Guinea Pigs

Sorry to hear about Joey. It might be that he may have a sharp molar spur on his back teeth. Sometimes this can happen when teeth grow continually and don't get worn down properly. These sharp out-juttings can stick into the soft tissue of the tongue or cheek and make eating anything other than soft food painful.

Has he lost much weight?

Also, if he can't eat proprietary Guinea Pig food at the mo, there is a chance he may not be getting enough vitamin C. This is very important as a deficiency can be very serious with swollen joints and pain on movement.

All just guesswork without seeing him of course, but I want to wish you and him good luck, Passion Flower, when you take him to the vet.

 

Passion Flower

Hope everything went ok at the vets.

Thinking of you... and Joey.

Hope you are both ok.

 

Joey is back from the vet. Back teeth all ok, checked two weeks ago.
It's a mystery really. He eats his Gertie guinea pig food but little else. No hay just grapes, tomatoes, melon and cucumber. Vet clipped his teeth as because he hasn't been eating much, they were long.
Today he was eating grass for the first time in ages. He will be 5 years old in June and had lots of problems over the years, including having a bladder stone removed which cost me �£70!
But he is worth it ... a real sweetie. Thanks for asking Cookie Monster

 

It's a good sign he is eating grass again - that should get his guts feeling more like their old self again!

I hope he continues to improve and I am so glad to hear his teeth are ok.

Here is a link to helping Guinea Pigs who have not been eating properly. I am a great believer in Probiotics for any herbivore who has had an eating disorder.

See what you think ....

http://www.jackiesguineapiggies.com/handfeedingyourguineapig.html

 

Joey is still with us ... although Fizz, a lovely shy female passed away unexpectedly overnight, which was sad. She was one of my hand-reared babies, although she did live with her mum who couldn't feed her, so it was a shock. Fine one day, gone the next! She was two years old.
Joey seems a little better .. he is managing to eat better now but unsteady on his feet.
Thanks for the website link. He is already on the sachets to help his digestive system but they seem to be having little effect.
Joey is like a cat with 9 lives!

 

I love them always have.
I used to keep them when I was a child.
And I would love them now but we have to many holidays since the children left home., and I wouldn't like to keep having to have someone to look after them.
we have enough with the dog which my dad looks after and the fish which my dear friend over the road looks after.
She would do it but I would'nt feel right asking.

But yes they are sweet little things.

 

I've just been admiring all the pictures. I love guinea pigs, they are endearingly foolish little creatures, and the babies are lovely, born fully furred and running round eating. As everyone says, they can eat for England!
I have 4 'Free-cycled' pigs, all smooth pepper and salt colour, left from an accidental litter. All the coloured ones went, so I took pity on the others. They are great grass cutters, having a small run which I move every hour or so. I grow lots of herbs and they like most, including Rosemary, to my surprise. I had to buy them greens last winter as I only had perpetual spinach, and not in sufficient quantities for them when grass isn't available. I have more plantings of winter greens on the go for them this year.
I've been wandering if they would help keep the greenhouse warm in winter, although their cage is 4' long and the GH is only 6x8'.

 

TG for a min I thought you said recycled pigs!!! Ive had a few vino's As OH says when the booze is in the wit is out. Pleasant sole is'nt he. hee hee

 

He's right!!!! sorry I mean't Liz. sorry its been a long day. He chose his carpet then when we got home he said he was'nt sure!!! and they call women!!!

 

:D:D Been there!

cheers

 

Here I am!!! What a fabulous memory!

I have three guinea pigs, Mary, Marble and Mellow. That still doesn't sound right - until recently we had Emm too. I have just posted a tribute to her here.

Mary was our first piggy.



A friend's daughters' guinea pigs had had babies, and I had been thinking for quite a while about having guinea pigs. We brought her home in 2004 with her sister Midge. Originally hoping for three - someone else got in first, and took our 'Mungo' (Mary, Mungo and Midge.) Unfortunately Midge died 18months later, the vet could feel some kind of growth, which was inoperable.

Mary was the 'runt' of the litter - but she showed real spirit! She was the first out to investigate as a baby, and I fell for her gutsiness!

Looking back at old pictures makes me wistful, as she has lost some of her hair - either side of her flanks is pretty bald. She has had two seperate treatments of hormones, as it was thought she may have ovarian cysts - but this has made no difference. The last vet wondered if perhaps her joints were becoming arthritic, so she was barbering, but said it was really just cosmetic, as she is otherwise happy and well.

