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General Two new guinea pigs, separate cages, one not eating/drinking

lharcke

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Hello,

We have two young male guinea pigs purchased from a pet store 12 hours ago, one short-haired and one long-haired. They were not paired at the store, are from separate litters, and are for the time being living in separate cages. The long-haired is eating well (hay, pellets, vegetables) and drinking since there is 1.5 inch gone from the water bottle. He exits the hideaway to explore his cage from time to time. The short-haired just sits in the hideaway, not moving, no noticeable consumption of feed (hay, pellets, fresh vegetables) or water. When removed from the hideaway after 10 hours, the short-haired guinea pig just sat motionless in a corner of the cage near its water bottle. Eventually, after 20 minutes or so, it scurried back into the hideaway without touching food or water.

Is this just an adjustment period, where the short-haired is taking longer to adapt to new living conditions than the long-haired, or does the short-haired require something else? The short-haired was paired with his brother from the same litter at the pet store, and is on his own now for the first time. The plan is to introduce these two males in a few weeks once they are accustomed to the new surroundings.

How long can the short-haired go without consuming food or water before we should be concerned?

Thanks!
 
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jaycriae

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Guinea pigs from pet stores are often sick, and I'd definitely be worried about the short-haired pig if I were you. While skittishness and inactivity are fairly common among new, nervous pigs, all guinea pigs have very fast metabolisms and need to eat. If there's any way to watch him without his knowing you're there, do that, and if he's really not eating, take him to the vet.

I've never heard of someone taking home separate pigs from the same location and then waiting to introduce them. Typically the only reasons people wait to introduce pigs are quarantine, lack of available space, or recovery from surgery. If you have a large enough cage for two boars, 1. double check to confirm that they are both boars, pet stores are confused sometimes, and 2. introduce them in a large neutral area. If the short-haired pig isn't sick, having a buddy may help him feel comfortable enough to eat.
Good luck!
 

bpatters

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Guinea pigs are often reluctant to eat in a new place. Put the hidey right next to the food, water and pellets, and cover that end of the cage with a blanket so s/he'll feel more secure. But if no food or water is disappearing in a few hours, then see a good exotic vet.

Ditto checking to see that they're both the same sex before putting them together. And here's how to do guinea pig introductions, but do wait until you're sure the one isn't ill: https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html.

If they are both boars, no pet store cage will be large enough for them. Boars need more room than sows to keep aggression down. See the Main tab at the top of this page for more cage information.

Here's some reading for new guinea pig owners:

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/113176-Information-for-new-guinea-pig-owners
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/107827-What-NOT-to-do-for-your-guinea-pigs!
 

lharcke

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Guinea pigs from pet stores are often sick, and I'd definitely be worried about the short-haired pig if I were you. While skittishness and inactivity are fairly common among new, nervous pigs, all guinea pigs have very fast metabolisms and need to eat.

This was not a fast purchase; we observed the guinea pigs three separate times over five days and then made a decision. The short-haired was active and playful with his litter brother in his cage at the store, but seems remarkably different here at home.

If there's any way to watch him without his knowing you're there, do that, and if he's really not eating, take him to the vet.

Dimmed the lights and sat for 30 min., the long-haired came out of his hideaway to drink and eat some lettuce and apple, the short-haired stayed in his hideaway.

I've never heard of someone taking home separate pigs from the same location and then waiting to introduce them. Typically the only reasons people wait to introduce pigs are quarantine, lack of available space, or recovery from surgery. If you have a large enough cage for two boars, 1. double check to confirm that they are both boars, pet stores are confused sometimes, and 2. introduce them in a large neutral area. If the short-haired pig isn't sick, having a buddy may help him feel comfortable enough to eat.

OK. The cages are modular, and though individually are on the small size for two boars, will interlock to make a single, large habitat with 7.5 square feet of floor space.

Good luck!

Thanks.
 

new2piggs

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In my experience the new pigs take a few days to readily eat or drink in front of you. He may be eating and drinking when you aren't there.

Even though you visited them at the pet store over the course of 5 days it doesn't necessarily mean they arent sick. Guinea pigs are incredibly good at hiding illnesses. Have you handled them at all yet? I would look them over very well just to make sure you don't see any signs of illness. The stress of moving to a new home could also cause illnesses to show up.

Hopefully they just need time to warm up!!
 

lharcke

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In my experience the new pigs take a few days to readily eat or drink in front of you. He may be eating and drinking when you aren't there.

Perhaps timothy hay and some pellets were consumed by the short-haired overnight. I'm mainly watching the fresh vegetables (green leaf lettuce, carrot, bell pepper, a sliver of apple) and the water bottle. The vegetables in the short-haired's cage were replaced in the morning as they seemed untouched and had wilted. The vegetables in the long-haired's cage vanished overnight.

Even though you visited them at the pet store over the course of 5 days it doesn't necessarily mean they aren't sick. Guinea pigs are incredibly good at hiding illnesses. Have you handled them at all yet?

Very little, only to move them from the carry boxes into their cages, and to move the short-hared from his hideaway to show him two locations within the cage, the food bowl on the exterior of the hideaway, and the water bottle at the edge of the cage.

I would look them over very well just to make sure you don't see any signs of illness. The stress of moving to a new home could also cause illnesses to show up.

OK.

Hopefully they just need time to warm up!!

