Guinea Pigs; No SPOs

Help a Guinea Pig win a scholarship!!!!!!!!

2008-11-05T03:27:13Z

Getting ready for bed.

2008-10-29T04:02:58Z

LIVE!

2008-02-10T20:30:06Z

To breathe life into this community, I'm attempting a debate question... or an input question.

What is your opinion of feeding "non organic"/"non 'natural' foodstuff to your guinea pig such as dog biscuts and lightly toasted bread?

Do you think it's adding a human personality to a guinea pig and the equivalent of giving a MacDonalds Lite burger to a child, or an enrichment to their diet?

Experienced Owner Application

2007-10-16T23:34:29Z

Experienced Owner Application
Your Name: Debby
Age: 23
Other members of your household: FOr the moment, my mom, my dad, brother and sister, and my fiance.
Other pets in the household: There are four mice, a hamster, a gerbil, two cockatiels, four budgies, and an aussie shepherd who own my soul
How many guinea pigs do you own? One.
Where did they come from? I adopted Clair and her sister from a shelter, they were sister pups whose mom didn't make it. :(
What type of cages do you use? Cubes and Coroplast, baby! :D
Where do you keep your guinea pigs? (In the bedroom, outside, etc) In the living room, next to my big comfy chair.
What are the measurements of your cage(s)/pens? I don't remember the measurements off the top of my head, but it's five cubes long and two cubes wide.
Please post a picture of the cages you are using: You know, I don't think I have a full picture of the cage. I've been searching my gigs and gigs worths of pictures, and I can't find one. :/ I never felt the need to have a picture of the cage. I'll get one tomorrow and edit the post, when I have batteries for the camera.

What type of bedding are you using? Aspen. I was using fleece, but I had a pig who kept insisting on eating it. >.>
What type of food do you feed? Oxbow! I love oxbow. And veggies! Not only do we have a garden, we also have an organic food store right down the street. It's handy because the pigs aren't the only ones who need their veggies.
How much do you feed? (i.e. two buckets of pellets a day): I give Clair access to pellets and timothy hay all day, and I feed her about a cup and a half of a variety of veggies in the morning.
Are you aware of health issues caused by an inappropriate diet, if so what are they? GI problems are what comes to my mind first. That and vitamin C deficiency, some types of bladder stones, a sudden change of diet could lead to anorexia, and so on.
Do you have a vet competent in guinea pig care? Yes
If not is your vet interested in learning more about the care of guinea pig medicine? Not really applicable
Have you read the Dangerous Medications list? do you have a copy of it within your guinea pigs records? Oh yes.
Do you weigh your guinea pig weekly? About twice a week, actually. I have a weighing schedule for all the animals.
Do you know the basic signs of guinea pig illness? What are they? I guess it depends on what the illness is. Weepy, crusty eyes for one, mucus-y, plugged up nose, excessive sneezing, abnormal behavior, loss of appetite, hair loss, diarrhea,
How long is it acceptable to wait before seeking veterinary care for your guinea pig? I don't think there is an acceptable wait. I think one should seek veterinary care at the first sign of something amiss, because things can roll down hill incredibly quickly
Are you confident in carrying out routine tasks such as nail clipping and health checks? Nail clipping is fun. >.> Oh... Yes. ^_^
Are you confident that should the need arise you will be able to force feed your guinea pig? I have, and I can again if need be.
Do you have an emergency first aid kit (for your cavy), what's in it?Yes: Cornstarch(in lieu of styptic powder. It works just as well without those chemicals), Gauze, Antibiotic ointment, Hydrocortisone, scissors, antiseptic wipes, cotton pads, A card with her information on it for petsitters, emergency numbers, tweezers, Clippers(well, that's not an emergency item, but I like to have the nail clippers where I can find them, a syringe for medications, and vet wrap.
Finally, please post us pictures of your piggies!!!!! =D Here are a few of Clair, as a baby on her first bath day, and as her grown up self with my Late Ellie.

unknown health problem

2007-07-02T12:53:00Z

Rosie's story so far can be read here: http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1101986#1101986 (you don't have to be a member/logged in to read, it isn't long I promise!)

Our blood tests are in and Jon (my partner) spoke to the vet today and she confirmed that the blood tests had shown no abnormalities at all, everything had tested exactly as it should be. She also said she had done a thorough teeth check when Rosie was sedated for her x-rays. Her only suggestion was that Rosie may be overweight (currently fluctuating between 2lb 11.5oz and 2lb 12.5oz with hand feeding, previously had climbed to almost 2lb 15oz after steady but slow weight increase).

