guinea pig has eaten plastic, it’s normal to be concerned about your pet’s health.
You immediately think of getting cut somewhere in the guinea pig’s mouth or throat from some sharp plastic or some similar accident.
That’s why you should know the basic signs that something is wrong with the guinea pigs.
Here are the signs to look out for:
- loss of appetite
- lethargy
- weight reduction
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- stomach ache
All of these signs mean that your guinea pig has problems from eating a certain amount of plastic and you should take him to the vet immediately for an examination.
If the guinea pig has eaten some plastic, you will notice that it struggles to bite and chew it, because it is not the same as eating and chewing normal food.
If they eat a large amount of plastic they will have the symptoms we have listed and you should take them to the vet immediately.
How to stop a guinea pig from eating plastic?
In order not to eat plastic and have health problems, you need to take some measures for your guinea pig, so that in the future no serious health problems occur.
It is best to keep the plastic as far away from the guinea pig as possible, where it cannot be accessed or eaten.
You should not buy any plastic objects or toys for them or leave them near the guinea pig because that way it will be easier for him to get to them and eat them.
Any type of plastic wrap or plastic bag should not be within the guinea pig’s reach, so remove them if you have any near them.
They should always have enough food to eat such as hay and other types of food such as vegetables and fruits and of course fresh water to drink.
Because when they are full they will not be so curious to look for something else to eat or rather plastic.
Guinea pigs should also have enough toys and other objects to play with because sometimes out of boredom they will start searching around and find plastic and eat it.
If you notice that the guinea pig is eating a plastic object or a small piece of plastic, try to gently and slowly remove it from its mouth, just be careful not to injure your pet.
Because if you forcefully take the plastic object it can cause injuries or sores in their mouth.
Any small amount of plastic should not worry you so much and if there are no symptoms of illness then there is no need to worry.
Whereas if they eat a large amount of plastic and show symptoms of illness, take the guinea pig to the vet immediately.
What to do if the guinea pig ate a piece of plastic bag?
As we said, guinea pigs will eat anything in their way and that includes plastic objects or plastic bags.
If the guinea pig eats a small piece of a plastic bag, nothing terrible will probably happen to it, but you should still pay attention to its behavior.
If you notice any symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or something similar, immediately consult a veterinarian who will give you advice on what to do or tell you to take him for an examination depending on the symptoms he is showing.
As an owner yourself, while you are waiting for a vet or unable to make contact at the time your guinea pig has symptoms and problems, take some hay and feed it to your pet.
Also, give him water to drink so that the plastic bag can pass more easily through his body and digestive system.
Of course, the best way to prevent the guinea pig from eating plastic is to not have it near him at all, so it is most certain that he will not have problems and worries.
Be careful that you yourself never leave or forget plastic bags in the guinea pig’s cage.
Prevention is best to avoid all these possible problems and diseases if the guinea pig eats plastic bags or plastic items.
Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Eat Eggplant? (Find Out Now)
What kind of plastic do guinea pigs eat the most?
Guinea pigs eat cardboard, plastic bags, and anything that comes their way.
The most common type of plastic that guinea pigs eat is plastic bags.
However, small pieces of plastic bags are not dangerous for their health. The next thing guinea pigs eat is plastic bottle caps.
These plastic items are larger and can cause problems for guinea pigs and get stuck in their digestive system.
Plastic caps can also cause bleeding when swallowed by guinea pigs.
Of course, we should also mention the toys, which are common plastic items that guinea pigs eat, so it is best not to buy them plastic toys, as they can break and hurt the guinea pigs.
How dangerous is plastic to guinea pigs?
If guinea pigs eat a small amount of plastic, it is not dangerous to their health.
The problem can arise if they eat large amounts of plastic, then there can be unwanted consequences and possible diseases in your furry friend.
In any case, contact with a veterinarian is necessary to determine whether eating plastic is dangerous or not for the guinea pig.
It rarely happens that a guinea pig eats large amounts of plastic, possibly if it is very hungry, so there should always be enough food and water in its cage.
If a guinea pig eats too much plastic, in the worst case it can block the work of its digestive system and can even have fatal consequences with death.
But as we said, something like this can happen very rarely, however, it is best not to allow such an unwanted situation to happen.
Plastic can block the digestive system of guinea pigs
If guinea pigs eat a large amount of plastic, it can block their digestive system.
This is the most dangerous situation of eating plastic and can lead to dehydration, lack of oxygen, and death in the guinea pig.
There are 3 ways that plastic can harm and block the digestive system of guinea pigs.
Partial blockage
If a piece of plastic gets stuck in their digestive system but does not block it, then it is a partial blockage.
This blockage is usually not dangerous for the guinea pigs and in a few days, the situation will return to normal.
Complete blockage
A complete blockage of their digestive system is dangerous and can have fatal consequences for the life of the guinea pig.
When there is a complete blockage then the piece of plastic is stuck in the digestive system and nothing can pass through it.
In such a situation, you must react immediately and take the guinea pig to a veterinarian.
Floating blockade
This blockage occurs if the plastic object is stuck in the stomach and cannot pass further through the intestines.
All of these plastic blockages are risky and require a vet to determine where the plastic is stuck and how to help the guinea pig.
Sometimes it is necessary to take an x-ray to see where the blockage is so that it is easier to know what needs to be done.
Read more: Do Guinea Pigs Like Being Held? (All Answers)
Conclusion
Guinea pigs can eat a small amount of plastic and most likely nothing bad will happen to them.
It is dangerous if they eat a large amount of plastic because it can get stuck in their digestive system and eventually cause major complications, sometimes with fatal consequences.
The best prevention is not to give them any plastic things to play with, plastic bags, and anything else that is made of plastic.
Another thing that is important for them not to eat plastic is to always have food and water available, which will not give them the idea to eat plastic or plastic bags.
If guinea pigs eat plastic, pay attention to their behavior and if you notice problems and unwanted symptoms in their behavior, consult a veterinarian immediately.
