any guinea pig money saving tips?

louisdog

Hiya, I have 5, think they are fab!

witchwoopiggy

hi louisdog so glad Im not alone I have 13

gerad_way

Hi I am also a GP lover. I have 3 at the moment but would love more.

witchwoopiggy

Hi gerad way glad to meet another piggy person

Molly41

Hi I have two at the moment. I have lost two (very upsetting) and am very worried about my little girl piggy called Squeaky who is 3 years old. She has something growing in her eye (not sure what). It has been going on since Dec 08 and we have tried all sorts like antibiotics and anti inflammatary drops. Now the vet suggesting that she have her eye reomoved? very worried. Will she get thru the op? Will we lose her anyway cos of what is going on with eye? What would fellow guinea piggy owners do if yopu were in my shoes? She is otherwise a fit and heathy piggy with a good appetite. She lives very happily with our rescue guinea pig Ollie.
Any comments would be much appreciated.
Plopsky

Dilfred

just the one for me, called Smokey. Think he's male, but am not sure.
He's about 6months old, and boy is he getting big/growing up. Really surprised how much he's grown. Looks lovely, but is still a little shy, every time someone walks past his cage he runs inside the house still. Though is happy to be on our lap in the evening and be stroked. Though does find he's heading back to the cage when he starts to vibrate, seems to mean he's about to pee.

How do you tell the sex of them BTW?

Sirbendy

I have 2, living in my kitchen..:)

Molly41

Hi,
I posted earlier on the Guinea Pig. However thought it might get over looked so wanted to post here too.
Any advice or thoughts would be very much appreciated.
I have two at the moment. I have lost two (very upsetting) and am very worried about my little girl piggy called Squeak who is 3 years old. She has something growing in her eye (not sure what). It has been going on since Dec 08 and we have tried all sorts like antibiotics and anti inflammatary drops. Now the vet suggesting that she have her eye reomoved? very worried. Will she get thru the op? Will we lose her anyway cos of what is going on with eye? What would fellow guinea piggy owners do if yopu were in my shoes? She is otherwise a fit and heathy piggy with a good appetite. She lives very happily with our rescue guinea pig Ollie.
Any comments would be much appreciated.
Plopsky

Jockthearab

My daughter's had one each, two females called Candy & Tweety. They were bought from Pets at Home in April '07. We have a big cage where they stay in our kitchen (110cm by 60cm) & I constructed a large run to put them in in the garden when the weather's nice & warm during the daytime when we're at home.

Last Saturday we noticed Tweety wasn't her usual self-v quiet & lethargic & had a 'smell' about her.

We took her to the vet on Monday, where he thought she perhaps had a respiratory infection. He gave her 2 shots of antibiotics & gave us some to take home & administer every 24hrs. He advised us to take her back the next day if there had been no improvement. My wife took her back at Noon on Tuesday as she still had not touched any food/water (she loved cucumber & turned away from it).

When my daughter's and I went back Tuesday night to collect her the vet advised us how to continue nursing her when we got home...then came the 'bombshell', she said she didn't think she'd make it overnight as it was pnuemonia (sp?) & it was probably in her best interests to be PTS. At this point my eldest (13) broke down, my 9yo was a wee bit stronger. I signed the consent form & we said our goodbyes to Tweety. I couldn't stay & let them see the end, it would've been too sad for them (& me!)

We took Candy in on Wednesday to get checked over as she could've caught it from her sis. Thankfully she's fine BUT we've to monitor her closely over the next week then if she's ok, take her back in next week, as the vet found a lump in her mammary gland which she advised should be removed...

The house is definitely quieter without two of them, 'though Candy still squeaks as soon as we open the fridge/rustle plastic bags! I asked the vet if we should get another female to keep Candy company & she said wait a wee while 'til after she has her op-with the 'stress' & recovery, she'd maybe not want any companionship & may be fine living on her own.

I can't believe how sad we're feeling at the loss of such a wee animal. This is why I have always put the foot down & said "No!" when the kids have begged us for a dog.

I suppose the moral of this is if you notice anything different about your wee Guinea pig, get her checked out ASAP, as they try & hide/mask any illness as they are 'prey animals' .

JtA

Molly41

Hi,
I am sorry that you lost your guinea. I have lost two and was very sad both times as was my son whom they really belong to. He was 12 when Nibble died and 14 when we lost Rosie. I have always replaced mine as they are gregarious mammals and love the right company. We were lucky as we had a rescue pig who was neuted and he is great.

I think that by owning a pet you are teaching your children lessons in resonsibility and also in natural cycles of life and death. These are important lesson to learn and prepare them for difficult times in their lives such as the death of grandparents. I know it doesn't make it any easier.

I rang the vet and am taking Squeak in again. Get another opinion.
Plopskyx