To recap -

Initial symptoms: excessive rumbling, pig aggression, lethargy, weight loss and isolating herself from the other pigs.
Tests done: physical exam, ultrasound checking for ovarian cysts, x-rays checking for cysts and heart problems and overall health, teeth check, and blood tests.

The physical exam seemed to show slight discomfort when her abdomen/lower underside area was examined. Ultrasound showed nothing. X-rays showed gas in stomach (vet said was normal), no cysts, no enlargement of heart, no problems. Teeth check showed no problems. Blood tests showed no problems. She took a long time to come around from the x-ray sedation and a long time to recover (a few days).

She was on baytril (now finished), we gave her some infacol (not any more) which helped a little at first which seems to suggest she did have too much gas, and she is still on the metacam the vet prescribed.

Current symptoms: lack of appetite and for drinking, weight loss if not hand fed, aggression with other pigs and so separated, lethargy. No other symptoms. Poos are fine.

As said before we also realised she occasionally makes hooting noises - though not at the moment as I guess she is just too tired.

If this is heart trouble, is this enough to go on to suggest heart meds? Is there anything else that could help with a diagnosis? Could it be her weight? Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

(x-posted like crazy and with apologies)

Theme Month

2007-07-02T12:22:33Z

I'm going to give the theme month another go. May your guinea pigs pee over your new jeans if you fail to do it.

I currently hold a job as a waitress, in my position I have noticed the careful, precise and consistent attention the chefs pay to the presentation of the food they serve. I was thinking about this while gazing lazily at my two pigs chewing furiously on their pellets, and while thinking I remembered that a guinea pig can distinguish colours. I began to wonder whether the presentation of food would encourage or discourage a guinea pig from eating something - then I decided that even if they don't seem to care that their vegetables have been served in a silver platter with trimmings - it will be a fun theme anyway.

So, from NOW 2nd July 2007 until 2nd August 2007 I want to see you piggy owners sweating with precision. Your aim is to serve your morning or evening vegetables in the most bizzar way known to pig. Use colour but keep things edible, safe and remember than presentation is everything for one serving.

You may only make one submission post. This theme competition is open to ALL members experienced or new. I particularly enjoy posts that involve a step-by-step guide on how to re-create what you've made in the hope that these themes can be compiled to a guide of sorts on how to enhance the human to pig experience.

Have fun and remember the curse I have set on those who don't post! :)

Does this seem like a worthwhile purchase?

2007-06-08T17:06:22Z

Cavy Kit

It has a lot of the medical type things I've heard about you needing, but I thought I'd ask those of you who have the experience.

Upset over new bedding?

2007-05-23T00:54:00Z

Last week, I had to change my guinea pig's cage, but realized I was out of Carefresh. I normally order plain Carefresh through my work (an animal shelter) because it's less expensive. Since I needed it quickly, I went out to PetSmart and bought a bale big enough to change his cage. When I had hamsters, they really liked the Carefresh Ultra more than the regular Carefresh, because it's softer. I decided to treat my piggy and try out the Carefresh Ultra.

I think it was a mistake. At first, it was great because I can monitor his urine and feces really well on it, since it's white. This past week, though, he's been pulling all of the hay out of his hayrack and putting it all over the floor. He normally does this a little, incidentally, as he eats the hay. This week, he's been emptying the hay rack. He's even trying to climb *into* the empty hayrack and hide there, as opposed to his Chube or Pigloo, where he usually hides. He's also been eating his veggies more slowly (though he still does finish them and his weight is constant.

Do you think this could be because of the bedding? Maybe the strange color, smell, or feel? Has anyone else's pig done this? I've just changed his bedding back to regular Carefresh, so hopefully he gets back to normal. What do you guys think?

Thanks for the help!!

Pre-Adopter

2007-05-21T19:10:38Z

Pre-Owner and New-Owner Application

I just want to say, due to circumstances my piggy adoption is probably a good 4-6 months away, so right now I'm just being a sponge and gathering as much info as I can.

