Small Animal Community / Critters Community / Guinea Pigs

guinea pig vs bunny

oliviamarie201 — Sat, 14 May 2011 07:33:27 GMT

I just want to know, because i have to guinea pigs and people say all different stuff.

guinea pig question

misspiggie — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:37:06 GMT

my guinea pig clicks his teeth, is this bad or good?

How can I get my cavy to love me?

bunnyempress — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:29:28 GMT

I adopted a 1 yr old female guinea pig about two months ago and the people in the shelter told me that she liked being picked up even though she would sometimes scurry away when you tried to hold her. At first, I figured she was skittish because it was a new place, and now she lets me pet her for longer. However, she doesn't seem to want me to pet her for long, it's hard to understand because she seems to be wanting attention and when I reach to pet her she hides or runs. It worries me a little that she might never get to completely trust me, which makes me sad when I read about all those guinea pig owners getting kisses from their piggies This is my my first guinea pig so I;m aware maybe there are things I don't know. Any tips on getting my piggy to be more lovable? Or is she just a tough one?

melon?

Veronica — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:09:39 GMT

hello, i was wondering in my Guinea Pig book, it said Guinea Pigs can have melon but they did not say what kind of melon so i was wondering i you could tell me because i don't want to give my Guinea Pig melon she can't have thank you!

Getting guinea pigs that are older

MystikCritter — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:29:22 GMT

Hi there, my nephew got a wodnerful guinea pig that is calm and loves to be held. I found out that the people that he got it from had 2 others that they wanted to stay together, and I am going to be getting them. However, they are older. I am not sure the exact age but was wondering how to acclimate them to a new home. They will be coming in their own cage and goodies from their old owners but being in a car for a ride and then acclimating to a new home. I understand that they stress and do not want them to get sick any suggestions. I am picking them up at 9am tomorrow.

Toys for Guinea pigs?

urofan — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:31:28 GMT

What toys do you have for your Guinea pigs?

Traveling with Your Guinea Pig

TazzyGal — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:52:13 GMT

So, this summer I am going to visit some family and I am taking my little Guinea Pig NomNoms. I've been looking up facts on traveling with them so I thought I would post some of them here. I will provide a list of the websites where I got the facts from.

Enjoy

1.The most important item for a traveling guinea pig is a quality carrier. Be certain you have a secure, escape-proof cage.

2.Travel with your pet requires you consider the mode of transportation, the supplies needed and the method of providing food and water.

3.When you're packing, include any necessary medications and carry all vaccinations and other health certificates as required.

4.Keep Them Comfortable

5.Know When - And When Not To - Leave Them Alone

6. Make sure you know if where you are traveling too, they allow Guinea pigs there.

7. If you are taking a plane, make sure your carrier is airline approved

8. If you guinea pig has any medical papers, amke sure you have them ready and with you.

9. Don't drag your pig every where, Ex: if you don't think your Guinea pig is going to have fun try not to drag it along with you.

1,2,3 - http://www.petco.com/Content/ArticleList/Article/0/-1/776/Traveling-with-Your-Guinea-Pig.aspx

4,5 - http://www.petspress.net/articles/2009/may2009/guineatravel.html

6,7,8,9 - Tazzy.T (My own knowledge)

? Wondering about pine bedding

busybusy425 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:02:35 GMT

I recently bought a hugh bag of pine bedding for my daughter's 1 year old guinea pig. Now I would normaly use paper bedding for him but I was at the store and found this. I have used pine bedding before with my small pets and they were just fine.

But I was wondering is pine bedding really ok for guinea pigs? Also if so is it ok for them to eat it.

though I think he is bored and now that it is getting warmer he well be able to go out side. I need to get him some toys to play with.

Please help me I want to be sure I have made the right choice in geting the bedding. ( oh insite the pine bedding does smell a bit pine but the bag said no chems in it? not sure if it is kindle dry???) Please help

Thank you to anyone who can help me with this subject.

P.S. he is a cute little balck and white short hair one by the name of patches for the big balck patch over his right eye

Adding this bit of infor he stopped eating the bedding once I gave him a carrort (which he loves) and also put new carboard in there for him to chew on and he has now turned is attention to that. I think the reason he was eatting his bedding is he is bored and needs more attetion. but I would still like to knwo if it is ok for him. You opions would be very much welcome. Thank you to all.

How to train a guinea pig tricks??????/

sabs789 — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:00:40 GMT

Tricks

Faveorite age

bethany — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:05:47 GMT

Hay im Yuiikiie i like animals that are 1 bye

crazy for food

bellalol — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:03:08 GMT

I have a guinea pig named Piper He is crazy for Food.He loves parsley.What do I do he ask for it 24/7 .I hate it when i'm sleeping and he talks.Last night I was giving my gerbil Road seeds and Piper saw the parsley siting on the dresser and got mad when I haddent gave him some and stared talking to Road.

