X Marks the Spot

I'm doing the nerd thing again and showing off my latest guinea pig weight chart.  Last year's tracked a fairly stable Pinniped and a growing Cannoli.  What a difference to this year's chart:  X marks when Pinni and Noli traded weights, just before the new year.  Not really what I forecasted last year.

I'm used to Pinni's smaller size now, so it's rather shocking to see the weight loss in the chart.  Her weight is very erratic, although I can see there's been some improvement since May.  I'd be happier if that line smoothed out a bit.  Cannoli has obviously hit her adult weight, with a slight increase in the last few months due to extra pellets and summer blobbing.  She needs a few more laps around the living room, and to leave those extra pellets for Pinni to eat.

The chart may be a nerd thing, but it clearly illustrates the importance of weighing guinea pigs on a regular basis.  I feel like I've been dealing with the smaller-sized Pinni forever, but it's only been six months that she's been this thin.  It's easy to forget a guinea pig's size and feel from a year ago.  The chart also tells me that if Cannoli gradually lost 80g, it may not be a sign of illness, but that she's returning to her baseline weight.  Knowing a guinea pig's normal weight fluctuation is useful in tracking their overall health.

There's more information about weighing your guinea pig at Guinea Lynx : Weigh Weekly!