Your Name:
Jordan
Age:
25
Other members of your household:
My husband and for now, my parents.
Other pets in the household:
Two cats, Bacchus and Oops, a betta fish named GP and an African Clawed frog named Zelda (I only get to take the frog and fish with me when I move out; as tempting as a kitty-napping would be, it would upset my mother very much).
How many guinea pigs do you own/do you plan to own?
I am planning to adopt 2.
Where did they come from/where do you plan on getting them?
I plan to adopt them from the Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue in Dallas. http://theguineapigrescue.com/
What type of cages do you use/do you plan on using?
I have 3 sheets of choroplast and 2 boxes of cubes from Target. (I know it's excessive, but I like having flexibility).
Where are/do you plan on keeping your guinea pigs? (In the bedroom, outside, etc)
The living room of the apartment I have to rent before I can adopt any pigs.
What are the measurements of your (planned) cages?
It will be 2x4 squares or more.
Please post a picture of the cages you are using or intend to use:
It is not made yet. But Texas Rustlers requires a photo of the cage in their adoption application so it will be done before the adoption. I think they also require it be a C&C cage, or something of comparable size.

What type of bedding are you or do you plan on using?
My first choice is fleece and my second is Carefresh in case I get pigs that find fleece tasty.
What type of food do you or do you plan on feeding?
Oxbow Cavy Cuisine seems to be the best from what everybody says. I'll have to order it though. There seems to be only one store in Houston that sells it, and it seems a little shady to me. http://www.sandsexoticanimals.com/ Am I just being paranoid? I've never been to the place. They say their animals are their top priority..but yeah.
And I guess Timothy Hay, if they are old enough. (BTW, any brand suggestions?)
How much do you plan on feeding? (i.e. two buckets of pellets a day):
Hay on demand. A cup of veggies a day. Pellets...on...demand?
Are you aware of health issues caused by an inappropriate diet such as; scurvy, bladder stones and bloat?
Yes, and I'm very intimidated by trying to get the right Calcium Phospherous ratio. I also read in a book about grinding up a pure vitamin C tablet and mixing it with veggies. Has anyone tried it? Or is it stupid for some reason I don't know about?
Do you or do you plan on finding a guinea pig friendly/good vet?
Yes I am. I am also starting a "piggie bank" (read: jar) to keep cash for potential illnesses. I was hoping to get a recommendation from the Rescue, if not I'll do some digging on my own.
(Note: Vet care is extremely important. It is VERY important that you have a vet who knows guinea pigs well. Many treatments safe for animals such as cats or dogs can be extremely dangerous to cavies (guinea pigs) so make SURE you have a vet which experience with guinea pigs.)
Have you read the Dangerous Medications list/ do you have a copy of it within your guinea pigs records?
I have glanced over it. I will read it more carefully and print it out when the time comes.
Do you or do you plan on weighing your guinea pig weekly?
Yes.
Do you know the basic signs of guinea pig illness?
I think so! Still learning though.
How long is it acceptable to wait before weeking veterinary care for your guinea pig?
It depends on how unusual s/he's acting. And on what GuineaLynx says.
Finally, please post us pictures of your piggies!!!!! =D
I will...someday. :-)

gpnospos @ 2007-05-20T12:08:00

2007-05-20T18:48:33Z

Pre-Owner and New-Owner Application

Your Name: Leah, my pigs name is Chocolatey
Age: 23
Other members of your household: My parents (I still live at home)
Other pets in the household: 1 cat, Kingston
How many guinea pigs do you own/do you plan to own? I currently own one, Chocolatey, and I plan on adopting one from a local rescue (Critter Corral).
Where did they come from/where do you plan on getting them? I actually adopted him from one of my guy friends who didn't want him because he was getting married, and his fiancee didn't "like the smell." He had plans to "dump" Chocolatey somewhere so I volunteered to adopt him. I'm really glad I did. It's been a great time learning about him and guinea pigs in general.
What type of cages do you use/do you plan on using? It's actually an All Living Things cage from Petsmart. When I got Chocolatey, that's the cage his owner gave me. I just purchased a C&C cage, the 2X4.
Where are/do you plan on keeping your guinea pigs? (In the bedroom, outside, etc) In my bedroom.
What are the measurements of your (planned) cages? 2X4 but currently a 36" cage (ew).
Please post a picture of the cages you are using or intend to use: It's the 2X4 cage on the C&C website.

