Guniea Pig?
You will need to consider a few things before getting a pig too. Space, time, money for food and vet bills all need to be thought about. Pet store cages are wayy to small for any guinea pig. A C&C cage is easy to make, cheaper, and much bigger and better gor your pig. www.guineapigcages.com has instructions on making your own or ordering a premade one. DO NOT use cedar chips for bedding like someone previously suggested. They are very harmful to your gp. GuineaLynx has bedding ideas. Diet is very important: Quality pellets (no extra colorful bit or seeds) are essential. Oxbow is a good brand pellet. At least a cup of fresh veggies every day. Unlimited timothy hay 24/7. Vitmain c supplements. http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html....... has more diet details. * Vitman C should not be put in the water. It weakens in water and you can't measure how much the guinea pig gets a day. Use vit.C drops or chewable tablets. Guinea pigs need daily floor/exercise time in a safe place. At least an hour a day is best. Since GP are social animals, it's best to have 2 so that they will have company all the time. DO NOT HOUSE THEM WITH ANY OTHER ANIMAL! Be sure your pigs are the same sex though. Pregnancies are very dangerous for piggies. Also, please consider adopting your pig instead of buying one. There are sooooo many great, healthy guinea pigs that need homes in shelters and rescues all over the country. Pets stores usually sell unhealthy pigs that have been poorly taken care of. Petfinder.com will help you find a pig in your area. Read http://guinealynx.info/ before getting your pigs. It is the BEST care guide you can find anywhere!
How can my Guniea pig...?
The Best way to keep gp happy is to get him/her a friend. Reason why guinea pigs need a cage mate In the wild, guinea pigs live in herds, consisting of usually one dominant adult male, several females and their babies. Guinea pigs would much rather live as a pair or a herd, they feel that there is safety in numbers. With a succesful pairing or group, they also enjoy the company of their own kind, communicating and interacting with each other. Both males and females have a strict dominance ranking. The domestic guinea pigs act in much the same way as wild guinea pigs. Like the wild guinea pig, the domestic guinea pig thrives on having company of their own kind. Some guinea pigs may form very close relationships, others may not, but most are happy to have company and know that they aren't on their own. A guinea pig that has lived on their own, but is then introduced to another guinea pig that they like, often the changes in the lone guinea pig can be remarkable. They will run-around more, follow each other, they communicate with each other, some will even groom and sleep cuddled up next to each other. Once the ranking order has been sorted out and they settle in together, you'll see how happy they are. Some people say that their lone guinea pig is never lonely, but nobody can be with them 24 hours aday, plus humans can't speak a guinea pigs language. Guinea pigs really do thrive once a paring or group is established. Remember that 2 or more guinea pigs together feel less nervous than one guinea pig living on their own. There are also advantages for you as a guinea pig owner. You will get to see so many different kinds of behaviour when they interact with each other. Some behaviour just wouldn't be seen with a lone guinea pig. Playing 'following the leader' tug of war with their vegetables, grooming each other, sniffing, snuggling up together, so much more that a lone guinea pig just wouldn't be able to do. One statement that crops up is "my guinea pig won't bond with me if they have a cage mate". This just isn't true. As long as your gentle and caring towards your guinea pigs, they will bond with you. You may also notice that your guinea pig will become more confident and relaxed so that is an added bonus for you and your guinea pig.
How do I ween my Guniea Pig?
Well, she is already weaned, that is she is no longer nursing! What you are worrying about is getting her eating well! If the pup was big enough, 2 weeks is not too soon to wean. We often have 8+ ounce pups at 2 weeks and wean the bigger pups in a litter at that age. We had a sow die at 5 days orphaning 3 boar pups that all did well and gained weight normally. So, while that early a weaning is obviously not something you would willing do, it is possible. It is very important that you have some of the same chow that was being fed to the mom and pup when they were together. It is important to have some of the same hay that she and mom were eating. Guinea pigs cannot have sudden changes in diet and be expected to automatically eat like nothing has happened. When we sell a pig, we send the new owner home with some of our feed and hay and care sheet that explains how to mix the feed that they will be using into the old over time so that the pup has a gradual change over. If the place you got the pup from didn't give some feed to you, call them up and get some! By all means give her some greens to keep her hydrated. Get a postage or kitchen scale and keep an eye on her weight. At this age she should be averaging ~1 - 2 ounces (~30-60 g) of weight gain a week. Don't be so sure that she is not eating and drinking. Little pigs don't eat enough to make the level of feed in the bowl go down much or the water bottle level drop much. Because you haven't seen her eat pellets doesn't mean she isn't eating some. Be sure she has hay because young pups seem to eat more hay propotionally than adults. One thing that is for sure is that if you feed her lettuce to excess she won't ever start eating her pellets and you will have a scrawney, fussy eater pig on your hands.
