New to guinea pigs, learning quickly, need help

[Generic_Enigma]

The other day I was on my way home from running errands when I found something on the side of the road. It looked like a cage, so I figured I'd check it out in case it was useable. Inside I found the sweetest little girl EVER. I took her home, gave her a bath, and picked up a nicer, bigger cage on craiglist. The next day I picked up a cage mate for her(after watching her be sad when I put her back in her cage, just sitting in the corner pouting and not eating, I read up on her and realized she needed a friend). The other girl is super sweet as well, though she doesn't lick me like the first girl does. I took the first girl, who I've dubbed Isolda, to Petsmart to make sure that there was nothing amiss that I don't know about(the people at the petsmart by my place are actually really knowledgeable and awesome. They have the best store I've ever seen and always have the right info). Well, she seems to be in perfect health, but I was asked a few times if she might be pregnant because of how big she is(twice Aisling's size). So that brings me to a new question. How do I know if she IS pregnant? I know that both guinea pigs are female and healthy, but that is the one thing I haven't been able to find definitive info on. She doesn't like having her lower tummy petted or touched, she wiggles to avoid it... I'm worried that she might actually be pregnant. If so, what do I do??? I haven't the faintest idea what to do to help her out.

I hope I never meet the people who dumped her on the side of the road in a rusty cage. I so won't be able to control my wrath for them. The first pic is Isolda, red black and white. This girl is Aisling, she's super shiny.

 

[Generic_Enigma]

Also, is purring normal? I thought that was a cat thing, but Isolda purrs at me tons. And the little whirly sounding squeaks are good... right?

 

[SweetiePig]

Welcome to the forum! Im in sock that you found such a cute guinea pig on the side on the road! Thats crazy how people do the things they do, its just wrong! Im glad you found her and your trying to give her a better life. Both of them are very cute.
The one you said was 'shiny' is a satin, maybe a mix, but it is a breed of guinea pig. They have very shiny fur. The piggys in the pic below are both satin's.

What kind of cage do you have? Have you looked threw the cage threads on here yet? C&C cages are wonderful! If you have questions, feel free to ask!

 

[Generic_Enigma]

I'm not sure the kind of cage, it was just something cheap I found on Craigslist. I know it's not nearly big enough for the two of them, but to make up for it they're only in the cage at night. Otherwise I let them run around all over the place and have fun. The cage is only about four feet long by two wide and four feet tall. It has a shelf for food and such too.

I also need to trim her claws, I don't think her previous owners ever did at all, but her back claws are dark so I'm kind of terrified to do it. Her front ones are clear, so not as bad.

It looks like the second girl is indeed a satin. She's sooo shiny!

How delicate is their skin? They both shed and I think brushing would help, but I have no idea what's safe to use.

Do they need salt/vitamin wheel things?

Is it better to give them vitamin c tablets or the liquid drops in their water?

What are some major important things I should look for?

Is it okay to just feed them veggies and fruits instead of the pelleted food? They don't seem to care much for it.

Also, I use the same bedding for the girls as I do my rats. It's a pelleted paper bedding with lavendar bits in it. Totally dustless and easy to change out, keeps odors down too.

I'm sure I have more questions, lol, but these and the worry about the possibility of her being pregnant are my biggest concerns.

 

[Shinypig7]

Welcome to the forum!

Yes guinea pigs do need fruits and veggies. They need at least 25 mg of Vitamin C a day because their bodies don't make it (like ours) and fruits and veggies are a good way to do it. Also, try and only use guinea pig pellet food that has vitamin C in it because that is where they will be getting most of their vitamins from. Another part of their diet should be Timothy Hay (if you didn't know that yet).
I feed my pigs Romaine Lettuce, Red Peppers, Parsley, and Cilantro on a regular basis and occasionally give them some strawberries, carrots, and bananas. I think those are some good foods to start with.
They may not be eating them yet because it's new and they may not have been given any in the past. Hopefully they will come around. They may also just be picky eaters. Just keep trying different foods.
Just be careful with new foods because their tummies are super sensitive .

