Any Guinea Pig Owners? = )

[PrettyInInk87]

I too am against breeding. BUT mostly dogs, cats, and "problem" pets... IT's sad sometimes to see how many pets need homes. Anyway, most of my pets have been adopted from Craigslist. I'm going to go pick up my Guinea and also picking up a Rosy Boa today.

 

[Amanda1801]

Big Dave (L), Little dave (R)

 

[pssh]

When their hair grows out all the way, they look like moving toupees! Especially the all gray/black one! She super silky too. The only problem is the matting if you don't brush every day! I prefer to just shave/cut the hair shorter so the brushing process isn't so traumatic to them. They get their hair knotted so fast! I don't even know how they do it!

The furry pets are way overbred it's sad.

 

[Amanda1801]

I too am against breeding. BUT mostly dogs, cats, and "problem" pets... IT's sad sometimes to see how many pets need homes. Anyway, most of my pets have been adopted from Craigslist. I'm going to go pick up my Guinea and also picking up a Rosy Boa today.

Its the dogs and cats you hear about - my flatmates parents foster unwanted ferrets for the RSPCA and have over 50...

 

[PrettyInInk87]

When their hair grows out all the way, they look like moving toupees! Especially the all gray/black one! She super silky too. The only problem is the matting if you don't brush every day! I prefer to just shave/cut the hair shorter so the brushing process isn't so traumatic to them. They get their hair knotted so fast! I don't even know how they do it!

You should have named her "Cousin IT" Lol! Even though she's a girl. They are too cute. I"m naming my girl Oprah.

 

[pssh]

Haha! I didn't know they would have such long hair! I got them when they were about two months old. I thought they were going to have medium hair because a lot of shelter piggies are super mixed.

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Ok, on my way to go pick Oprah up. Will post pictures as soon as I am able to... Thank you!

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Ok, so I am back from picking Oprah up! She is such a DOLL, oh my god i'm in love. She is so calm and just sits on my lap, not squirmy, and makes little cute piggy noises when I pet her. The cage that was given to me sadly is WAY too small for her so now i'm on the prowel for a larger one. Poor little girls nails are too long so am going to trim her nails in a bit. She's a little stinky too, bath?

 

[Amanda1801]

Ok, so I am back from picking Oprah up! She is such a DOLL, oh my god i'm in love. She is so calm and just sits on my lap, not squirmy, and makes little cute piggy noises when I pet her. The cage that was given to me sadly is WAY too small for her so now i'm on the prowel for a larger one. Poor little girls nails are too long so am going to trim her nails in a bit. She's a little stinky too, bath?

I've never bathed mine - if they ever get dirty or anything, i just chuck them out in the long grass before the dew has dried!

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Hm, her nails are REALLY long and curved, poor thing. They have feces cakes onto them. I'll post some pictures of her in a bit.

Edit: Should I soak her little feet in warm water?

 

[pssh]

No bath just yet. Let her settle in before you traumatize her more if her nails are way long, you might have to trim a little off each week to make the quick recede. As for cages, if you go on that website and look at the links for C&C cages, they are way cheap! I think mine was $25-30 and I decided to go BIG with it. They have a castle with a hay loft on the third level. Their actual home is on the second level and there is storage under that level.

 

[pssh]

I suppose you could do a bum bath. Just wash her feet and lady bits. No soap. some guys are prone to poopy feets.

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Uuuuuummm... So i'm guessing "she" is actually a he. He pooped on me so I lifted him up and saw what looked to be, well, balls. Lol! Um, I could be wrong?

 

[pssh]

The lady bits look weird. Look up how to sex guinea pigs on google. Males also have a very distinct 'hard' elongated thing right above where they poop on their belly. It's their weewee or something... Kind of like a dog except in the belly instead of on the belly.

Edit: oh yeah, if you push down on both sides of the 'exit' then the man parts pop out if it's a boy. If it's a girl it just looks like a Y in the 'exit' hole.

 

[Amanda1801]

Hm, her nails are REALLY long and curved, poor thing. They have feces cakes onto them. I'll post some pictures of her in a bit.

Edit: Should I soak her little feet in warm water?

Aww poor little thing - at least shes landed on her feet now! to be honest, if shes now kept in a clean environment (which she clearly wasnt before) she should clean herself. If its really bad though, yeah, you could maybe put a little bit of lukewarm water (like 1/2 an inch or less) in the bathtub and pop her in there and it should soak off - thinking the bath rather than a sink so she can walk around as it'll help

 

[Amanda1801]

The lady bits look weird. Look up how to sex guinea pigs on google. Males also have a very distinct 'hard' elongated thing right above where they poop on their belly. It's their weewee or something... Kind of like a dog except in the belly instead of on the belly.

Edit: oh yeah, if you push down on both sides of the 'exit' then the man parts pop out if it's a boy. If it's a girl it just looks like a Y in the 'exit' hole.

If in doubt (i.e. before you get another!) just pop him/her down to your vet and get them to check. Does he/she seem to have a hunchback or anything? like a raised bit behind the head.

Also have you checked him/her for mites? mine were COVERED when i got them

 

[PrettyInInk87]

I don't think she has any mites but i'll check her a bit later... I managed to trim most of her nails and got them all good now.

 

[pssh]

You won't really see the mites. Look at the skin. If it looks irritated or dandruff-y then they will probably need some ivermectin to take care of it (if you research very carefully you can do it yourself. If you are not confident in your ability to do it, go to a vet!) mine didn't have mites, but two of them were COVERED in guinea pig lice! I had to use kitten advantage for several months before I finally got rid of them. They made the poor piggies very itchy.

 

[Amanda1801]

You won't really see the mites. Look at the skin. If it looks irritated or dandruff-y then they will probably need some ivermectin to take care of it (if you research very carefully you can do it yourself. If you are not confident in your ability to do it, go to a vet!) mine didn't have mites, but two of them were COVERED in guinea pig lice! I had to use kitten advantage for several months before I finally got rid of them. They made the poor piggies very itchy.

I meant lice been doing parasitology tonight, got mites on the brain! Was funny when I got mine ... "oh look, they have dandruff....and...the dandruff is WALKING!!"

 

[pssh]

It's good that you brought it up though! A lot of people who own the pigs never treat them for mites because they don't see any! I feel bad for those little guys! It must be awful and very itchy!