What should i name new girl guniea pig?
I learned a good system for naming animals from a cat breeder - she had so many to name! Starting from her first litter, she took names starting 'A' (Annabel, Arthur etc.). Then her next litter all had 'B' names, and so on. That way, she could also keep track of their ages.
My guinea pig is dying !!?
I got her when i was 9 as my first guinea pig, she is now 7yrs old, she has had 2 litters and a great life she would always run up to me when i went outside and lick my hands, and now she is lying in my bedroom, looking like she wants to just die, she keeps collapsing asif all of her body if starting to collapse and die away, she hasnt been eating for a few days so has lost alot of weight, she looks so helpless, i have 12 other guinea pigs but she is most defi my favourite, as i have had so many good years with her. :( i rang the vets and they arent open and cant even see her i dont know why they even bother... i am just sticking by her side setteling her till the time comes.
Baby carrots- Guinea pig?
Guinea pigs have complex dietary needs: Hay: Piggies need an unlimited supply of grass hay (eg timothy hay) available at all times. This is vital for wearing down teeth, proper digestion, and preventing boredom. Pellets: Guinea pigs need quality guinea pig food. Look for pellets - NOT a mix food! Mixes are very poor quality and present a choking hazard. The pellets should be timothy based and contain a stabilised form of vitamin C. They should NOT contain ethoxyquin - a preservative known to be carcinogenic! The ONLY good brands of piggie food are Oxbow and Kleenmama's. http://www.oxbowhay.com/index.sp http://www.kmshayloft.com/ Fresh veggies: Guinea pigs need a variety of fresh veggies every single day. Lettuce is good (any variety except iceburg which causes diarrhoea). Bell peppers are particularly good - very high in vit C! There are many foods suitable for guinea pigs - eg cabbage, carrots, tomato, cucumber, zucchini, coriander, parsley, etc. Some (like peppers) are safe to feed every day. Others should be limited to twice per week. Carrots are more of a treat item. Piggies can have carrot daily, but only in small quantities. (eg one small baby carrot per pig). Fruit can be given in small quantites as a treat - no more than twice per week. Good fruits include apple, pear, strawberry and kiwi. It is important to give a variety of fresh foods - carrots alone will not provide a balanced diet! (Even with pellets and hay) For great info on feeding piggies check out these links: http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/diet... http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/diet-nutrition/24770-sample-veggie-menus.html http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html One quick word of warning - some people will likely suggest you put vit C drops in the guinea pig's water. Do NOT waste your time and money! Vit C is rapidly degraded by light and contact with metals - so is useless before the guinea pig can benefit from it. It will also taint the taste of the water, which may cause your piggie to drink less and become dehydrated. Piggies must get adequate vit C from a proper diet - ie quality pellets, and plenty of veggies! Do NOT feed: Any type of potato, onion, or banana. Any animal products (including meat, milk etc - this means no yoghurt drops!) Pet store treats - junk food. Usually very high in sugar, choking risk etc.
What is my guinea pig saying?