What type of bedding are you or do you plan on using?Carefresh.
What type of food do you or do you plan on feeding? The required pellets, hay (lots and lots of hay, he can't get enough), tomatoes, lettuce (romaine or red mostly), carrots, strawberries, oranges, parsley, etc. Most of these (like the sugary foods) are in spare quantities.
How much do you plan on feeding? (i.e. two buckets of pellets a day): He gets fed once in the morning and once at night.
Are you aware of health issues caused by an inappropriate diet such as; scurvy, bladder stones and bloat? Yes, but I'm always learning new things.
Do you or do you plan on finding a guinea pig friendly/good vet? Yes, I already have a vet for him!
(Note: Vet care is extremely important. It is VERY important that you have a vet who knows guinea pigs well. Many treatments safe for animals such as cats or dogs can be extremely dangerous to cavies (guinea pigs) so make SURE you have a vet which experience with guinea pigs.)
Have you read the Dangerous Medications list/ do you have a copy of it within your guinea pigs records?Yes I have, and yes I do.
Do you or do you plan on weighing your guinea pig weekly? No I honestly hadn't been, but I will now that I know.
Do you know the basic signs of guinea pig illness? Most of them, but I always learn/hear of more.
How long is it acceptable to wait before weeking veterinary care for your guinea pig? I'd do it pretty much immediately. It's the difference between a healthy piggy and a sick one. Same with my other pets.
Finally, please post us pictures of your piggies!!!!! =D

Hay!

2007-05-13T18:08:43Z

I made up a huge hay box for the girls to play in this week and they absolutely loved it :) We had a bag of yellow-ish hay from way back when we first got our original two piggies and we filled the box with that and some good stuff on top. I noticed that our skittish pig Gracie loved burrowing in the hay especially, it made her feel really secure I think :)

Why they insist on eating the old stuff I have no idea... perhaps it's the piggie equivalent of going for a big mac meal!

I just thought I'd post this here in case anyone else hasn't tried it out, the pigs had a whale of a time and there was non stop popping and tunneling for many days :D We had an extra bit of cardboard in the bottom so that when it got too pee soaked we just took it out, flipped the box over and added a huge tunnel to their floor time collection of toys.

I was also wondering if there would be another theme month coming up, and if there was anywhere else we could perhaps advertise the community ^_^

^_^

2007-04-26T10:58:02Z

A while ago I posted about Kiyoshi's mammary lump. Unfortunatly I forgot to update!

Kiyoshi's lump was removed about three or so weeks ago, I was furiously climbing the walls through the entire procedure and preparing to take that night off of work if he was having difficulty kicking his digestive system back into action. Surprisingly, when he came out he was alert like nothing had happened to him!

Kiyoshi in his cat carrier "recovering" -- a short while later after a long drink he was running around the living room.

Guinea Pig Eating Less Pellets?

2007-04-01T05:21:42Z

At the advice of this community and Guinea Lynx, I've been increasing the veggies my pig eats (both in variety and amount) as well as decreasing the amount of pellets. Currently, he gets about 1/4 C of pellets per day and a good selection of romaine lettuce leaves, red and green bell peppers, carrots, strawberries, parsley, and whatever other yummy foods are at the grocery store each week. This totals out to roughly a cup per day. He has unlimited timothy hay. His weight over the past three weeks has fluctuated a teensy bit - he was 2 lb 3 oz, then 2 lb 4 oz the following week, and is now back at 2 lb 3 oz.

I've noticed, though, that he is eating fewer pellets. When I first started giving him 1/4 C per day, he would finish all the pellets in his bowl. Now, he leaves some in the bowl at the end of each day. Is this because I'm giving him more veggies? Should I be concerned? He seems alert and happy - he's always talking to us (he's wheeking at me now from across the room!) What are your thoughts?

Kiyoshi

2007-03-18T22:43:14Z

Kiyoshi's lump has become firmer. I think this comes under "If it changes." My sister has been firmly instructed to make sure that my procrastinating, head-in-the-sand and forgetful mother calls the vet tomorrow.

The right veggies?

2007-03-15T01:32:24Z

I misunderstood the diet question on the questionnaire and thought it only referred to the pellets I'm feeding. (I blame this on stupid daylight savings time turning me into a zombie.) Anyways, my pig does get unlimited amounts of hay and some veggies every evening. I was reading guinealynx, though, and it said veggies twice a day. Should I break up his portions so I feed him veggies morning and evening?

Also, everything says to feed about a cup of vegetables per day. Is there any set amount in grams? I feel more accurate and better weighing things than sticking them in a dry measure cup (thanks, chemistry lab!) It's also a little easier, I think. Does anyone have info on the grams of veggies fed each day? Currently, I don't think I feed him enough veggies. He gets a small piece of carrot (about the size of a small baby carrot), 1.5 - 2 large romaine lettuce leaves, and about 1/8 of a green bell pepper. I've just introduced the peppers, so I'm still feeling out how he'll handle them. I tried tomatoes, but he pretty much ignored them even when I cut them open to make them smell yummy. Should he get more veggies, do you think? Thanks for the help!