They do not need a salt and mineral wheel. Hay, pellet food and veggies are good enough.
Never put vitamin C in their water. They probably won't drink it and the vitamin wears off quickly in water. I crush it up with a spoon and put it on their veggies when extra vitamin C is required.

Their skin is also sensitive and they don't typically need baths unless they are covered in dirt, but you shouldn't really have to worry about that.

I highly recommend a C&C cage. Check out this site to learn up on it! I think it's worth it! lol

As far as the pregnant thing goes, I recommend you see a vet for a professionals opinion. Pregnant guineas need a little extra care including: more vitamin C and Alfalfa hay. Although, she might not be pregnant. I have 2 male pigs that don't enjoy being touched on their bellies.


And purring is a very good sign! Some squeaks are good and others aren't. Guinealynx.com is very good website to check out also.

Good luck with your new babies! They are super adorable!

 

[Generic_Enigma]

Thank you so much for the info! These girls are suuuper precious and I want to make sure they have the best life I can give them.

 

[Generic_Enigma]

If I can get myself to where I'm financially stable enough, I'll totally be getting the jumbo c&c cage. It looks pretty awesome!

 

[SweetiePig]

I also need to trim her claws, I don't think her previous owners ever did at all, but her back claws are dark so I'm kind of terrified to do it. Her front ones are clear, so not as bad.
It can be hard on the black claws, yes, but there should be some links around here ont he forum about how to clip them. You can always make a thread and ask

It looks like the second girl is indeed a satin. She's sooo shiny!
Yes, she is very pretty! Satins fur is jst, 'awwww!'

How delicate is their skin? They both shed and I think brushing would help, but I have no idea what's safe to use.
Some shedding is normal. Do they have any bald patches or thin fur? From the pics it doesnt look like it but you never know. If they are just shedding and none of that other stuff then they are probably fine. Make sure to check them over for lice, mites, and fleas as is kinda common with guinea pigs.

Do they need salt/vitamin wheel things?
No, they do not, those are actually bad for them so dont worry about that. They do need healthy guinea pig pellets and lots of fresh veggies though

Is it better to give them vitamin c tablets or the liquid drops in their water?
Neither really..But if you have to choose, the tablets. You can just give them fresh veggies that have lots of vitamin C like parsley and green peppers and there are some others.

What are some major important things I should look for?
Parasites in the fur like I mentioned before. Sores on the skin, over grown teeth, discharge from the eyes and/or nose and listen for crackly rough breathing, that is a sign of upper respiratory infection.

Is it okay to just feed them veggies and fruits instead of the pelleted food? They don't seem to care much for it.
Guinea pigs dont eat a whole lot of pellets and some pigs can be picky too. What kind of pellets are you feeding? You can do an all veggies/fruit diet but it can be difficult to make sure they get all the right amounts of nutrition so I would suggest giving some sorta of pellets. Also, make sure to give an unlimited amount of hay. They need that.

Also, I use the same bedding for the girls as I do my rats. It's a pelleted paper bedding with lavendar bits in it. Totally dustless and easy to change out, keeps odors down too.
I know exactly what your talkign about. Have you considered fleece bedding? Look threw the cage pics, its what 99% of the members on here use. I am actually waiting on my order of fleece liners to arrive! SO EXCITED! I know someone who makes a sells piggy fleece cage liners and supplies super cheap if your interested!

I'm sure I have more questions, lol, but these and the worry about the possibility of her being pregnant are my biggest concerns.
Hope I helped, there will be others to answer some of your questions as well. Its good that you care enough to ask these questions!