Bye,your friend
Bethany

How to make them not chew things?

Ducky42 — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:56:07 GMT

My guinea pigs keep chewing on some duct tape in their cage. They have other things to chew on, and they do use those, but they seem to enjoy the taste of duct tape. . Is there something I could put on it that they wouldn't like the taste of? The duct tape pretty nessescary, so I can't just remove it.

Guinea Pig's favorite outdoor activity ?

TazzyGal — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:58:25 GMT

My Guinea pig love going outside, so do yours ?

If so....What is their favorite thing to do ???

Guinea pig help

Browniepie — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:09:50 GMT

do guinea pigs molt?
if so when?
and how much at any time (rabbits in clumps are guinea's the same?)
does a guinea pig look fatter at the rear end after giving birth?
signs of guinea pig pregnancy?

please help

needs a new cage

1lilpiggy — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:58:30 GMT

Bindi needs a better cage and I was wondering if she would chew her way out of one of those big plastic tote things, without the top on, of course! I've seen pet stores do it sometimes, and they're cheap and big. Have to be sure about this, we have four dogs. Just wondering about that.

Will my guinea pig be okay?

shalbow — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:44:36 GMT

Please help! My guinea pig is pregnant and a few weeks back her rear end started to bleed. I left her alone to give birth, and she didn't! And weeks later, she still didn't. Does the bleeding mean something bad?

Little Piglets??

itzjusmi07 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 06:35:46 GMT

My guinea pig Butterscotch is 2 years old. We got her on Christmas 09' and we put her in the same cage as our other guinea pig, Pig Pig which he is 5 years old. There had been a center divider in their cage for about a year and then some how one morning we woke up and they were both in the same side so we slowly started to introduce them living in the same cage. We would put them together during the day ONLY when we would be right there watching them, and seperate them when we werent.Then we just left them together. Eventually Butterscotch got "pear" shaped and started getting really picky about us touching her belly. Then she started wobbling around getting wider and more and more picky about us touching her. Pig Pig has been making what i call purring noises at her and then walks around her and sticks his nose up her butt like he knows there are babies in there.He only started doing this like 1.5 months ago. Last night when i was putting some more food in their cage and seperating them because they were chasing each other around she wouldnt let me touch her at all and then when i did she screamed like she was dying from just one finger disturbing like 5 hairs. She is SUPER heavy and very awkard to pick up. I have tried feeling babies in her belly a week ago and didnt find anything. I dont know what to look for, skeletons, oh yea but thats not as easy as it sounds.Now she needs a bath and her nails clipped today so I will have to try and feel her belly and feel some skulls or anything today when they have to both get baths and their nails clipped. Anyone have any better ways, like something that doesnt make her upset and stressed???

Any insight helps...

Thanks

how do you put a pic on here?

Guineapiglover72 — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:13:51 GMT

I want to put a pic of my guinea pig Cutie Jr on here but how do you do that? do you post a link?

What's your pigs favorite fruit/vegetable?

xenite — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:23:56 GMT

Just wondering about everyones fave treats.

how to care for a pregnant guinea pig

hearts — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:54:30 GMT

i just got a new guinea pig today and when i got home she had a lot of sighnes of bein pregnant....can you give me some tips about what to do ....i think they may come soon...give me some tips if you have any

just wonderin >.>

Stashi — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:08:29 GMT

I was wondering why my guinea pig always trys to bite me when i touch her front leg slightly i only noticed it recently.

Hard Breathing

BlancDeHotot — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:51:54 GMT

If your guinea pig is breathing hard, fast, and makes a clicking noise with each breath,this is a classic symptom of UPI (upper respiratory infection).
You must see a vet immediately.

The only thing you can do to make sure your guinea pig is OK until you can get him/her to a vet, which you should do ASAP. If there is fluid in the chest cavity, the vet can draw this off with a needle. The guinea pig might need diuretics to prevent the fluid from building up again. It could be a heart problem causing a build up of fluid (that's why you can get a clicking sound). It might be that it is a respiratory infection. The answer is still the same - vet - now.

The cause of URI's could be bedding. Don't use Carefresh or any type of wood chips. Use Yesterday's news. It is a litter made for cats that you can buy at target or almost any store that sells pet products. Or buy the one they have for rabbits online.

Occasionally allergies can produce the same signs as URIs, but because URIs are so deadly and fast moving, it is imperative that the vet rules out a URI before considering the possibility of an allergy.

NEVER give your guinea pig Ornacycline {tetracycline}, a medication made for birds, even if your vet prescribes this. This could kill your guinea pig. They are very sensitive to these antibiotics because they can kill the good gut bacteria and leave the bad ones to flourish, which is always fatal.
If they do prescribe it, it's time to see a new vet. One who specializes in small mammals.