New Owner Application

2007-03-14T02:18:26Z

Pre-Owner and New-Owner Application

Your Name: Tara
Age: 22
Other members of your household: two roommates
Other pets in the household: two dogs (shepherd mixes)
How many guinea pigs do you own/do you plan to own? I currently own one
Where did they come from/where do you plan on getting them? I got him from my work - an animal shelter. Our vet didn't think we would be able to adopt him out. He came in with gross, balding skin and a bloated tummy, but skinny ribs. His skin's much better, but he's still not in the best shape. So now he's mine :)
What type of cages do you use/do you plan on using? He has a C&C cage. It's only the minimum size, but I have a really small apartment and need to sort of make concessions for my sister's dog, who would *love* the chance to eat a guinea pig.
Where are/do you plan on keeping your guinea pigs? (In the bedroom, outside, etc) He's actually in my closet. This sounds really bad, but it isn't! The closet is a really big walk-in one that has an ordinary door on it (like the door on a bedroom). I leave the door open, so he's pretty much in the corner of my room, at the foot of my bed. This works out because if the dogs are uncrated and I'm not able to directly supervise them (say the oven timer goes off, the doorbell rings, etc), I'm able to close the closet door so my piggy doesn't get eaten!
What are the measurements of your (planned) cages? About 7.5 square feet? I haven't actually measured since cutting the coroplast, but the guinea pig cages site says a cage with 2 x 3 panels is about 7.5 square feet. I'm thinking of adding a level *up* or a little balcony, but we'll see.
Please post a picture of the cages you are using or intend to use:

My closet looks a little messy - but this is convenient and safe. I put a top on because this deters *my* dog from exploring the piggy while we all sit around my room I think Buddy's thought process goes "Oh. It's a crate. He's in his crate. I don't go in other people's crates." The shelves behind him are really secure and I'm careful that there's nothing heavy that could fall down onto the cage. I store his food and supplies on another shelf you can't see in this picture, so everything is right there. It's like he has his own room adjoining mine. He loves this cage. The one I took him home in was probably *half* the size! Since moving, he "wheeks" at me a lot more and he even "popcorned" a little at my boyfriend yesterday (it was veggie time). I got him lots of toys, too - little ferret toys with bells. I thought he might not like them, but sometimes when i'm sitting around in the evenings, I'll hear a little bell jingling and peek over to see him playing with his wagon wheel or ball! He really liked the pigloo, at first, but now he's starting to spend time out of it and explore the rest of his cage. I want to buy him a nice soft, cushy bed soon or give him a little fleece. Right now, he just has a towel in a box and he isn't too pleased with that.

What type of bedding are you or do you plan on using?Carefresh
What type of food do you or do you plan on feeding?He's on some plain pellets from work right now. I'm going to see what I can order from him and talk to the vet about what's best to feed him.
How much do you plan on feeding? (i.e. two buckets of pellets a day): I fill the bottom of his dish morning and evening.
Are you aware of health issues caused by an inappropriate diet such as; scurvy, bladder stones and bloat? Absolutely. Our vet told me all about it and is helping me with diet selection.
Do you or do you plan on finding a guinea pig friendly/good vet? Yes, I have one.
Have you read the Dangerous Medications list/ do you have a copy of it within your guinea pigs records?Not yet, but I'll stick it on my reading list for the evening!
Do you or do you plan on weighing your guinea pig weekly?I plan on starting thursday. I've been giving him the past week or so to settle down. He *hates* to be picked up, but loves to be petted & I haven't wanted to pick him up much and stress him while he's getting used to things here.
Do you know the basic signs of guinea pig illness? Weight loss, lethargy, itchiness, runny eyes, sneezes on the cage walls/snot on his fur/paws?
How long is it acceptable to wait before seeking veterinary care for your guinea pig?Not long at all - he's a small animal. They hide symptoms pretty well, so by the time they look sick to you, they're probably *really* sick. I'd say the first hint of illness = vet right away.
Finally, please post us pictures of your piggies!!!!! =D

I love this face! His name is Gimley - the name he came with. I'm thinking of changing it, but haven't decided on what, He's an abyssinian. His fur looks much better now than it did when I first met him. He loves to have his nose scratched and will often wheek at you and close his eyes. We think he's around three years old.