Yes, hopefully.
 

bpatters

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Seven and a half square feet isn't large enough for two boars. It'll be fine while they're very young, but when puberty hits, you'd best be ready to enlarge.
 

new2piggs

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@lharcke if the pet store never gave them veggies before they may not eat them right away. I got my girls to eat the veggies by chopping them up very small and laying them on top of the pellets. It was easiest with the bell peppers.
 

new2piggs

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Duplicate post. Sorry.
 

tegwen.boyle

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In my experience with very skittish guinea pigs I have had to take the hidey house away and move the whole cage to a very quiet room and make sure you try to stay away until he starts eating... if you are worried about his eating I would set up a camera for a little bit and review the footage to check... I don't know if this helps but this is what I have done in the past with foster guinea pigs[emoji5]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

lharcke

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So, the short-haired didn't eat any of the vegetables all day, and seemed to not have taken any water or eaten any pellets or timothy hay compared to the long-haired's consumption. The short-haired did produce some fresh, normal looking stool. After consulting with the advice hotline vet tech at our local exotic animal clinic, I decided to take him to the vet mid-afternoon.

The short-haired presented as alert and active, with a somewhat empty stomach and crusty eyes but clear breathing. He produced stool for the vet, too. The vet thought he might be at the beginning stages of an infection. He was given a 14-day course of TMS Suspension (Bactrim?) antibiotic, a 14-day course of BeneBac Small Mammal probiotic to make sure there is proper digestive flora, and 3-days of Metoclopramide suspension as a short-term aid to gastrointestinal distress. His fecal production will be sent out for analysis; should hear back in a day or two. He also got some fresh timothy hay and vegetable greens for the ride home.

I was instructed to watch the long-hared carefully to see if he catches anything from the short-hared or other animals he was exposed to at the pet shop. The vet suggested not introducing the short-hared and long-hared into the same cage complex until the short-hared has completed at least a week of the antibiotic.

Again, thanks to all who responded. Maybe this thread should be moved over to the medical section of the forums. :)
 
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lharcke

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Seven and a half square feet isn't large enough for two boars. It'll be fine while they're very young, but when puberty hits, you'd best be ready to enlarge.

Noted, thanks. These two are not that young, about 5 or 6 months old according to the pet shop and independently confirmed by the vet.
 

new2piggs

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Hopefully the meds do the trick and he gets better soon.
 

lharcke

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The short-haired stopped taking Critical Care on Saturday Dec. 24, and dropped 50 grams in weight. So we took him back to the veterinarian. His stool sample tested positive for multiple parasitic infections, ascarids and giardia. We left him at "in-patient care" over the holiday weekend so the vet techs could get some IV fluids, more medications, and syringe-fed food into him. After three nights/four days, he started eating hay and some vegetables for the vet.

He is now back with us finishing his original course of antibiotics, and now antiparasitics. He drinks extremely sparingly from the water bottle in his cage, and nibbles at timothy hay. But he refuses pellet food and vegetables --- green leaf or red leaf lettuce, bell pepper, etc. --- at home. Per vet, we're feeding 10 to 12cc of Critical Care twice a day to supplement his paltry unaided eating and drinking.

The long-haired continues to do well, but was placed on the antiparisitics by the vet as a precautionary measure. The guinea pigs live in separate cages, but have floor time (individually, not together) on one common area of the floor. An introduction will be attempted in a few weeks once the care situation stabilizes.

A note on Critical Care and oral feeding. A week ago we were originally given regular (green label) Critical Care which was nearly impossible to get into the 3cc syringes for feeding. Cutting the tip off the 3cc syringe didn't help. We now have the "fine ground" (brown/mauve label) Critical Care bag, and the nifty idea from another forum thread to use a larger syringe to fill the smaller syringes. We use a 10cc oral syringe from Walgreens to fill the 3cc syringes from the vet. To get the required 10-12cc per feeding of Critical Care into the animal, we have three or four 3cc syringes loaded & ready at dropper feeding time, rather than fumbling around attempting to fill/refill a single 3cc syringe. Also, the vet showed us how to "burrito wrap" the animal in a hand towel to keep it from wriggling away.
 
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bpatters

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I use the green label CC, and have never had any trouble getting it in the syringes. You just have to get all the clumps out of it, and make it a very loose slurry.
 

lharcke

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The short-haired has developed lesions at the base of his genitals, with the appearance of crusted-over/scabbed cold sores (photos below). I put some antibiotic ointment (Neosporin) on the sores with a cotton swab. After a brief text/picture message exchange, the vet says to continue to apply the antibiotic ointment twice daily. A follow-up appointment at the vet office is scheduled one week out.

IMG_20161229_175811013.jpgIMG_20161229_175858684.jpg

The short-haired has gained about 15 to 20 grams since returning home from an in-patient stay with the vet over the holiday weekend --- was 690 gr on Tuesday at pickup and as of Friday now weighs in at 708 gr. Still no measurable food pellet consumption (Oxbow Essentials - Young Guinea Pig Food) or fresh vegetable consumption (green/red leaf lettuce, bell pepper). Nine to twelve cc (ml) of Critical Care "fine grind" is administered for morning and evening meals, and he munches sparingly on timothy hay and sips water from his water bottle at other times. The majority of his time is spent in his hideaway (a Kaytee igloo), though he will exit the hideaway to access the hay manger and the water bottle.
 
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lharcke

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if the pet store never gave them veggies before they may not eat them right away. I got my girls to eat the veggies by chopping them up very small and laying them on top of the pellets. It was easiest with the bell peppers.

I checked with the pet store, they say the only veggies they feed their guinea pigs are the freeze-dried kind marketed for reptiles. So perhaps the short-haired needs a proper introduction to fresh vegetables. The long-haired eats vegetables wholeheartedly without hesitation.

The combining vegetables with pellets trick won't work here, as the short-haired continues to refuse pelleted food, too.
 
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