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Conditions Is she a lethal white or not?

jacqueline

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DSC03347.jpg

Here's a photo of two of my piggies. having summer watermelon.

RodentCuddles your cage is lovely and looks like it will be a great home for precious. Bpatters is right - thin stips/slivers are easier for them to suck in their mouths. Think spaghetti. One of the things you can do when you out the food/veggies in the cage is knock on the floor of the cage. The vibrations will become a cue to her that food is there. Also, so she doesn't startle so badly when you pick her up, I try to softly blow on her fur, to let her know I'm coming.

If you need help with the teeth trimming thing, let us know. I was very scared the first time I had to do it. Now, it's nothing! But you do have to have the right tool. Don't use nail clippers, by the way!

I hope you get to keep her. Tell your mum that she needs a very special person to take care of her, and no one can do that better than you, with the help of this forum!
 

RodentCuddles

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@jacqueline and @bpatters

Mums more then happy for her to join my main herd once her 2 and a half month preggy watch is up. :)

There is a wall (like 2 inches?) in-between the 2x4 kitchen type area and the 3x5 rest of the cage...would she be okay with it there?

ETA: My and I are both a bit worried about how she would settle into a group? I really am putting all my hope into Trixie to welcome her...she's welcomed every other pig..even though Gigi didn't really 'hit it off' with Buttercup Trixie wouldn't allow her to bully her...I'd be putting all my trust in my Trixie girl
 
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jacqueline

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My piggies do everything my regular pigs do -the rumblestrut, mount other pigs, wheek (VERY LOUDLY), and popcorn. I have a ramp they go up and down. I'm sure they'll learn to manage the wall. Just watch and make sure she can do it the first couple times. Good luck with introductions- it can be very stressful. fingers crossed that they'll all get along!
 

MrsSuzy

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Wonderfull that you're keeping her :)

I hope your herd accepts her, keep us posted!!
 

YourSoJelly

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I know this post is a couple weeks old, but I'm curious, what exactly is a lethal white?

This post is only two days old. A lethal white is a all white guinea pig that typically doesn't survive but a few days after birth. They are often deaf, blind, and have dental problems, making eating a chore. They are just as sweet as any other guinea pig, but they just need lots of extra TLC.
 

bpatters

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@EcthalionMCB, "lethal" genes are found in several species -- horses, dogs, mice, rats, etc. They're called that because many of the young are born dead or die soon after birth, but how many varies by species. Some have more live births than others, and the survivors are less handicapped. In most species, those that live don't have normal life spans.

In guinea pigs, they are all PEWs (pink-eyed whites), and are born with varying degrees of microphthalmia (small eyes), malformed or missing teeth, deafness, and intestinal problems. The immature intestines seem to be the major obstacle to their continued survival if they have caregivers who are diligent about feeding them, keeping their teeth trimmed. etc.

In guinea pigs, roans and dalmatians (specific coat patterns) are carriers of the gene, and any pig with white on it is a possible carrier. However, not all pigs with white hair will be carriers, and in fact, most won't. It's more likely when white hairs are mixed in with colored hairs than when the pig has white splotches that are pure white, and no white intermixed with any other colors.
 

PiggieGuinea

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@EcthalionMCB A lethal white is a birth defect. It happens with dogs too. Most of the time they are deaf,blind and may have little or no use of their front teeth. Sometimes their immune systems won't work properly and they might die
 

RodentCuddles

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Precious girl has a really good sense of smell as she finds her food really well...she sniffs her way to it!
The poor girl must of been staving as her and the still un-named boy have been gobbling up their food like it's the last they'll have in months...
 

NormaS

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So glad she will be staying with you! She is so cute!
 

jacqueline

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Bpatters - i hadn't heard/known about them all being PEW. I just checked the boys eyes - well, eye (there's actually only one open eye between the two of them!) - and if it is pink, it's a very deep, dark pink. I'd be hard pressed to call it pink. Curious!
 

bpatters

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@jacqueline, I think it's a technical term. Some of them have dark looking eyes, some red. But it's my understanding that they're all PEWs. Definitely all white.

On a related note, Salana is the user on this forum who's had a lethal pig.
 

RodentCuddles

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I just wanted to say thank you all for helping out with me learning about care for Precious!

I've got in contact with Fairy's owner and she's been very helpful! Hopefully Precious can live a long wonderful life like Fairy!
 

RodentCuddles

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A picture of her front teeth...I could only get one as I didn't want Precious to get stressed...she's such a darling. :)
They seem like they're okay to me.

IMG_7564.jpg

She weighed into today at 661 grams, yesterday she weighed 672 grams.
 
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RodentCuddles

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Precious in her hay corner...
IMG_7641.jpgIMG_7667.jpgIMG_7694.jpgIMG_7731.jpgIMG_7763.jpg
 

RodentCuddles

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Precious weighed in at 691grams today...I said to mum her stomach felt like Martha's did *Martha was a piggy from another rescue we did...we rescued Martha with Rory a male* anyway...Mum said she'd been thinking the same...we're both really really hoping it's just that she's eating so much...and nothing more.

We don't want this little girl to be pregnant...the poor girl should be happy and stress-free.
 

RodentCuddles

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I spy two little piggies....

IMG_8413.jpgIMG_8414.jpgIMG_8423.jpg
 

RodentCuddles

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@Kelsie ...she's just so Precious...I have to say I admire her for her will to live and enjoy the life she has...

Does anyone know if once she's out of quarantine in one and a half weeks could I intro her to my herd? If she would turn out to be pregnant and she'd joined my group...would I be possibly putting the babies in harms way? Should I just play it safe and wait till her long preggy watch is over?

(ETA: Now for de-sexing we have 2 boys booked for Thursday and then 1 boy and 1 girl on Friday...fingers crossed it all goes well for everyone....and that they all give me an easy time giving them their meds!)
 

Soecara

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I personally would intro her into the herd. The positive effects for her would outweigh the risk, this is unless one of your girls has a behavioral issue. You should also take into consideration her dietary needs would be slightly different to the rest of the girls.

It is extremely rare for another sow to harm a baby, infact they actually make really good "nannys" (they often help clean the newborns and give the mother some support). But is she is pregnant and she had a falling out with another girl then the fight could potentially harm an unborn baby.
 

RodentCuddles

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@bpatters Just wondering what you think of introducing her to my herd before her preggy watch is up?
She hasn't had any babies in the last 6 months of living with him as that's why they wanted rid of the rodents *because they didn't breed*...any way.
 
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