Water Consumption in Guinea Pigs

Every living creature on this planet needs water, including guinea pigs. However, how much water do guinea pigs need to drink per day?

Guinea pigs should drink from around 80-100mL each day based on their body weight, activity level, temperature, and specific species. They can drink clean and filtered tap water but should not drink any other type of liquid, as they may be harmful. Bowls and water bottles work best.

Read on to learn about the drinking habits and overall water consumption of a guinea pig.

What Can Guinea Pigs Drink?

Even though it may be tempting to share some of your favorite drinks with your beloved guinea pig, avoiding this urge will help to keep them safe, healthy, and alive. Guinea pigs should only drink clean water. Other drinks include sugar, salt, fat, sweeteners, and other ingredients that are very unhealthy for guinea pigs’ little bodies. This means that soda, lemonade, coffee, milk, energy drinks, and even juice should not be consumed by your guinea pig.

Even though water is the only beverage your guinea pig should consume, even water can be dangerous when not properly filtered or cleaned. A good rule of thumb is that if the water is clean enough for people to drink it safely, then it is okay for a guinea pig to drink. The opposite of this statement is also true: if the water is not clean or safe enough for humans to drink, then it is not safe for guinea pigs to drink.

How Much Liquid Should Guinea Pigs Drink?

It is very important that guinea pigs drink clean water. Like most animals, guinea pigs have to drink a substantial amount of water to survive.

Guinea pigs need to drink about 80-100mL of water every single day. Owners need to make sure that their pets have easy access to water at all times. They will need to drink water multiple times throughout the day. Don’t limit their access to water, as a lack of water can cause serious health problems and even death in some extreme cases. While 80-100mL is a good average, the amount of water that a guinea pig needs depends largely on the type of guinea pig you have, their size, and their activity level. Generally, it is good for a guinea pig to drink about 20% of their body weight in water each day.

In addition to weight, there are other factors that will impact a guinea pig’s water intake. Some of these influential factors include weather conditions, heating, cooling, sunlight exposure, and dietary tendencies and patterns. Changes in any of these factors can impact the amount of water that your guinea pig should and will consume on a daily basis.

If there is a drastic change in the amount of water your guinea pig is drinking, it might be sick. Minor changes are expected and normal, but be attentive to any signs that your guinea pig is drinking an excessive or very minimal amount of water, as this could be a sign of a health issue. This behavior could also cause health issues.

Can Guinea Pigs Drink Tap Water? At What Temperature?

Guinea pigs can drink tap water. However, if your tap water isn’t safe for you to drink or is starting to become unsafe for you to drink, don’t give it to your guinea pig until it has been filtered. If your tap water tastes bad, consider filtering it even if the city considers it safe to drink. After all, if you give a guinea pig water with chemicals in it, it will be affected sooner than you would be if you drank it, as guinea pigs are much smaller than humans.

Guinea pigs enjoy drinking room-temperature water. In fact, if the water is too hot or too cold, they simply won’t drink it. Luckily, if the water that you give them is too hot or too cold, all you have to do is wait for it to get to room temperature. If your guinea pig doesn’t drink water right after you give it too them, don’t worry. They will drink when they are thirsty.

Water Bottles and Water Bowls

Both glass and plastic water bottle dispensers are commonly used by guinea pig owners. While both are functional, the glass options are oftentimes more popular than the plastic ones because they are far less likely to have mold growing inside of them. While this can still occur, the chances of it occurring are very small.

When filling a water bottle dispenser, make sure you don’t overfill it. If you overfill it, water might not come out properly. It also might not taste very good to your guinea pig after it sits for a few days.

Another basic way to provide guinea pigs with water is through a bowl. It is best to use heavy bowls so that your guinea pigs cannot tip them over easily.

Reasons Why A Guinea Pig Might Not Be Drinking Water

If your guinea pig isn’t drinking water, it might be because it is adjusting to a change that has occurred to or around it. For example, many guinea pig owners notice that their guinea pigs don’t drink a lot of water for the first few weeks after they bring them home. This is perfectly normal. If your guinea pig seems happy and healthy even if they don’t seem to be drinking water, you likely don’t have to worry, as they are okay. If you are still concerned, talk to the vet and tell them about your guinea pig’s behavior.

Keep in mind that if your guinea pig is eating a healthy diet that includes vegetables, they are getting enough water from the vegetables. Celery and cucumbers are great vegetables to feed your guinea pig if they aren’t drinking a lot of water, as they have high water content.