Behavior I am very confused at my guinea pigs behavior.

[CaitlynandLia]

I got a new female guinea pig on Saturday and she's been doing really great. She seems to be pretty happy, but of course isn't completely comfortable with me. She wheeks a lot when I try to pick her up and I hear that that's a good thing, but it doesn't seem like it to me. Maybe she's scared? But, also I recently took her to the vet and she got treated for lice. I was going to get her a companion, but I think I will wait until this clears up. When I pet her, she is very good. But, lately I have noticed that whenever I try to pet her on the right side of her body, she will wheek, jump, and kick. I don't know what that means, because she will then lay down with both feet on the side and lay her head down completely relaxed! It's so confusing! Please help, I'm completely stumped. ):

 

[sdpiggylvr]

Did you take her to a cavy-savvy vet? Do you know what meds she was treated with?

Some guinea pigs have a big attitude and will try to kick you when you try to pick them up. Wheeking is sign of happiness or excitement, but it seems maybe she's sensitive to touch right now - which is a characteristic of mites, usually. How did your vet diagnose lice? Usually you can see lice with the naked eye, but mites are harder -- and sometimes impossible -- to see. Ivermectin treats both lice and mites, which might be more effective, especially if your vet is inexperienced.

You should definitely wait to get a companion. Please -adopt- a friend for her once her lice clears up: Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on Petfinder

 

[CaitlynandLia]

Did you take her to a cavy-savvy vet? Do you know what meds she was treated with?

Some guinea pigs have a big attitude and will try to kick you when you try to pick them up. Wheeking is sign of happiness or excitement, but it seems maybe she's sensitive to touch right now - which is a characteristic of mites, usually. How did your vet diagnose lice? Usually you can see lice with the naked eye, but mites are harder -- and sometimes impossible -- to see. Ivermectin treats both lice and mites, which might be more effective, especially if your vet is inexperienced.

You should definitely wait to get a companion. Please -adopt- a friend for her once her lice clears up: Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on Petfinder

I took her to a vet near by that treats small animals specifically. I had noticed that she was scratching a lot and she had black dots in her white hair and white dots in her black hair, I took her in and they skin scrapped her which she screamed terribly and made me so worried. They looked under the microscrope and she said it was a lice. I had also read that MITES were the microscopic ones, so I wasn't sure. She gave me Revolution to clear it up, a syringe without a needle. It's just liquid that you put on the back of her neck every two weeks. They did the first one for me and gave me one to take home and I clean her cage two times a week. She doesn't seem to wheek much when I pet her, when I pick her up she does sometimes, but mostly only if I am picking her up to hold her versus just moving her, so maybe the height? It's just this one side that really bothers her and I'm so worried. I don't want anything to happen to her and maybe it hurts a lot when I pick her up. Oh, I'm so scared. I put this on another forum and someone told me that it could be a "tickle spot", is that possible? After she is done jumping she does lay her head down and look completely relaxed, but I don't know . I'm just so confused.

 

[CaitlynandLia]

I also forgot to mention that after she was sleeping and laying down with me, she did pee. It was a bright orange color and realy worried me. Before cleaning it up, I thought it would be a good idea to look online. Most people said that it was normal for young guinea pigs and someone said that if it smells normal than it is fine, it didn't smell any different, so I didn't worry and cleaned it up. What is your take on this?

 

[sdpiggylvr]

Per Guinea Lynx, only "very young guinea pigs" may have orange or brown tints to their urine. Should be okay.

Skin scrapings are unreliable and unnecessary. Next time (if there is a next time) your piggy has some kind of skin condition and you suspect mites or lice, ask about treating with Ivermectin.

I have never heard of tickle spots.

I'm really sorry you're in this mess. It's a horrible experience, for a new piggy owner and even the most experienced, to see your beloved in pain. This forum can help you with any of your questions, so don't be afraid to ask. I would talk to your vet about treating with topical Ivermectin in the event that it is mites. Remember, Ivermectin treats both lice and mites. Here's a helpful page on topical treatment with Ivermectin.

Another option is to just wait and see if the Revolution works. It may, it may not. Guinea Lynx says that some owners have had good luck with it and that "a single dose applied topically kills both mange mites and lice".

Good luck and please continue to ask for help!

 

[3littlewheekers]

Not quite sure if this is the same thing, but if we pet or rub our piggy just right (and on her it's quite easy) she kicks out her bak feet kind of lays to one side her eyes kind if get a squint she lays her head down and purs. My daughter always says it's tickling her. Hope her lice clears up soon!!

 

[CaitlynandLia]

Thank you so much. That really helps a lot and I have already found a new vet that I will go to after the two weeks are up and she needs a check up. If the skin scraping was unnecessary than I don't want anything to do with that vet. Lia looked like she was in so much pain. I don't want her OR me to go through that ever again. Thank you so much again.

 

[CaitlynandLia]

Not quite sure if this is the same thing, but if we pet or rub our piggy just right (and on her it's quite easy) she kicks out her bak feet kind of lays to one side her eyes kind if get a squint she lays her head down and purs. My daughter always says it's tickling her. Hope her lice clears up soon!!

Yes! That's almost exactly what she does. She hasn't purred at all though. I don't think I've witnessed that just yet, but I am very happy to see her popcorning like crazy every now and then when she has floor time.

 

[3littlewheekers]

Yes! That's almost exactly what she does. She hasn't purred at all though. I don't think I've witnessed that just yet, but I am very happy to see her popcorning like crazy every now and then when she has floor time.

She almost vibrates and sounds like a little pigeon sometimes when she does it! It's so funny! When she first did it, I stopped touching her because I thought maybe she didn't like it. Now she gives a loud WHEEK!!! when we stop like she's saying keep rubbing! hahaha. I would think if it bothered ours or yours, they'd let us know by moving away or nipping even.

 

[CaitlynandLia]

She almost vibrates and sounds like a little pigeon sometimes when she does it! It's so funny! When she first did it, I stopped touching her because I thought maybe she didn't like it. Now she gives a loud WHEEK!!! when we stop like she's saying keep rubbing! hahaha. I would think if it bothered ours or yours, they'd let us know by moving away or nipping even.

Oh, how cute! I haven't seen her do it anymore when I touch her in that one spot, so who knows what that was all about. But, that is exactly what I thought. If she didn't appreciate me touching her there, she would have just ran (or waddled) off. That was even during floor time too, so she could have just up and left. Hehehe, I'm just so glad I wasn't hurting her.

 

[cavyluvr]

Popcorning is definetly a good sign.My guinea pig Lizzie loves to popcorn after I do their full cage cleaning once a week. She will popcorn all over the cage while her sister Marie prefers to just run around and investigate.Her right side is maybe just a tickleish spot for her and thats how she reacts

 

[CaitlynandLia]

Yay! Well, thank you everyone for all the helpful suggestions.