Why is iceburg lettuce toxic and other lettuce isn't?

GuineaGirl — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 13:01:10 GMT

Hi, I own a Guinea Pig and I read in one of the care books that Iceburg lettuce is toxic. I am confused because why is iceburg toxic and all the other types of lettuce aren't? I do not feed him iceburg, but I want to know why this type is considered toxic.

Thank You!

Guinea pig chirp like a bird

cabodi63 — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 11:54:19 GMT

Has anybody heard their guinea pig chirp like a bird? Mine did it today and I'm curious what it means. Does it mean he's happy or what?

how old is my 3 year old guinea pig in human years?

Guineapiglover72 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:02:16 GMT

Does anybody know how to tell a guinea pig's age in human years? My guinea pig is 3 years and 5 months old.

Do female piggies spray?

FuzzyGizmo — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:19:07 GMT

I have a female guinea pig (Gizmo) that just got introduced to a new cage mate .. also female (Jinxie). And it seems whenever Gizmo just irritates the crap out of Jinxie, either when she's eating or whatnot, Jinxie will "spray" her. Anybody else's piggies do this?

Help!

Gilligan — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:23:30 GMT

How many times should you let your guinea pig out to play out side?

How many times can you let your guinea pig get treats[lettuce,and carrots].

Guinea Kisses!

abbywolf — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:53:03 GMT

Does your guinea pig ever lick your face? Wiggles loves to lick my face and give me kisses! He likes to cuddle up to my face and get under the crook of my neck, too! Does you guinea pig ever do adorable things like that?

Guinea pig tooth problem

umbrulla — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:29:08 GMT

so 2 days ago i gave my guinea pig, Sammi a shower, i must have spooked him slightly because he jumped off the little platform in our shower that i had temporarily put him on to shampoo him and avoid getting too wet myself, i think that's when he chipped his left incisor tooth to half the length of the other. so i have been getting him to eat, treats, banana's, fruit and vegetables, ect i also have a salt and nutrition block available to him in his cage but im not sure he is eating his actual food. but just today i found he had also broken his right tooth right down to the gums probably because it was so much longer, im not sure of anything anymore and im afraid he will stop eating, any suggestions, should i take him to the vet even though i already know i should be getting him a critical care package? im worries

need some help here

1lilpiggy — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:51:28 GMT

This sounds dumb, but can you give a guinea pig a bath? If so, what do you use[what kind of soap,shampoo]? Will it hurt her to use a shallow bowl or should I wipe her off. I know this sounds so dumb.

Guinea Pig Survey!

abbywolf — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:06:16 GMT

What is your guinea's name?
Wiggles! <3

How old is your guinea?
2 months old.

What color is your guinea?
White with pale taupe markings and caramel brown over his eye.

What is your guinea's favorite snack?
Apples!

Does your guinea pig walk on a leash?
No, but I'm trying to teach him to.

Can your guinea pig do any tricks?
Not yet.

If so, what?
None.

What is your guinea pig's favorite toy?
Paper bags, haha.

Will your guinea pig lick you?
Yeah! All the time!

Lastly, does your guinea pig do anything cute?
Yeah, he licks me!

Would like to get 2 guinea pigs!

VasVas1308 — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:29:47 GMT

Hi guys, my names Kseniya, and i joined this forum because I would like to get 2 guinea pigs for myself. I have read the care guides, and things like that, but I would like to know any other facts/things about piggies!

I would get 2 males or 2 females. 40.5 in. cage. They would be kept in my room.

Thanks!

Lets get this started

xenite — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:19:33 GMT

This part of the forums needs more posts, guinea pigs are awesome.

Introduce your piggy in this thread.

Here's mine she's a little skiddish, but she's just so darn cute!

how often to bathe

luvmycadillac — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 12:33:22 GMT

How often is "regular" in regards to bathing a Guinea pig? Regular for my CAG is daily, for my lovebird 2-3 times a week. I did leave a message at a local vets office the vet tech called back and said baby shampoo would actually work great but said the vet had no "real experience with pocket pets". My avian vet who also does many other exotic animals(snakes, ferrets, ect) is out of the office so I cant get a hold of her. Most vets up here just do farm animals and the common cat and dog. When I sit next to the cage I am fine, I am using a very good odor controlling "litter" and I change her cage 2 times a week. She pee's in just one area would just removing that area work or should I clean her cage more often? I picked her up today to remove her from her cage to clean the cage and I have no itching at all but I didnt hold her long. I also sit next to her cage as it is next to the computer and I dont itch then. Maybe its her natural oils? Heck I dont know I do know she has become a member of our family so getting rid of this little girl is not an option for us

PLEASE HELP ME!

