citaconnor
Member
Cavy Slave
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2009
- Posts
- 12
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2009
- Messages
- 12
So I adopted Lulu this summer, shortly followed by Reed (a neutered male from Small Angels Rescue), they got along perfectly from the start and immediately became inseparable.
Reed's foster mother told me that he had a very bad case of mites before, he was missing much of his hair and emaciated due to improper nutrition and lack of will to eat. When I met him he was quite fat, and very happy to meet Lulu (though a bit skiddish around humans)
Jump to this last week, where I was washing Reed and came upon a clump of fur by his rump. I began to scrub, thinking it was dirt or something, and the hair clump came out! Upon further inspection I could tell that there was some sort of parasite in the clump. I freaked out, exacerbated by the fact that I had to leave town for the weekend and leave my piggies under the care of my friends, who knew little about guinea pigs but were armed with a detailed care sheet. I started to cut his hair, especially near his rump, and found many patches on his body were very sensitive and covered in white specks. I then checked Lulu and found she had similar specks and sensitivity. So I threw away every towel, rug, and sheet that had come into contact with them (a bit rash, but the laundry costs more money than these hand-me-downs). I decided to separate the two to prevent further spread and put grids in the middle of their existing pen to divide them.
All they did was sit by the grids and squeak at each other, trying to nudge through the bars. It broke my heart, and was all I could think about all weekend. I couldn't find Ivermectin in stores (I need to go to the vet ASAP) but right now I have classes so I will have to wait a few more days for Thanksgiving break. It pained me to see them apart, hardly moving and only sulking, so I took away the divider for a minute to let them play. I turned my back and all of the sudden I hear distinct teeth chattering. At first I thought they were just getting used to one another again, but then Lulu lunged at Reed, and it grew louder. I quickly threw a newspaper on them and separated them again. :sad:
But the sulking continues. Reed tries all day to get through the fence, and Lulu did so a few times. I only realized this because I heard the teeth chattering. I don't understand the two of them, but as soon as I can get them to the vet I will treat them both, have their cage completely cleaned of their scents, and attempt to reintroduce them.
Any suggestions?
Reed's foster mother told me that he had a very bad case of mites before, he was missing much of his hair and emaciated due to improper nutrition and lack of will to eat. When I met him he was quite fat, and very happy to meet Lulu (though a bit skiddish around humans)
Jump to this last week, where I was washing Reed and came upon a clump of fur by his rump. I began to scrub, thinking it was dirt or something, and the hair clump came out! Upon further inspection I could tell that there was some sort of parasite in the clump. I freaked out, exacerbated by the fact that I had to leave town for the weekend and leave my piggies under the care of my friends, who knew little about guinea pigs but were armed with a detailed care sheet. I started to cut his hair, especially near his rump, and found many patches on his body were very sensitive and covered in white specks. I then checked Lulu and found she had similar specks and sensitivity. So I threw away every towel, rug, and sheet that had come into contact with them (a bit rash, but the laundry costs more money than these hand-me-downs). I decided to separate the two to prevent further spread and put grids in the middle of their existing pen to divide them.
All they did was sit by the grids and squeak at each other, trying to nudge through the bars. It broke my heart, and was all I could think about all weekend. I couldn't find Ivermectin in stores (I need to go to the vet ASAP) but right now I have classes so I will have to wait a few more days for Thanksgiving break. It pained me to see them apart, hardly moving and only sulking, so I took away the divider for a minute to let them play. I turned my back and all of the sudden I hear distinct teeth chattering. At first I thought they were just getting used to one another again, but then Lulu lunged at Reed, and it grew louder. I quickly threw a newspaper on them and separated them again. :sad:
But the sulking continues. Reed tries all day to get through the fence, and Lulu did so a few times. I only realized this because I heard the teeth chattering. I don't understand the two of them, but as soon as I can get them to the vet I will treat them both, have their cage completely cleaned of their scents, and attempt to reintroduce them.
Any suggestions?