 

[Generic_Enigma]

I've not noticed any kind of parasites at all, and their breathing is good(no gunky buildup either). Both of them have very thick furr, no bald patches. Right now I'm feeding them the Great Choice pellets with fresh veggies and some fruits and Timothy hay that has dried fruits and veggies mixed in. Until I can actually afford to get the better stuff I'm kind of stuck. :/ Though once I have spare money I'll be taking both girls to the vet to have em checked out. I read somewhere that guinea pig females shouldn't be bred after a certain age and I'm pretty sure that Isolda is much older than that so if she does turn out to be about to have babies I don't know what exactly I'm gonna do. I'm hoping she's not, I don't want her to have to go through that

I'll have to look into the fleece liners at some point. Do they absorb odor as well as the paper pellets?

Thank you guys sooo much for your answers. I'll be keeping you updated on Isolda and Aisling. I'm kind of excited to have this chance, they're both so terribly sweet! Isolda looooves licking me. She seems to be totally content just curling up next to me and watching hulu and licking whatever is closest to her. Aisling just likes to sit on me, lol. I think Isolda might have abandonment issues though... She seems to hate not touching me and is always super excited and purring and squeaky whenever I give her attention. I'd briefly considered giving them both away when I first got them... But I'm waaay too attached to them now, lol. I can't imagine giving these sweet little girls to anyone. In fact, once I have more space and cash flow, I think I'd like to get a second pair.

 

[bpatters]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. Thank you so much for rescuing these little ones -- they're adorable.

One thing no other poster has yet addressed is that the fact that satin guinea pigs are predisposed to osteodystrophy, which is a metabolic disease involving calcium metabolism. These pigs' bones are not strong, and may require pain medication to maintain a good quality of life. It can be managed with good diet, and some people are using sun lamps to stimulate vitamin D production.

You need a good exotic vet to examine your pigs, since one may be pregnant at a later age in life, and the other is a satin. A dog-and-cat vet will have had very little training in the care of exotics -- it's a veterinary specialty requiring additional education and clinical work. They're not inexpensive, but it's far better to get your pig treated correctly the first time than to waste time and money with a vet who's not equipped to care for GPs.

Grreat Choice pellets aren't a good choice for guinea pigs. The first ingredient is alfalfa, and if your pigs are over 6 months old, they need a timothy pellet. PetSmart will also sell Oxbow, but the best pellets around are those from Kleenmama's Hayloft. Shipping is expensive, but if you figure out the cost per pound from KM or from PetSmart, KM will be in the same ballpark, and maybe a little cheaper.

Read the stickies in the diet and nutrition, cages, and bedding forums. Don't be too quick to settle on fleece as bedding -- it's a good choice, but expensive to get started with, and there are some others that several of us like better. I prefer wood pellets because the guinea pigs stay dryer and cleaner, and I don't have to clean the cage as often.

Keep us posted on how you get along with Isolda and Aisling!

 

[Generic_Enigma]

So... I feel like a complete idiot. When I first got Aisling, I did a quick check and didn't see testicles or anything... And saw the y shape... Well, after reading the link for sexing them... I decided I should triple check. Well. Looks like Aisling is a Tristan instead. >.< My vet is pretty certain Isolda was already pregnant when I found her, so I have some time to figure out what on earth I'm going to do about this. Every other male I've seen has had fairly large testicles, but his are almost invisible, hence part of my mistake.

Dip my toes in the river and I fall in as usual. So any tips, thoughts, suggestions, what have you feel free to throw them at me. I haven't the faintest idea what to do with a pregnant guinea pig. Is there anything I can do to make her pregnancy easier on her? I'm pretty certain she's too old to be having babies(read somewhere that their hips fuse after a certain age) but if there's anything I can do to help her I want to know.

 

[SweetiePig]

They sound so wonferful! Im happy to hear that you will be taking them to the vet eventually. A check up is always good ptimist: Just to be on the safe side. What your doing for them right now is more than enough and your being a great guinea pig parent! They both sounds very sweet, you got lucky, some pigs arnt as sweet so be proud to have such wonderful piggys! As far as fleece goes, I got my fleece today and used it for the first time, so far so good, if you do decide you want to go that rout, please let me know, I know a friend who makes fleece cage liners and things for a very cheap price, the cheapest I have ever found and she ships also. Might save you some money when and if you decide to go with that kind of bedding. I just thought Id let you know. But please, keep us updated and I cant wait for more pigs of your beautiful girls!