Natasa832000 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:07:09 GMT

I had a guinea pig (named Pacov) for about 5.5 years. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that he lost weight, but he was still eating as usual. I didn't do anything! My mom told me that he is old and that it is probably normal that he lost some weight, but as long as he is eating well, it is ok. It seemed logically to me, so I didn't take him to a vet. At that time, I noticed mushy poop, but not always. One day it was mushy, the other day was hard...I taught it was result of his diet that day, noting serious.

Than 2 days ago, he stopped eating. That night he ate some lettuce and the day after nothing again. At 5 PM, when I got back from work, I rushed him to a vet, but he was already half paralyzed, I saw that he is suffering. Vet offered me 2 options - to give him 2 shots (vitamins and some probiotic) or to put him to sleep. I said to try with medications. The minute he gave him those shots my Pacov started bouncing of the table, shivering, like he had some seizure. It was HORIBLE! We went home and after about half an hour he passed away on my chest ((

I am devastated! All the time I wonder if his death is my fault. Would it be different if I took him to a vet two weeks ago… and more than that I wonder was he feeling pain (‘cause to me it looked like it, but my vet told me that he probably isn’t aware of anything, like he is in some sort of coma). Did I put him to more suffering when I took him to a vet to get those shots? Please tell me! I am crying my eyes out for 2 days now!

Huge Abscess, Infected Blood...loss of weight

New_Night91 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:39:59 GMT

Well, I'm going to pick up my almost 5-year-old male guinea-pig, Jay, from the vet's in 2 1/2 hours. He had a huge abscess on his cheek--but I only just noticed it yesterday, unfortunately (my fault, my FAULT!!).

The vet said she would drain it and give him antibiotics. He's not chewing properly and has lost loads of weight.

She said either we could just leave him and say "He's an old guinea-pig anyway.", or she would operate but with a good risk of him not taking to the antibiotics too well and dying. She also said that there's a strong possibility the abscess would come back.

If it's going to come back, then why didn't she offer to remove it entirely? She is supposedly a "small pet" vet--she should know, shouldn't she?

I'm worried he's not going to make it.

What should I do after the treatment (which should take 3 days, right?) Should I take him to another vet, because you're supposed to remove it in guinea-pigs, not drain it? I'm quite lost here...

Thank you, I'd really appreciate you experienced opinions.

Mia xx

Vegetables for piggies!

Horsecrazy16 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:18:48 GMT

Piggy Salad

Hey everyone! I just wanted to tell you a cool idea I thought of the other day. Does your piggy not like certain vegetables or fruits? Well, around feeding time grab a bowl and pick veggies you know your piggy loves, and mix in some fruits or veggies they haven't tried or some they don't like. (Make sure you don't give them to much veggies!)

Directions for a Piggy Salad:

Get a small bowl

Get some veggies, for example my Scooter pig loves Romaine lettuce and carrots, so I mix in some veggies he doesn't like, cucumber, or tomatoes.

Make sure you do not mix any fruits or vegetables you are not sure about, check the list below for fruits and veggies you should use while making your "Piggy Salad"

Make sure you slice your carrots, celery, tomatoes etc.

List of veggies:

Red or Green Bell Peppers

Broccoli

Kale

Carrot

Romaine Lettuce

Celery

Dandelion Leaves

Fresh Grass

Baby Tomato's

Cucumber

Parsley

Apple

Pear

Seedless Grapes

Satsumer Pieces

Corn on the Cob

Bon appetite!

For more information on veggies for piggies go to: http://www.jackiesguineapiggies.com/fruitandveg.html

is there a country where guinea pigs roam free?

animalfreak123 — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:26:53 GMT

do you know a website where i could fidnd pics or tell me the location ogf a place where guinea pigs roam free? i've heard of a place but can't remember the name. do you?

Ideas on how to keep guinea pigs cool this summer

Aileen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:49:38 GMT

I wonder if any one has any good ideas on how to keep my two guinea pigs cool this summer while I am at work during the day. I put ice cubes in their water bottle(three small ones per bottle of water) and wrap cold packs in a towel for them as they aren't bad to chew on things, but still worry about them during these 100+ degree says. I leave the windows open but no fan or air conditioner running while no one is home.

I NEED AN ANSWER! Please help!

FrizzANDBenny — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:26:35 GMT

Hey everyone. I am getting two new male guinea pigs tomorrow. I have been researching guinea pigs for over 5 or 6 months now, and my father gave me permission. We live in a country kinda area so neighbors are kinda far away. Anyway, i will be doing things on the summer holiday, at the most be gone for a week, i need to know what i do for the care for the guinea pigs. I don't know any one around me who knows a lot about them, what do i do to make sure they are looked after? I need an answer really really fast! Thank you.