So, I am a newbie here. I have searched and searched the forums for answers to my questions and have not found what I'm looking for so forgive me if this is a redundant question.
My guinea pig's name is Poohbear and I've had him for a little over a month. He's around 4-5 mos old. I am concerned because he is always making an unusual noises at night that sounds like wheezing and sometimes a gurgle or whines. It's taking me quite some time in figuring out and wondering if it's normal or should I be alarmed? I searched for guinea sounds all over the internet and Youtube and can't find anything that sounds like what he does. Do Abyssinians make different sounds than other guineas? I have an American short hair, Piglet, too and he doesn't make hardly any noise. I took Poohbear to the vet last month and the xray showed lungs were clear and heart looked fine and a belly full of food. They gave me an antibiotic anyway which I gave to him for a week. He still continues to make this noise every now and then which sounds like a pigeon cooing or wheezing. I think I may have concluded after 4-5 weeks of observing that he does this after eating the hay at night. I took the hay away for one night and he slept soundly with no noise. But he has to have hay so I bought different hay I found on the internet which is a 3rd cut Timothy hay. I guess it's less brittle. But have not noticed much difference in his noises. I've even give him Vitamin C drops. Sometimes I will give him water with a dropper thinking he just needs to clear his throat? But I have no idea?!
His eyes and nose are fine. He still eats and drinks like crazy, pees & poops, and even runs and does the most wildest popcorns I've ever seen! So then I thought, well he must be OK then right? But every time I hear that sound it keeps me up at night worrying for the little guy and I myself am getting no sleep.
It has become a nightly ritual for me to pick him and pat him until he coughs. I swear it's the hay! Is this normal? Can some piggies have an allergy to hay? I've also given him Oxbow Timothy Hay...same thing. I honestly don't know how these little rodents with their tiny tummies can eat such brittle hay and not puncture their insides!
Anyway, like I said, my other breed, Piglet, has no problems at all.Â
I've done everything I know to do that is right but have no clue or answers. I feed him pellets daily and one fresh veggie such as romaine lettuce, green pepper, cucumbers, or carrots...and very little.
Also, can I feed them just pellets alone without hay? Don't the pellets aid in digestion too?
One last thing to note...He is a gobbler!! He eats so fast I wonder if he is even chewing sometimes? So because of this I have to hand feed in small pieces and because Poohbear is so aggressive that he will try to eat everything before Piglet does or even steal it from his mouth. Pesky Abyssinians!!
My guinea pig's name is Poohbear and I've had him for a little over a month. He's around 4-5 mos old. I am concerned because he is always making an unusual noises at night that sounds like wheezing and sometimes a gurgle or whines. It's taking me quite some time in figuring out and wondering if it's normal or should I be alarmed? I searched for guinea sounds all over the internet and Youtube and can't find anything that sounds like what he does. Do Abyssinians make different sounds than other guineas? I have an American short hair, Piglet, too and he doesn't make hardly any noise. I took Poohbear to the vet last month and the xray showed lungs were clear and heart looked fine and a belly full of food. They gave me an antibiotic anyway which I gave to him for a week. He still continues to make this noise every now and then which sounds like a pigeon cooing or wheezing. I think I may have concluded after 4-5 weeks of observing that he does this after eating the hay at night. I took the hay away for one night and he slept soundly with no noise. But he has to have hay so I bought different hay I found on the internet which is a 3rd cut Timothy hay. I guess it's less brittle. But have not noticed much difference in his noises. I've even give him Vitamin C drops. Sometimes I will give him water with a dropper thinking he just needs to clear his throat? But I have no idea?!
His eyes and nose are fine. He still eats and drinks like crazy, pees & poops, and even runs and does the most wildest popcorns I've ever seen! So then I thought, well he must be OK then right? But every time I hear that sound it keeps me up at night worrying for the little guy and I myself am getting no sleep.
It has become a nightly ritual for me to pick him and pat him until he coughs. I swear it's the hay! Is this normal? Can some piggies have an allergy to hay? I've also given him Oxbow Timothy Hay...same thing. I honestly don't know how these little rodents with their tiny tummies can eat such brittle hay and not puncture their insides!
Anyway, like I said, my other breed, Piglet, has no problems at all.Â
I've done everything I know to do that is right but have no clue or answers. I feed him pellets daily and one fresh veggie such as romaine lettuce, green pepper, cucumbers, or carrots...and very little.
Also, can I feed them just pellets alone without hay? Don't the pellets aid in digestion too?
One last thing to note...He is a gobbler!! He eats so fast I wonder if he is even chewing sometimes? So because of this I have to hand feed in small pieces and because Poohbear is so aggressive that he will try to eat everything before Piglet does or even steal it from his mouth. Pesky Abyssinians!!