Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register
  • ONE THREAD per pig please!
    We really want your pig's history all in one place to help you. Please don't start a new thread for a new issue. Just reply to your old one. We can edit the title for you if needed.

Lethals Is Harry deaf?

dani_starr

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Posts
390
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
390
As I was watching Harry and Ginny today, I noticed that Harry has much smaller eyes than Ginny. They also are more slanted too, not round circles.

I've had them for over a week now, and Harry never wheeks when there is any rustling, it's only Ginny. When it's veggie time, I call for them after I put the veggies in, and Ginny comes running. Harry, on the other hand, only seems to notice there's veggies when he sees Ginny with something, or sees the veggies.

He rarely wheeks at all, and it's barely noticeable. It's very soft.

He doesn't startle at loud noises, such as my dog barking or the vacuum. He was sitting there eating in the front with Ginny, my dog barked, Ginny scampered, he stayed there. He's far more skittish that Ginny is too though, so it's not that he stayed there because he's confident around my dog. As soon as he turned around and saw my dog, he scampered off.

He's 2 year old, PEW colored, and doesn't seem to have any problems eating in the slightest.

I was starting to think that he is possibly a lethal? How would I be able to tell if he's deaf? The rescue where I got him from didn't mention anything about deafness, but I figure it might be hard to notice when they had so many other guinea pigs, and he functions normally otherwise.

Thanks :)
 

RodentsRus

Cavy Star, Video Contest Winner
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Posts
824
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
824
No an expert but when ever I snap my fingers or make kissing sounds to my girls their ears twitch.
 

jinxie

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Posts
157
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
157
If it has been less than a month since you got them sometimes they can be so scared that nothing will make them move. Heck, one of mine took months to start coming and wheeking for veggies and the other one came to me the first day. Remember that piggies have different personalities and some may take longer to tame. One of mine is what I call "emotionally unstable" and is scared of everything. If his cagemate isn't in the cage he wheeks and whines but at other times he loves to cuddle and fall asleep on my chest haha. Just in case harry is deaf I would let him see or sniff your hand to let him know you're there and to get used to it. I know you have experience with piggies so once they start getting more comfortable you should be able to tell more clearly, but it sounds like it could just be nerves.
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
If he's white, with small/missing/misshapen eyes, he's undoubtedly a lethal. If so, he's also blind.
 

RodentsRus

Cavy Star, Video Contest Winner
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Posts
824
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
824
dani_starr Would love to see pigture of your guys.
 

dani_starr

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Posts
390
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
390
He's jumped up to the second level a couple times now (just a small piggy patio, at 4 grids high), would that mean that he could see then/isn't blind? Or could he just feel it was there when he was exploring and sniffing for food?

His eyes aren't missing, but they are smaller than Ginny's (even though he is bigger than she is), and they are slightly slanted instead of protruding and round. As far as I can tell, he has all his teeth.

It's hard to get a clear picture with my phone. I'll try though. :)
 

dani_starr

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Posts
390
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
390
Harry head by log.jpgHarry stretching.jpg harry ginny eating veggies 1.jpgThe first picture makes it hard to see that his eyes are slanted as my camera quality is awful. They aren't super tiny, but they are definitely smaller and more slanted than Ginny's.

(Not like it matters, but they are on fleece now :)
 

dani_starr

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Posts
390
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
390
Here's pictures of them from the rescue, MUCH better pictures. harry rescue.jpgginny rescue.jpg
 

CavieGuy

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jul 20, 2013
Posts
500
Joined
Jul 20, 2013
Messages
500
Why don't you ask Saskia? Since we both got our pigs there she can tell you.

The current piggie I got from her is blind in one eye.
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
His eyes look normal to me, so he's probably not lethal, although it's possible that he's deaf.
 

dani_starr

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Posts
390
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
390
@CavieGuy I've emailed her a couple times regarding other things, and haven't received any responses.
@spy9doc ah okay good to know. I haven't had any experience with PEW piggies before, so of course my natural reaction is to go to worst case scenario when I notice something a little different. Could it just be she feels safer when it's darker and easier to hide? All my previous companion animals, including REW/PEW rats, would feel more comfortable if the lights were off/lowered.
@bpatters oh good, thank you very much for your input. :) It worried me since his eyes have a slight slant and don't protrude like Ginny's do, as they are more "sunken in" looking. If that makes sense?
 

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
I know you have said in the past that he is an ex lab animal. Is there any chance that what they were using him for is connected to his deafness?

Overall being deaf should not affect his quality of life at all. You just need to make sure that he can see that you are putting veg in the cage, and that he can see you/your hands before you pick him up so he doesn't panic.
 

dani_starr

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Posts
390
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
390
@Soecara, I was thinking about that too. Who knows what kind of awful things they did to him. :(

He didn't run away when I ran the vacuum and slept pretty soundly. He could just be comfortable with the vacuum though. I'll be sure to make sure that he sees the veggies and that he sees me before I go to pick him up, just to be on the safe side though. :)
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

K
Replies
5
Views
517
Anawilliam850
A
K
Replies
2
Views
306
Kids0519
K
O
Replies
5
Views
434
Peanut&Cocopuff
Peanut&Cocopuff
D
Replies
10
Views
486
DisaVelet
D
alicee
Replies
8
Views
927
Kids0519
K
Top