Help with Guinea Pig, Please - Rabbits and Cavies - Misc Categories - Backyard Chickens - Message Board - Yuku

0 Kudo

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Help with Guinea Pig, Please

Author	Comment
newchickenmomma	Help with Guinea Pig, Please		Lead	[-]
Posts: 3628 01/31/08 03:57 PM Pied Piper of Poultry	Hi all, my daughter got a few guinea pigs from someone about a month and half ago or so, they are a bit older and I need to find out a few things. I have never had guinea pigs before. We have a long hair and a short hair. Male and female, but the male is fixed. 1. Do guinea pigs shed ALOT, like nonstop all the time. I cleaned out the cage today and I could not believe the amount of hair that was mixed in with it. 2. The male I noticed seems to be wheezing quite a bit, but is eating, drinking and acting fine? any thoughts? thanks Dawn ~~~NJ~~~
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking	Reply Quote
cafeduck1		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 63 02/01/08 03:37 AM	Guinea pigs do shed, sometimes quite a bit. One thing that comes to mind though...What are you feeding them? They need a good quality pellet, all they can eat grass hay and some high vitamin C veggies, bell pepper being one of the highest. Vit C deficiency (scurvy) can cause loss of hair, so if this is a sudden loss of lots of hair, up the vit C. Pigs need about 25 mg a day. Children's vit C drops will work or 100 mg chewable tablets cut into quarters. Some pigs will eat these right from your hand. As for the wheezing, it could be an upper respiratory infection(URI) if it came on suddenly. Or it could be a reaction to the bedding...What type are you using? Cedar should be avoided...kiln dried pine is good. A URI should be treated by a vet who has guinea pig knowledge as many antibiotics are harmful to pigs. Baytril is the most common one given to pigs.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking	Reply Quote
newchickenmomma		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3629 02/01/08 07:03 AM Pied Piper of Poultry	ok well, he has been shedding since we got him. they get there pellets and timothy hay everyday, with carrots and apples most of the time. This is what the lady told me to give them. The bedding they were on was yesterdays news, and that is what they were on at there other home. I noticed a tiny bit of wheeze when we got them, but didn't think too much about it. I did change the bedding to something similar to yesterdays news, that stuff was just getting too expensive lol. But this wheezing was going on long before I changed there bedding. thanks for the reply Dawn ~~~NJ~~~
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking	Reply Quote
cafeduck1		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 64 02/02/08 09:27 PM	Carrots and apples are fine occasionally, but for long term health the pigs need veggies with more vit c.....bell pepper (any color), cilantro, parsley, broccoli are some good ones. Oranges are also good. If he has been wheezy this long, it sounds more like allergies. As long as they are eating and drinking fine, they should be ok.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking	Reply Quote
AneesasMuse		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 17 04/24/08 01:20 AM	I just took in a rescue a few weeks ago.. he's about a year old... anyhow, THIS SITE was very helpful with cage ideas and proper diet, etc. I will warn you... they are NOT very nice over there, but the site is full of great info. I have learned to just read and not post... sadly. Give your Cavy guys and gals lots of greens (romaine or red leaf lettuce.. NOT ICEBERG ...turnips, mustards, dandelions, chicory, endive, escarole, etc.) with a few pieces of sweet pepper (different colors), a cherry tomato or two, couple of baby carrots, some parsley or cilantro sprigs, an orange slice or mango piece. Variety is key.. and split their fresh salads in two intervals throughout the day, if possible. They like to eat and play... so a nice salad twice a day will offer some entertainment and nourishment! If you look in the Diet and Nutrition section of that forum, you will find a color coded chart for appropriate foods and inappropriate foods, etc. It's very helpful when deciding what's on the Cavy menu for the day "Lots of people talk to animals. Not that many listen though. That's the problem." - Piglet
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking	Reply Quote

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Quick Reply