So how long can guinea pigs go without water? A guinea pig’s daily water requirement is roughly similar to that of a hamster’s which is about 2 teaspoons of water per 100 grams of weight. So the simple calculation would be to first figure out how much your guinea pig weighs (which is typically anywhere from 700 to 1200 grams).
Two teaspoons are roughly equal to 10ml of water. So all factors considered, your guinea pig will need anywhere from 70 to 120 milliliters of water a day, depending on the temperature of course. Typically, a guinea pig would be able to go without water for about two days. Although I highly recommend against trying to find out.
If you don’t find such a thing, you can install multiple water bottles or bowls in the cage so that they don’t run out of water.
Within 24 hours without water, a healthy guinea pig can survive for long periods of time. but they will be dehydrated after that time. Whatever the reason, you should be aware of the signs and symptoms of dehydration in guinea pigs.
Their daily intake will obviously vary according to the weather, especially hot weather. My best recommendation is to simply keep your guinea pig stocked with a constant supply of water. In my mind the question ‘how long can guinea pigs go without water?’ is usually brought up because you are going to be away from your guinea pig for a while or you regularly forget to give your guinea pig water.
Tips For Your Guinea Pig’s Water Supply
First off, if you are going away for a while simply get a friend or family member to come round and regularly top your guinea pig up with water and food.
Secondly, get your guinea pig a drip feeder. Drip water feeders can hold a lot of water and provide your guinea pig with a constant supply of water on demand. On top of this, a drip feeder can prevent your guinea pig’s water from becoming contaminated. Guinea pig water bowls have a tendency to get dirty as your guinea pig will track a lot of the debris from their cage into the bowl itself.
Having a drip feeder is great in that it gives you a bit of wiggle room if you do forget to regularly top up or change your guinea pig’s water.
Drip Feeder For A Guinea Pig
If you are looking to get hold of a drip feeder, try this one here. Not too expensive and it holds about 11 ounces of water which is about 330ml. As mentioned above, this 330ml should last your guinea big about three days but obviously top it up if it is looking low. It’s a bit better than a bowl as in my experience, you have to change the water out of a bowl pretty much every day.
Personally, if I had to choose between a drip feeder and a water bowl, I would choose the drip feeder. They are just a lot less maintenance and a healthier option for your guinea pig. I have written a little article about it here.
Check out the drip feeder to the right below:
Vitamins In Your Guinea Pig’s Water
It is not unusual for guinea pigs to suffer from certain vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin C. It can be kind of hard to feed your guinea pig these essentials especially if they come in pill form. A little trick I learned is to introduce these certain vitamins into your guinea pig’s water supply.
Make sure you only put small amounts of these vitamins into the water as too much can actually dissuade your guinea pig from drinking together. A tell-tale sign of whether or not you put to0 much stuff in the water is the color change. If there is a significant change in the color of your guinea pig’s water, then there is probably too much stuff in there.
As long as they have plenty of fresh food and access to water, the only thing they need you for is to clean up their cage.
Healthy guinea pigs shouldn’t go over 8 hours without food.
Remember, the ammonia fumes from their urine can cause respiratory infection when left to build up over long periods.
In conclusion, guinea pigs can go without water for up to four days as long as they have access to other forms of hydration. It is important to keep an eye on your guinea pig’s water intake, especially if you are going to be away from home for a few days. Make sure that your guinea pig has plenty of fresh water and food before you leave, and check in on them regularly to make sure they are staying hydrated. If your local kennel doesn’t allow it, talk to your local pet shop or vet.
So I hope I answered the age-old question ‘how long can guinea pigs go without water?’ If you have any other questions feel free to ask and just send me an email or put something in the comments section, I’ll back to you as soon as I can.