I know that guinea pigs are sociable, so within days, brought Marble home. It wasn't an instant friendship, but they worked out that Mary was boss, and have been firm friends ever since.




Marble is one of the sweetest piggies I have met. She is quiet, and pretty shy, and absolutely gorgeous! She will still occassionally attempt a 'popcorn' - especially when I clean out and change around their cage!



It was in October 06 that I felt we had roo for two more, so ventured up to Thistle Cavies Rescue, where we had volunteered before. There, we fell in love with Mellow and Emm!



Mellow was a fluffy ball of ...fluff! The lady from the rescue called her 'scottie dog' because when she came in, the only hair she had was around her face, making her look like a scottie dog!

Thistle had rescued around 150 gunea pigs form a 'visitor attraction' where piggies were crammed into completely inadequate quarters, underfed, watered and generally neglected. Mellow's hair grew back with good care at the rescue, though she has scars on her back which are very sensitive, and tattered ears.

After a few months here, I realised that her hair had GROWN!!! She infact was a sheltie!!!



She is Mellow by name and Mellow by nature - though she hates having her hair combed. I keep it short, which means she doesn't need such regular grooming, and she is happier all round too!

Emm sadly died 18 months after we adopted her. She suffered more than Mellow from her early beginnings, but gave us such joy - she was a pig in a million!

The girls enjoy a selection of veggies at breakfast time (courgette, three colours of pepper, carrot and cucumber to name a few favorites) and a salad selection at tea time. They love their pellets, and have three different kinds of hay available constantly. They are weighed at least monthly, and have their nails trimmed regularly. (somebody earlier mentioned a pig hateing getting their nails trimmed. Mine have all chilled since I switched to special nail scissors - I think they are sold for rabbits - they are like scissors, but with a notch. They don't make a sound when they snip - and I think it was the sudden snipping noise that spooked my girls.) I think they are a bit spoiled - but they are worth it!

I made them a 'c&c' cage - the grids are sold to make into storage units. It is lined with fleece which wicks their pee down to a matress protector - and there is newspaper underneath. It is IMHO 100% better than keeping them outdoors, as we interact with them every time we are in the sitting room!



This is a reduced version of their original cage. I will be starting a part time primary teacher training course in August, working at the secondary where I work in 'additional needs' the rest of the time. I forsee little extra time for the lengthy cleaning out process the larger cage took. Withh Emm passing, I think this cage is big enough for my three little piggies (who are not as athletic as they used to be!)



Good grief, I know I am passionate about my pigs, but I really hadn't intended to go on QUITE so long! Has anybody made it to the end?!

From your first post Passion Flower! - just wanted to say that guinea pigs do bite! Touch wood, I have not been munched (though Mary used to have a bit of a rough 'nibble' when she was wee), but she did bite my mum - it was deep and very painful. I know of several other piggy owners who have been bittn too! How are all your pigs? Can you show us more piccies please! I especially love your baby pig - what kind is she?

Kandy-floss, really loved seeing pics of your cute cresties Punky and Mabel! I remember talking with you about them last summer time!

Have to give your Padme a special mention Linzibean - her dark eyeliner is very attractive!

 

Lovely pics & anictdotes JarBax. What does doing a 'popcorn' mean? Your first 'cage' - yeah a little bit spoiled i'd say, blooming great lol

I don't think i would leave mine alone if i had one/two. They look so cuddly.

cheers

 

Thanks borrowers!

A 'popcorn' is when a piggy gets so excited it can't contain itself, and does a little jump in the air - sometimes twisting around mid 'pop' to find itself facing the other way! It is the very sweetest thing to watch!

Older (bigger) pigs tend to try to popcorn only occassionally. Someimes you may witness a slight twitch - which is infact still a popcorn - just rather more contained, due to weight v little legs constraints! :D

 

What lovely photos JarBax - your piggies look so cute!
Well, the legendary Joey is still hanging on in there. I have taken him to the vet three times in recent weeks who cannot find anything wrong with him. He is still eating but I have to clean his eyes each day, clean his "under-carriage" and wipe his chin ... Joey I am talking about, not the vet! I think perhaps he has had a stroke as he can't walk straight and is very weak but I don't think this is common in guinea pigs. Unless, of course, someone can advise me.

I love Joey to bits and this evening he came out into the garden with me as I potted up some plants. He just sat wrapped in a towel, nice and comfy!
Am I mad, or what?