General Brought new cavy home with ringworm, need help with settling in

[GremandHarvey]

Hey everyone,
Im incredibly new here, as i just brought home my first piggy last night. Hes a bit of a tricky case though, as he came home with me already infected with ringworm. I knew this when agreeing to take him in, as his previous caregivers didnt want to spend the time or money to help him, so i took him instead
The issue im having is that since hes already infected, i obviously cant place him near other animals, so hes being housed solo. On top of that, i really dont want to risk letting him run around my house or in a playpen at the moment in case he spreads the infection to others, so hes confined in a quarantine cage for now. And to top it all off hes (understandably) INCREDIBLY afraid of hands and the only times hes been handled by me so far is so i can put his medication on. I really dont want to stick my hands in there more than i need too right away so i dont cause unnecessary stress, but i also dont want my hands to become associated with only uncomfortable, upsetting medical treatments
All of this combined makes for a very nervous piggy and im worried the stress is causing him to not eat or drink as much as he should. He ate the kale i gave him this morning, which was good, and i see hes been digging in his hay when im not around, but i dont think hes ate much, if any at all, of his pellet food or drank much water
So, do any of you have any suggestions on how to make a scared, sick piggy a little more comfortable and relaxed while he gets treated in his new home?
I want him to see me as his caregiver, not the scary lady that has to put annoying cream on his face twice a day
I obviously dont expect an immediate bond with him (i also have a rabbit i know these relationships take time and trust) but i wish there was something more i could do to help him settle down and trust me a little more and maybe encourage him to eat

Thank you so much in advance

 

[Dharma1521]

Oh man I am in the exact same boat as you. My baby boy Newt came to me with a URI and a fungal infection. I started giving him treats (yogurt drops) everytime I had to give him antibiotics and cream and he's decided I'm ok.

I feel horrible for the guy. He hears the other Guinea pig. They call out to each other but cant see each other. I've had him for 5 weeks and he has to be separated for another 4-6 due to the fungal infection.

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[bpatters]

Yogurt drops aren't a suitable treat for guinea pigs. They're lactose intolerant. He'd be happier and healthier with a small sprig of cilantro or a bit of parsley or carrot.

 

[GremandHarvey]

Well the GOOD news is last night it seems likes hes finally gotten the hang of his water bottle because he spent a few minutes straight just lapping away at it, so that’s promising! He’s also gained more of an appetite for his hay and greens, but still doesn’t touch his pellet food. So that is atleast a few issues resolved. Unfortunately he still runs into his hidey hut and cowers whenever I’m around and refuses to even budge with me there, so unfortunately it looks like I’m still being seen as the big bad guy.
So really at this point I think i need some tips on how to bond with this little guy more while he’s still going through his treatment, just something to show him I’m not here to hurt him, yknow?

 

[Dharma1521]

Yogurt drops aren't a suitable treat for guinea pigs. They're lactose intolerant. He'd be happier and healthier with a small sprig of cilantro or a bit of parsley or carrot.

This was something my vet told me to do. He was on antibiotics for so long that they became worried about digestion.

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[bpatters]

Exotic vet, or small animal vet?

Guinea pigs are herbivores. Yogurt isn't appropriate.

If your guinea pig needs digestive help, probiotics or poop soup from a healthy guinea pig is a much better way to go. Bene-bac is my go-to probiotic for guinea pigs on antibiotics.