Another Guinea pig thread, URGENT

[Sookeh]

A friend of mine on a whim bought 2 boy guinea pigs who she has now decided she no longer wants. They have not been together long as she has only had them a couple of weeks and has said that she'd be fine seperating them. If they don't get picked up today she will take them to a rescue.

I would quite like to adopt them but am generally clueless. Should I split them up? The cage was bought at pets at home and looks only big enough for 1 but friend said all pets at home guinea cages are suitable for 2 as they usually are bought as a pair?

DP has said he'd prefer to only get 1 to keep costs down, is it really that much more to have a pair?

They are both males, could this cause problems?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as DD and I have sort of fallen in love and need to know what to do ASAP!

Thanks Krit for the help.

Ned did seem to have crusty eyes and I've just read that's a warning sign :(

Tyrion seems totally fine, eating and drinking well.

I know he needs a friend but I'm not sure I can replace Ned. I'm so traumatized by it, I know it seems silly but I've never seen an animal die like that before and it's really bothered me

A part of me wishes we hadn't taken them now.

Oh Sookeh I've just clicked on and read this- poor GP Ned .

It'll be a needle in a haystack job to find out why.
Crusty eyes do usually mean an respiratory tract infection.
Or can be tooth problems but that tends to affect their breathing.
They were in the house weren't they ,so the temperature would have been constant but maybe different to what they were used to? I can't think of anything like fumes etc that would have affected one GP and that would have gone un noticed by you ( like car fumes in a garage for people who keep them there).

Keep a check on little Tyrion. You could scald out his cage with boiling water to make sure it's clean without residue (I used a handheld steamer in our Pighouse, just have to make sure it's dry).

Your GP might go into a decline, try and tempt him to eat (there's Critical care for herbivores or you can mash up the pellets and use a syringe - pharmacies or petshop for feeding syringes)
It will be difficult for your DD as well to lose the piggie. But in the time you had him you wanted him.
Next few days will be a case of watching now.

It might be worth asking your friend if the pigs had any problems with breathing or their eyes.
I'm not sure how you'd word it though...
"Oh you know those guineas that you got fed up with,Matey? Was there any other reason? Like scabby eyes or owt"?

Aww

At least, like 70 said, he was wanted and loved when he died. Fingers crossed that Tyrion stays healthy.

I agree might be worth asking your friend if anything else was going on with them.

Sookeh back in your Thursday post when you said Ned was snuffling at your neck? Do you think that might have been more than just hog noises?

It is so hard because you had just got them, so you didn't know their noises.
(GP2 went up to the hay rack for some nice herbal hay and he was all snort snort, grunt grunt, I freaked out, but it was his "Yum yum lipsmacking" noise. He ate some, walked away and sounded normal) When you know them, you get to know their noises, like with your own child's breathing.

It sounds like he had something already, so don't blame yourself.

If Tyrian sounds snuffly, have you got any Vicks Menthol Rub?
You could put some in an out of the way area in his cage (some people put it on GPs nostrils but I'm not sure I'd like that done to me)

Tyrion seems totally and utterly fine. I think he's just sad that his friend has gone

I feel awful as I'm not in a position to pay for a vet this month at all but got them under the impression I wouldn't need one for a long time.

Friend says she noticed his eyes were crusty and they he was incredibly docile but didn't know that was anything to worry about.

Cage has been totally re-disinfected and food bowls/water bottles etc so I'm just going to hope and pray nothing happens to Tyrion now.

Sookeh I had GP when I was a child ( we had a pair of girls who weren't, so had a litter. They got pg straight after. Another litter. I bought a female who was pg).
So these 2 boars are 13&14 .
My previous GP s- only 2 went to the vet. Boar 1 was bossed by his mate and ended up with concussion running away from an attack.
Last GP from 4 sows was a quiet little thing who needed her teeth trimmed periodically.

Our GPs were robust little things, they got ill at the end of their lives, a cold usually and died the same day or next day.
Did Ned have little lumps behind his ears? Ours had when they had a cold ? glands.

I don't know if it's now GP are imported or factory farmed by breeders. They seem to be sold alot younger too. My GPs were much bigger when I bought them.(This was in the 1980s)

And sadly ,some of these fancy breeds have inbred problems.
Satins -who have beautiful coats- their hairs are hollow to reflect the light- have a higher incidence of osteoporosis and joint problems.

No lumps that I recall. I'm just so upset and sort of regret starting all of this as sweet as they are and as attached as I've become.

Sookeh - this happened to me last year but without any warning signs except I thought I heard one or two possibly wheezing noises the night before my lovely pig died. I was absolutely beside myself with grief but they do hide illness very well.

This has made me even more cautious with my pigs. Blondie pig went off her food for a couple of hours so went straight to the vet and she was ill but vet gave her antibiotics and she recovered.

This week another of my pigs has been snuffling so took her to the vets. She has asthma and had a low level head cold. Again antibiotics have sorted it out.

The thing is I have had some of my pigs for 5 years so I know what is normal and what is not but still got caught out last year. My motto is now if in doubt take to a good GP vet. They are gorgeous little creatures but not hardy at all.

Be kind to yourself. Maybe getting a rescue pig will help make you feel better as you will be giving another lovely little creature a home where they will be loved and looked after.

Tyrion seems lethargic and has been hiding most of the day. I'm taking him to a vet if I can first thing in the morning but I'm afraid we might lose him in the night.

This is made worse by the fact that "friend" brought a replacement guinea over after dinner this evening as she felt guilty that DD was upset.

