Feet Does my guinea pig have a foot problem?

My own theory is that when the nails are too long it puts pressure on the back part of the foot. It looks like your new guy could use a nail trim, although they aren't as bad as some I've seen. Some pigs just naturally have redness on their footpads, though. Keep an eye on it, and if it swells or a sore appears, then you will probably want to have a vet see it.

Some people prefer to use fleece bedding for pigs with foot problems.

The store bought cage is likely too small, which means it gets dirty quickly which could exacerbate any foot problems. Once you make an appropriate sized C&C Cage it won't need cleaning as often.

Thanks foggycreekcavy! My husband and I already ordered supplies to make our own C&C Cage, just waiting for delivery. I also bought a big piece of fleece from the fabric shop over the weekend and just need to prewash it before it goes in his cage. Ted scratches himself sort of frequently and I wasn't sure if it was because the wood chips bother him. He tends to push them out of the way in his "bed" and sleep right on the plastic tub floor. His nails are overgrown, in fact his front nails are twice as bad and I asked my vet if it was urgent they get taken care of because he's not comfortable with me handling his feet yet, they said no it could wait til he gets a little more tame. It's on my priority list to trim them, though.

Thanks again! =]

Ripshaw-- Welcome to the board!! Your pig could use a nail trim, but it sounds like you knew that already You could check a local animal shelter. Sometimes they'll do it for free. Ours does so it's nice between vet appointments. Also, go with your gut. Has the vet seen te nails or is the vet telling you over the phone it can wait? If they look bad to you, then chances are they really need to be trimmed. Does your vet see guinea pigs a lot? Just keep in mind not all vets see small animals. I myself had a bad experience and had to switch. You could contact a local rescue or shelter and ask for a recommendation. Another thing.... Depending on how clean the last owners kept his cage, sitting in urine can irritate their little feet. If you decide to wait to have the vet clip his nails, or even if you don't, you may want to have them look at his skin/fur just in case of mites or lice. They can cause itching. What kind of wood chips do you use? Some can cause upper respitary problems. Let us know if you need anything else!!

Thanks 3littlewheekers, I did speak to my cat's vet over the phone, he is also a rabbit specialist so I was hoping some of that wisdom translates to guinea pigs. I explained to him Ted's front nails are curved over and bend sideways when his feet are flat on the ground. There is a lady local to me that runs a rabbit/guinea pig foster network and I was talking to her about helping me find Ted a friend since he's all alone, she recommended a small animal vet and said I should take Ted in just to have a general health check and also to verify that he's fixed. I tried to trim Ted's nails tonight but he really hates me touching his feet and I only got 1 nail done. I will try to have the vet do it for me while we're there getting him checked over. The wood chips I'm using are just called large wood chips and the bag says they're good for guinea pigs, it's not labeled what type of wood it is. Thanks to both of you again for your help and advise =]

I agree with all of the above suggestions. If you do all the above advice, and it is still there, it may be worth keeping in mind that it *could* be a sign of underlying heart issues. I say this, because Gypsey my heart pig always had (and still has) the exact same hind back foot swelling/redness (on the left if I remember rightly) and it is due to her heart issues.

You're welcome! Does the bag of chips say kiln dried?