He always meets me at the cage front in the mornings and evenings. I can tell he's excited to see me because he'll wheek and put his front paws on the cage. He's starting to race around at the back of the cage a bit, too, and he doesn't hide in his pigloo all the time anymore, either. Sometimes, he'll chew on the front of his cage a little when he's *really* happy.

This is the top view. See how he has the little rosettes? So cute! I love him.

My Questions:
How do you get your pig accustomed to being handled? He's fine with his nose being scratched, but anything besides that causes him to run away and hide in his pigloo. I'd like to be able to move him or pick him up briefly for weighing/out of cage time without freaking him out terribly!

What is a good resource for reading up on the most common guinea pig diseases?

Thanks!

This might get long, sorry...

2007-03-13T22:13:28Z

First off, the problem isn't with my Oliver, he's doing perfectly fine. ^_^

The problem is with my fiance's sister (W) and nephew (C). They just lost their two gerbils and are looking to get another pet, C is considering a guinea pig. He's a rather intelligent 12-year-old who wants and needs something to cuddle with and talk to and I'm fairly certain he would be able to provide the correct care for the piggie. He's not the problem, W is. With W, when she bought the gerbils for C as a Christmas present, she got all the supplies from the pet store, based on what the pet store employees told her was needed. At the end of the gerbils' lives, they were both severely overweight and inactive. I'm blaming this mostly on W, as C was just listening to what she said. Anyway, here's my concern.

For reference, my family has had hamsters and other various rodents in our lives for a total of 9 years. Yes, we made some mistakes in the beginning, but I've learned from them and because of those mistakes, AJ and Oliver received/is receiving the best of care now.

Anyway, back to the concern. With the gerbils, W went by what the books and pet store employees told her. And occasionally she'd ask my experience on something, then completely disregard it b/c it wasn't in the books, therefore it was something I'd made up. *eyeroll* She absolutely CANNOT STAND noise at night, so every night she'd take the wheel out of the cage and leave the gerbils with nothing to do but chew on boxes. Then they had the brilliant idea of feeding the gerbils oreo cookies, chilled hot cocoa, and hand-fulls of salted-in-the-shell peanuts "because they like it!" to which I'd reply "Yes, and people do drugs. Same thing." , but she'd yell at me for giving them fresh veg (ie: carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes). *headdesk* No matter how many times I'd tell her chocolate can kill them, she'd keep giving it to them, eventually I gave up and my fiance and I would give the critters veg while W and C were out of the house.

After seeing what this woman did to these gerbils, I'm trying as hard as I can to keep a GP out of this house. Am I wrong in doing this, or does anyone else think preventing a piggy from living here would be a good thing? I mean, I can see C taking proper care of the pig and loving it with everything he has, but W is the one that worries me. She's looking for a pet that's: small, requires minimal care (most definitely not a pig), quiet (we all know about this one), and will be living in a small space. Here's the best part, they're looking at a GP, or a degu or a sugar glider, but a HAMSTER requires too much care.

I guess my biggest question is: am I right to get involved in this? Because my parents keep telling me I should stay out of it. Part of me thinks I shouldn't get involved, but a bigger part of me feels like I should be involved because knowing W, they'd end up with a dead pig *cry* after a few months.

Anyone have any advice on this one?

**Edited a few times, keep getting interrupted.**

**NOTE: No pig will wind up in their house! Thank you everyone who responded, I got some books from the library and printed off a few sheets from GLynx. However, apparently all I had to do to dissuade them was mention vet care, and exotics vet care at that.

Satings and Teeth Issues?

2007-03-10T17:01:23Z

I first rescued Toto in December from a lady who had him in a classroom and they didnt want him anymore...."he just didnt do much"

Anyways when I posted pictures a few members stated he looked like a Satin. I did my research and was prepared and got xrays of his bones.
He got sick a few weeks ago with a URI that is all fixed. His bones the vet says still look fine.

However in the last 3 weeks his teeth have started growing uncontrollably!
His top teeth are growing so long and crooked it broke one tooth off so he has 1 top long crooked tooth and very long bottom teeth.
We have an apointment to get the trimmed down next week since there is only 1 vet that is cavy savy and she only works certain days.
I have been feeding him critical care and timothy pellet squished with pedialyte.

Could the random teeth issue be caused by the satin problem?