So now I may have three dead guinea pigs on my hands and just am beyond myself with worry.

From what I've read it seems like it was a respiratory infection which are contagious apparently

What a nightmare

What in the name of all that is holy was your "friend" thinking? Guinea pigs are animals, not teddy bears or dolls where you can just stick one next to your old one on the shelf. Where did she get the guinea pig from?

Sorry, this kind of approach to animals makes me very cross, and I'm really sad for you because she's just added to your worry, not helped one bit.

I know it's probably too late for you to see this, but yes, definitely get whatever pigs you have to a vet asap. If it is a respiratory infection, it can spread very quickly, and may be easily treatable if caught early.

I'd also find out where your "friend" is getting these guinea pigs because there could be a nasty outbreak amongst them that's spreading. If the breeder or pet shop is selling sick guinea pigs, that's unethical on just every level and possibly needs to be reported to the RSPCA or trading standards.

Oh, and your "friend" should be paying for ALL the vet bills. She has brought the problem to your door. It's possible that her negligence contributed to little Ned's suffering (she said he had crusty eyes and was quiet, but didn't do anything about it - I mean I can't believe someone would be so blase about it.)

Thinking about you and hoping things work out okay.

Yes Krit, I agree. I'm furious with her but she showed DD and there was no way I could have sent the new guinea away after that. It's a nightmare to be honest but both pigs seem totally fine this morning though they're both going to the vet later to get checked out.

Just crossing my fingers all will be ok.

She got them from pets at home.

Oh no Sookeh ! :(
I've just come back to this, so sad about your piggy.
Your friend is a idiot! What the he'll did she think she was ding getting another! I agree with KRIT, make sure she pays for the vet visit, if shred has enough money to be buying GPs left right and centre, she can afford a vet! Plus if it wasn't for her you wouldn't have to be dealing with this!

Has your other pig perked up bit now he has a friend again? Hopefully he wad just feeling lonely and all will work out fine.

Fingers and paws crossed here for you!
Keep us posted.

Sorry, so many typos
I must stop posting from my phone!

Oh...and I would get the vet to check that they are both boys, Im guessinguyen piles are the last thing you want right new!

I have very little faith in P@H. Some branches are ok, but others are appaling and don't have a clue!

Im guessing piglets* not piles

Damn phone!

oh this started off such a happy thread now im a bit sad , your friend is an ass, sorry, you sound lovely though. I am off to give my pigs a cuddle now.

I've ha floats of ginuea pigs, males tend to fight for the dominant role, so separation into different cages when there a bit older is good.
You can just get one, yes they like companionship but it can be human instead of a second one, I used to have mine on my lap and it used to sit and watch tv while I stroked him. Perfectly happy. Just play with it for a hour a day everyday and give it bath time then cuddle and it should be quite content.

• had loads

Thanks for the positive thoughts everyone.

Right, just got back from the vets half an hour ago. The new one who DD has called Scruffles is very poorly, this is the one that arrived here last night FFS! Crusty eyes, lethargic, pee stained fur and generally very under the weather. She said that Tyrion seems fine although he has terrible mites so we've been given stuff for that, antibiotics and anti inflammatories. Keeping Scruffles separate for now in a big plastic box with a cardboard hidey hole. Not convinced he's drinking enough so will be syringeing him. How much do you think I should give him and how often?

I'll be up throughout the night probably. I'm just hoping and praying now. The vet said we'll know in two days whether he's coming out of it or getting worse.

I'm livid. I'm going to call pets at home and demand they pay for the vet bills. Friend is an idiot but I think she had our best interests at heart. She's just a bit clueless. She didn't pay for the new guinea pig they replaced Ned free of charge but I'll be damned if I ever, ever buy from there again.

DD and I are total nervous wrecks.

You could try giving Scruffles some cucumber if you don't think he's drinking much.
They do all vary though, my little pig drink s loads , whereas big pig hardly any.

Hopefully his treatment works!

Did they give you mite treatment for both? Chances are they will both have it.

Yes, I've given them both mite treatment.
Put Scruffles in a box in my room as it's the quietest but he's eaten some cucumber and I'll give him a few drops of water every hour or so.

I really, really hope he pulls through, he's so sweet

I've just been to a local P@H. One of their GPs had a crusty dry nose (possibly fungal) and a very sparse chest (though he was drinking, his chin was wet, so could be dribble but could be mites)
He/she was as cute as hell, eating and drinking but it's the sort of GP someone would fall in love with or want to 'rescue'.

Cucumber is very water rich so will keep him hydrated if he doesn't drink much. Just give him little bits of a variety to tempt him.

Agree your friend is a <span class="line-through">pillock</span> bit thoughtless. But what's done is done.
Hopefully with some intensive nursing your pigs will pull through. Next few days are the test.

It doesn't look good for the other GPs where she got him? They are all kept in close proximity, I've seen 12+GPs in a pen. Anything respiratory or skin infection would spread like wildfire.

I know 70, I don't know how they can get away with selling such obviously sick animals.

Tyrion seems a bit quiet but I think he's moping because he's on his own again. His skin does look so sore. Poor little things.

So have DD(4YO) DS(16 months) and 2 poorly piggies to co tend with today as DP is working today.

He's mightily pissed off at me now as the vet bill was 50 pounds which we realllly couldn't afford this month.

Sookeh - could you call the RSPCA as I think that these sick guinea pigs could be seen as animal cruelty? This is very urgent as those poor little pigs are not having any medication to help them and therefore are likely to die.