Some guinea pig owners may have different opinions about these noises. These are my interpretations of what they are saying; some guinea pigs may mean something else when they do these noises/actions. Learn your individual pigs personality/quirks!"Wheek wheek wheek!" (or a repeated shrieking noise, depending on your viewpoint--this is often quite loud and in response to food-associated noises) - I'm hungry, feed me!Short sharp shriek - Ow! Sometimes in response to a nip from a cagemate or other pain. Or: I'm super scared!Continuous rumbling accompanied with butt swaying, sometimes head tossing - courting/dominance display. Both males and females will do this.Continuous squeaking - I think of this as whining--they're unhappy about something--although if they are squeaking while doing a particular activity (peeing for example) this can indicate they are in pain. "Durr." A short sharp noise, a little like a rumble but not continuous. "I didn't like that." My guinea pigs will do it to noises they find startling, like keys jangling or me hiccuping.Purring/stretching out in response to petting - "I'm happy/I enjoy that."Running around and twisting body/jumping - most likely, a very happy pig. Often called popcorning.Teeth grinding - "I'm irritated." Some debate about this one, this is my best guess about what my pigs mean. Obviously if they're chewing something, they're just eating!Teeth chattering - "I'm pissed! Get away from me!" Sitting puffed up and looking glassy-eyed - "I may be sick, monitor me closely and take me to a vet soon if no improvement within a few hours."Lethargic, unresponsive, not interested in food - "Take me to a vet NOW! I'm very sick."
Guinea pig bred with rat?
it is is possible just unlikely, two similar species are able to interbreed but usually choose not to as it is not a biological advantage too, the offspring will be a hybrid if born and therefore will NOT be able to breed due to differences in chromosomes number, genes etc. usually the interbreeding is a case of mistaken identity if for example the rat is very large and guinea pig small, usually this is stopped by courtship behaviour but obviously not in this case, this is usually the case as reproduction is metabolically expensive and therefore a waste if the young is infertile. I do not know specifically if guinea pigs and rats are able to breed but may be theoretically possible. other examples of hybrids include zonkey, liger, jaglion and a mule
How do I get my New Guinea pig to trust me?
Feed it! Guinea pigs are highly food-motivated. Even the shyest new guinea pig is unlikely to refuse to take a tasty piece of apple from your hand. You could start smaller by just remaining near the cage after placing a treat in the guinea pig’s bowl, just in case. After it starts taking treats from your hand, you can try things like sitting on the floor and putting the treat in your lap, getting the guinea pig to follow you for the treat, etc. You can even teach the guinea pig simple tricks, such as fetching a small stick or toy, but you have to use food to motivate it. One of the simplest tricks is to tell it to spin by leading it in a circle with the treat and saying “spin” (or another key word that you always use) before handing over the treat. Eventually, it will know to turn around when you say “spin” to get the treat.Most guinea pigs do enjoy a relaxing petting and handling session after they’ve settled into their new home with you. Try to always lift them with two hands, and support their feet (if you don’t, they think they’re going to fall). Always stroke them front-to-back. Some don’t like being scratched behind the ears. One trick I’ve learned that makes almost any guinea pig purr is to rub my knuckles (the ones closest to the tips of my fingers) against the guinea pig’s side, just below the spine. Again, food can be key to really convincing the guinea pig to be friendly— give it a treat while you’re holding it and maybe another treat once you put it back down in its cage. One of my current guinea pigs actually “volunteers” to be picked up by standing on his hind legs against the side of the cage so that I can get my hand under his belly and pick him up; he knows I’ll give him a few extra guinea pig pellets after I put him back.As Monique Harford mentioned, regular handling is necessary to ensure that your guinea pig gets used to you. I haven’t tried giving one a blanket to hide under on my lap, but they definitely like to hide under things when they’re scared.Pairing a more skittish, newer guinea pig with one that’s used to you can help it to learn that you’re not a threat. The shy one will slowly copy whatever behaviors the friendlier one uses to get more food. It’ll probably be more open to being touched while it’s eating, too.
What is a normal amount of sneezing for a guinea pig?
A single sneeze at a time scattered throughout the day is probably fine. If the hay you're giving them is dusty or the bedding you're using has dust that can increase sneezing, so if you're concerned it might be good to switch the hay or bedding.If they're sneezing multiple times in a row, it might be a problem. Try to observe them when they're sneezing; if they wipe at their nose a lot after or there's discharge you should probably take them to the vet. If they make any funny noises when breathing, take them to the vet immediately. One of mine has gotten hay up her nose a few times and it caused her to sneeze blood until she got the irritant out—fortunately it cleared up after an hour or so, but if it'd gone any longer than that I'd have taken her to the vet (or if she seemed distressed; she mainly just seemed annoyed).