General Guinea Pigs front foot is a faint purple and one of her nails on the foot

[ilovepeggy]

I don’t know how this works, I’m concerned with my Guinea pigs legs. First things first, one of her legs in the front is a faint purple and so is one of the nails on the foot, I’m also concerned with her back legs.

 

[ilovepeggy]

I don’t know how this works, I’m concerned with my Guinea pigs legs. First things first, one of her legs in the front is a faint purple and so is one of the nails on the foot, I’m also concerned with her back legs.

 

[CavySpirit]

The back paws look like they need some attention. If you don't have coconut oil, I would get some and apply and rub in some coconut oil to the back bottoms of the feet. That long nail on the back paw needs to be trimmed down and the front nails need a trim as well.

So, coconut oil for a while until the crusties on the back paw just naturally go away. Don't pick at it. I would apply the oil twice a day. A good bonding experience.

 

[CavySpirit]

Secondarily, I would ask about the cage size and the bedding and how long you've had them. Those kinds of things can be a sign that perhaps some adjustments might need to be made in that area. If you want further advice on that, feel free to attach a cage pic or send it privately if you prefer.

 

[ilovepeggy]

Secondarily, I would ask about the cage size and the bedding and how long you've had them. Those kinds of things can be a sign that perhaps some adjustments might need to be made in that area. If you want further advice on that, feel free to attach a cage pic or send it privately if you prefer.

I got this cage for her just a few months back, I also use CritterCare bedding for her, I changed her bedding on Friday. Also I’m concerned with one of her front feet shown in the pictures above, it’s like a faint purple color, should I be concerned? Because I saw someone on here say that, that can be a sign of lost blood supply

 

[Soecara]

Her feet colour looks to be fine. The darker pigment patches is something that can happen with their different fur colour patterns, for example I have one girl that has one black foot and one white foot on each side because one paw has white fur and one has black. That purple colour is from having a patch of orange fur on that paw, you can even see on her back paw she has a white toe where the fur changes to white.

However the crustiness on her back feet is a cause for concern and definitely not normal.

Her cage looks to be significantly too small even for a single guinea pig looking at that photo. This could be contributing to her feet issues as it would be very hard if not impossible to keep a cage that small dry from her urine so it is likely urine is sitting on her skin and burning her feet. https://www.guineapigcages.com/articles/cage-size-standards.15/

 

[CavySpirit]

You just need to do as recommended for the feet. But honestly, that cage is way, way too small for guinea pigs, so they have no choice but to be in wet bedding all the time. Also, I think Critter Care bedding is a paper-based bedding which IMO is pretty much the worst for that kind of thing. The problem is it absorbs very quickly from the top-down when they pee on it, which means their feet are always damp or wet, which is what is causing the problem. The one photo looks like the makings of a fungal infection, caused by the cage environment.

You really need to upgrade to at least a small C&C cage. You need to clean the Critter Care bedding in that small of a cage at least once a day, which is extremely expensive over time, as that's one of the more expensive beddings.

Upgrading the cage will save you on bedding, fix your pig's health, and give your pig the room it really needs. And if they have more room, they can actually run around, get more exercise and get their blood flowing better and stay much healthier.

That cage is bordering on being inhumane for guinea pigs. It's a common mistake that most of us make when starting out. That is what this entire site is all about. Getting your guinea pig in the right environment. Please poke around at the cage-related articles here for more info.

 

[ilovepeggy]

I’m looking on the web now and I came across this cage, is this big enough for my Guinea? What type of bedding what you recommend?

 

[CavySpirit]

Yes, perfect. It's the business that supports this website and is the best quality C&C cage available today. If you can possibly fit 60" of length, the Large would be the absolute ideal, but if you can only fit 54", then that is the great solution. I also highly recommend getting a Cavy Cafe kitchen insert as well: https://www.guineapigcagesstore.com/cavy-cafe-kitchen

Your disposable bedding goes in that and then most people use fleece liners in the remaining area. With a Cavy Cafe, you'd need a 2x2.5 GRID-sized liner (Medium cage with Cafe). They are available in a number of places and we have them on our sister store, Guinea Pig Market. I'll have a growing directory of providers later.

The bedding I recommend which I've scientifically tested out to be the best is a combo of Hemp Hurd (or Hemp Shavings if you will) covering a light base of Wood Pellets: https://www.guineapigcages.com/articles/an-ideal-bedding-combination.35/
It lasts the longest between cleaning, is most definitely the healthiest for them to breathe 24x7, is not very dusty, doesn't catch on fleece or clothing or fur, over time is the cheapest to use, and keeps them the absolute driest on top. I've been using it for years now.

I have a very messy, sick pig and she stays the cleanest the longest with that combo. See the above article for more info and what and where to get it.

 

[ilovepeggy]

Yes, perfect. It's the business that supports this website and is the best quality C&C cage available today. If you can possibly fit 60" of length, the Large would be the absolute ideal, but if you can only fit 54", then that is the great solution. I also highly recommend getting a Cavy Cafe kitchen insert as well: https://www.guineapigcagesstore.com/cavy-cafe-kitchen

Your disposable bedding goes in that and then most people use fleece liners in the remaining area. With a Cavy Cafe, you'd need a 2x2.5 GRID-sized liner (Medium cage with Cafe). They are available in a number of places and we have them on our sister store, Guinea Pig Market. I'll have a growing directory of providers later.

The bedding I recommend which I've scientifically tested out to be the best is a combo of Hemp Hurd (or Hemp Shavings if you will) covering a light base of Wood Pellets: https://www.guineapigcages.com/articles/an-ideal-bedding-combination.35/
It lasts the longest between cleaning, is most definitely the healthiest for them to breathe 24x7, is not very dusty, doesn't catch on fleece or clothing or fur, over time is the cheapest to use, and keeps them the absolute driest on top. I've been using it for years now.

I have a very messy, sick pig and she stays the cleanest the longest with that combo. See the above article for more info and what and where to get it.

Question, I know I have to make adjustments, get her a bigger cage, better bedding but in the meantime before I have any of that, should the coconut oil help with her feet? Wouldn’t rubbing oil on her feet also get debris and stuff stuck on her feet?

 

[bpatters]

No, not usually.

Use cold pressed virgin coconut oil (available at any sizeable grocery store and most pharmacies). The cold pressed stuff has both antibiotic and antifungal properties, and is great treatment for all sorts of piggy ills.

It just takes a small amount. Rub it in well. It won't cause stuff to stick to their feet.