I have 3 boys and their diet consists of:

Unlimited Timothy and Orchard Grass Hay from Oxbow.
Timothy pellets from Oxbow
Daily veggies (romaine or red leaf lettuce, occasionally carrots, bell peppers, kale, basil etc)

Any Tips?

Also, my little grey Agouti baby I noticed his teeth are getting kinda long and jagged...I went ahead and made an appointment with him also to get them trimmed before they become a problem. Is this ok?

Guinea Pig Tee

2007-03-09T19:46:30Z

I know I haven't been around in forever - we've been having serious guinea health issues. Having said that, I'm still a regular at the Guinea Lynx forums - and someone posted about a cute tee they'd bought at Kohl's. It's only available in children's sizes - but I thought I'd share. I don't have a Kohl's nearby - but ordered one online!

http://www.kohls.com/main/subcategory.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2961101&bmUID=1173469149821&showpage=7

Mammary Tumour

2007-03-04T18:32:50Z

Because of this boy, I have cried so much this week. About a week ago my mum called me saying that she had found a lump on Kiyoshi and that he had just returned from the vets with anti-biotics (baytril.) The vet (thankfully, my favourite vet out of the entire surgery.) had told my mum who said "I can't OK a surgery; he isn't mine but I'm sure she'll OK it." that she doesn't want to rush into a surgery but if the lump changes we've to take him in to remove it that day and if it doesn't go away then she will want to remove it.

Unfortunatly for Kiyoshi the vet then told my mum that in the UK surgery on guinea pigs has come a long, long way in the past three years. That's unfortunate because you always know that when a vet's trying to reassure you on the most extreme treatment (surgery over antibioitcs) then that's the way they expect things to go.

Today and Yesterday I visited home, and I had a good feel at his lump; partially because I've never felt one before and I was determined to deflate it by molesting him but mainly because I couldn't believe that the lump was there: not on my baby. It's not FAIR for MY baby to grow a lump!

He finished his antibiotics today. The lump hasn't changed for better or for worst. Within the next two weeks he'll go in for his surgery. As I said in my journal, surgery isn't necessarily a death sentence ..."but I'm still going to cry over it."

x-posted story and picture.

Theme Month!!!

2007-01-26T19:27:53Z

Hopefully this will get you started. Since I'm not at home with my piggies, I figured that I would photoshop my idea and my piggies approval. My idea is to use three books that, when balanced against each other, provide a cosy yet spacious improvided hidey hole.

Newbie!

2007-01-26T18:27:05Z

Pre-Owner and New-Owner Application

Your Name: Jenn (jenn_renae)
Age: 23
Other members of your household: My fiance, Daniel
Other pets in the household: N/A
How many guinea pigs do you own/do you plan to own? Only the one right now, but I hope later on in the year to get a second.
Where did they come from/where do you plan on getting them? Admittedly, I did get mine from a pet store (Petcetera) but I hope to find a pig rescue in my area and get my second one from there.
What type of cages do you use/do you plan on using? He has a 2x3 C&C cage (he used to be in a petstore cage, but I learned my lesson!)
Where are/do you plan on keeping your guinea pigs? (In the bedroom, outside, etc) In our living room.
What are the measurements of your (planned) cages? Once we get the second one it will become a 2x4 C&C cage.
Please post a picture of the cages you are using or intend to use:

Note: We bought the ball (in the top left hand corner of the photo) when we first got him, but we by no means use it anymore. It is there until I can figure out some other way of using it rather than throw it out - any ideas?

What type of bedding are you or do you plan on using? Woodchips for the time being... but I do hope to jump on the fleece bandwagon and figure out how to get that to work for him.
What type of food do you or do you plan on feeding? We have his pellets as well as carrots, lettuce, and apples. He's a bit on the fussy side, so it's a slow integration with new foods.
How much do you plan on feeding? (i.e. two buckets of pellets a day): He gets pellets and veg once in the morning and once at night.
Are you aware of health issues caused by an inappropriate diet such as; scurvy, bladder stones and bloat? Yes, we make sure he gets his need for vitamin C met.
Do you or do you plan on finding a guinea pig friendly/good vet?
(Note: Vet care is extremely important. It is VERY important that you have a vet who knows guinea pigs well. Many treatments safe for animals such as cats or dogs can be extremely dangerous to cavies (guinea pigs) so make SURE you have a vet which experience with guinea pigs.)
We've taken him to the vet once to be shown the proper method of nail clipping. It was fairly quick and snip snip, but we talked the vet's face off for a good half hour afterward and she really knew her stuff.
Have you read the Dangerous Medications list/ do you have a copy of it within your guinea pigs records? Oh, no I don't. That will be the next thing I do here. That's a good idea!
Do you or do you plan on weighing your guinea pig weekly? ... Oh goodness, I feel like an idiot. You're suppose to do that? Yikes... must get a scale. (I'm really sorry to be sounding like a stupid pet owner, but I hope the fact that I'm new and learning will help me look less of a spo.)
Do you know the basic signs of guinea pig illness? Some, but I admittedly need to know more.
How long is it acceptable to wait before weeking veterinary care for your guinea pig? I fret a lot about his health, so if something is going awry with his behaviour, I think of seeing the vet as soon as I can.
Finally, please post us pictures of your piggies!!!!! =D I have no problems with that!