 

[Generic_Enigma]

I'll definitely be checking out the fleece liners.

Oh! Here's a good question: How do I know how far along in pregnancy Isolda is? How will I know when it's almost time?

 

[GotPigs?]

It's a common mistake (I've been there) but you should definitely separate them immediately if you haven't already. And Tristan should get neutered if you'd like them to be together again down the road.

As for Isolda, I would keep the phone number for the nearest cavy savvy emergency vet on hand for if/when she births. Here's the Guinea Lynx page on breeding/pregnancy- https://www.guinealynx.info/breeding.html

Good luck with them!

 

[SweetiePig]

When a guinea pig is close to her due date, you will be able to feel the pups moving inside her belly. If you lay her on your lap with your hands under her stomach, you should be able to feel movement. Her stomach will be lumpy and hard rather than squishy. Also, the pelvic bones will start to separate and widen. You can feel by running your finger towards her tail bone.

 

[Generic_Enigma]

Thank you both. I'm sooo worried about Isolda... I'm really hoping everything goes smoothly. She's such a sweet little girl, she doesn't deserve this kind of crap.

I'm keeping Tristan out of the cage for now. Letting them socialize a little bit. I'm still not certain exactly what I'm going to do. I might just get a second cage and keep them all. I wish he were as sweet as she is though. Guinea kisses are the awesomest things ever!

 

[bpatters]

When she gets close to delivering, her belly will likely be huge, and it will be very uncomfortable for her to be picked up. You should avoid doing so if you can, but if you must, be sure to have one hand completely supporting her belly and the other her head.

It's a common misconception that guinea pig pelvic bones fuse together, and that that's the reason why pregnancy is so risky for older pigs. What actually happens is that the connective tissue between the bones stiffens and doesn't stretch as much as when they're younger. It's the same problem as far as birth is concerned, though -- the birth canal doesn't widen enough for the babies to come out.

Since you don't know how old she is and whether she's had pups before, I'd suggest that you line up a good exotics vet (NOT the ones at PetSmart) and have her checked over before the pups arrive. That way, if you arrive at the office with a laboring pig who's in difficulty, they'll at least have seen her before and have some history of her. And they can actually prepare for helping at the birth, if needed.

 

[Generic_Enigma]

I actually have a friend who's a vet that I'm prodding for help from. She knows a lot about many different kinds of animals and hopefully she'll help me with Isolda. If not, I'll be looking around all over the place for an appropriate vet for her. I can't feel anything moving in her stomach yet, so thinking I have about a monthish before she should be giving birth. Planning to get her taken care of much sooner though! I'm not sure if I'll keep all of the babies, I'm hoping she only has one or two, but we all know how wishes go, lol. But I do know responsible people who I can give the males to at the very least. Much as I'd love to have a ton of them, I simply don't have the space and it wouldn't be fair to them for me to keep them in a crowded home.

My friend thinks she's about 5 years old. That's a huge part of my worry.

 

[Generic_Enigma]

is there any way to tell if she's had litters before?

 

[partygirlha]

I can't beleive you found a sweet girl by the road. It amazes me what people will do soemtimes. I'm so hppy you found her and have given her a loving home... and took the time to find a good site with good and helpfull information.

One note... please be careful with floor time. It's great that you're giving these guys tons of floor time, but small animals can get into way more trouble than you'd realize. I used to give playtime all day, but I was never keeping an eye on my boys 100% of the time. and i'm heartbrocken to say that I lost one of my very sweetest boys to an accident as a result. I thought eveything was safe, but I was wrong. Please learn from my mistake and don't leave them unattended during play time unless they are in a contained pen (some people buy extra cubes and zipt tie them into a playpen - you can make them really large)

good luck with the pregnacy.