CHARLIE

Charlie's favourite cuddly spot - on Mommy's tummy

New cage!

2007-01-26T04:03:01Z

It's been a bit since I posted, but we finally finished our C&C cage for Mint and Reese! I thought I'd post some pigtures to share with everyone here ^_^

This is the cage with one of the two doors open, obviously. The other two are where the bungie cords are holding it down. And the fleece is all bunched up, cause... it was easier AND better to do that than just try and cut it to only fit the dimensions of the cage. Either way, it should work out fine.

The biggest challenge was making a cat-safe top. After both the doors were added, however, we secured the entire top all the way around with zipties. It'll make it hard to remove the back four panels, but we don't really have a need to, and now the top is nice and steady.

Mint was kind of unsure of the cage. When we put her and Reese in, right away Reese started bouncing around exploring, and Mint just kind of stood in the same spot for five minutes xD

Reese attempting to get Mint to play with her.

This is one of the 'crap' pics (my camera wasn't behaving!), but Reese absolutely LOVES the new house Lindsey and I bought them today when we had to go get more piggie food xD I had to get at least one picture of her in it!

Mint liked it too.. at least to nibble on >>

Reese exploring some more, she was having a blast!

guinea pig colours (and new piggies!)

2007-01-17T14:33:33Z

I was wondering if there is a good site that explains all the colours and patterns of guinea pigs? Most of my family and friends know nothing about small animals and I'm always asked what colour my girls are. You'd think it was straight forward but I managed to get myself very confused!

Here are all my girls, including some pictures of my two new arrivals Brie and Frisky :) We adopted them on Saturday and they're settling in to their quarantine cage incredibly well - they look so tiny compared to my big girls, bless.

Rosie:

Obviously she's a crested but I'm a bit confused as to whether she's an English crested (crest same colour as rest of coat) or an American crested (white crest). Photos of the latter that I've seen have a lot of white hair in the crest while Rosie has just a few white hairs - so is she a red American crested or a red and white English crested?

Gracie:

Gracie has been called a red/white/slate American/English, a red/white/lilac American English, a red/white/slate roan, and a red/white/lilac roan o_O Someone even called her a dalmation! If you could place your bets on what she is I'd be grateful! (She has ruby cast eyes.)

Brie:

Hee, this one I know - a TSW American/English *grins* Isn't she gorgeous? Poor Brie had a terrible start in life, absolutely covered in fungal infection :( But now she's fighting fit and yesterday led her first wheeking chorus for her veggies :)

Frisky:

Is Frisky a tortoiseshell Sheltie/Silkie or is it some kind of brindling? Frisky is Brie's sister and is the sweetest pig I have ever come across. All she wants to do is snuggle and play and there isn't a hint of aggression or grumpiness towards the rather dominant Brie ever. Hopefully she'll be another snuggle pig like Rosie is :)

I would ask on Guinea Lynx but I'm just a lurker, I still find their forums in general a bit scary *blushes*

Theme Month

2007-01-15T18:57:27Z

Exam stress has made this post verrrryyy belated.

Unfortunatly there were no applicants for this month's theme.

On reflection I suppose that asking people to go outside and look for something random and buy it is an overstretch of the community - that an Christmas/New Year is a bad time to ask that.

This Months Theme!

This was suggested by thalestral for our first theme. It's something most of you will do on a daily basis anyway.

Build an improvised hidey house for your piggies cage or floor time

You have until the 10th of Febuary to POST POST POST!!!!

Remember: If you intend on entering this months theme, post a comment to this post with a suggestion for next months theme. Comments are screened.