Guinea Pig Feet Check the bottom of your guinea pigs' feet regularly for signs of soreness. Their feet are sensitive, and rough bedding can cause them problems. Straw should be avoided - wood shavings and soft meadow hay are the recommended bedding materials HEALTH TIP #2: Weigh Your Guinea Pig Weekly. Weighing is one of the best, simplest and cheapest tools available for monitoring small animal's health. Owner must be aware for dramatic changes in weight. Small fluctuations from day to day are normal Urine scald on feet builds up over time; it is connected to uncleaned cages/neglect, urinary tract infections with lots of pees, or arthritis/back leg paralysis in older guinea pigs where lack of mobility puts them at higher risk. it doesn't happen overnight. Hairiness on the feet can vary individually The foot should be coated in a sufficient amount of fur. The fur is to be clean and dry. Staining of fur is normal, but moist, urine-soaked hair is uncommon in guinea pigs. Calluses on bumblefoot are very common for guinea pigs, as there is no need to be worried about it Sore on the feet with red inflammation indicates bumblefoot. Guinea pigs suffer from bumblefoot if they live in unhygienic conditions, with a wire floor cage. Overweight may also cause sores on the pad of the feet. These are extremely painful and filled with pus
A guinea pig that has a rough hair coat, is off his food, has diarrhea, is reluctant to walk, seems painful, has swollen feet or joints, or has hemorrhages and ulcers on its gums or skin, is likely to be deficient in vitamin C. Guinea pigs and primates cannot manufacture their own vitamin C; therefore, they must take in vitamin C in their diets Running laps around the cage is a normal behavior for a guinea pig. It does not use exercise wheels, so it have to burn off its energy in other ways. Freezing When guinea pig sense danger, when it hears sudden sound that it is unfamiliar with, when it is startled or uncertain about something in its environment, it will freeze and stand motionless Monitoring your guinea pigs' health You should regularly check your guinea pig to ensure he/she is eating well, urinating, defecating normal droppings and walking around easily. Also check your guinea pig has a healthy coat, clear bright eyes, a nose free of any discharges, normal length nails (that are not too long) and normal healthy footpads Because this is a relatively common ailment, guinea pig owners are advised to check their pets' feet daily, including the length of the nails, and watching the guinea pig's weight and making dietary changes as needed 16 square feet cage. 5 Guinea Pigs. 14 square feet cage. 16 square feet cage. As you can see above, the cage size requirement becomes lower per guinea pig, for each additional you have. That's great if you have a low budget for your cage. Especially considering you need to have at least 2 guinea pigs
NORMAL: Feet should have a clean, soft footpad. Nails should be a proper length Female guinea pigs (or sows) have a pregnancy of 68 days (range 59-72 days) and an average estrous cycle length of 17 days (range 13-25 days). The vaginal closure membrane is open at estrus and parturition but sealed during anestrus and pregnancy. Guinea pigs have an average of 4 young per litter, with a range of 1-13 Disorders and Diseases of Guinea Pigs. Health problems among guinea pigs that live alone are usually related to aging, dental disease, reproductive disorders, injury, or improper care. Infectious diseases caused by certain viruses and bacteria usually occur only in guinea pigs that live with other guinea pigs. Intestinal parasites are not common On average, male guinea pigs weigh between 910g and 1,360g. That's 2 - 3lb. And on average, a female guinea pigs weigh 608 - 1,130g, which is 1.5 - 2.5lb. Naturally, when weights fall within a range, they tend to cluster in the middle of that range, so in fact the majority of guinea pigs are between 700g and 1,200g, or 1.5 - 2.6lb If a guinea pig is deficient in Vitamin C we can see dental, feet and skin problems. This can include difficulty healing from wounds or a propensity to get skin wounds and foot sores. Guinea pigs that are Vitamin C deficient may also develop diarrhea and have a coarse fur coat
Ideally, a guinea pig's diet should consist of Timothy hay, fruits, vegetables, and pellets. Allow us explain each category of a healthy guinea pig diet in detail. Contents hide. 1 Guinea Pig Diet of Timothy Hay. 2 A Guinea Pig Diet With Fruits and Vegetables. 3 Guinea Pig Food Pellets. 4 Guinea Pig Foods to Avoid in Their Diet Respiratory Diseases. Guinea pigs are sensitive to cold air drafts and can easily develop an upper respiratory infection—or worse, pneumonia. 1 They can even get Bordetella bronchiseptica from your dog, cat, or pet rabbit. Take notice of your guinea pig's cage location and be sure to keep them away from drafts, open doors, and open windows Feet - Guinea pigs don't have any fur on the bottom of their feet, so they could become sore easily. Make sure they have soft bedding and check their feet often. Their nails shouldn't get too long either, so clip them often if they don't wear down naturally A guinea pigs wee can say alot about its health. A normal, healthy guinea pig's urine should be clear or may be slightly clouded white once dried. This white is a build up of calcium in your guinea pig from whatever it's been eaten. Any signs of blood in the urine should be alarming and good cause to call your vets and book an appointment Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C and can be a very serious illness in guinea pigs. Signs of scurvy: A rough coat, swollen feet, ulcers and being off their food. They may also have diarrhoea. How to prevent scurvy: Guinea pigs need 10-50mg of Vitamin C daily from their diet
Guinea pigs can grow from 8 to 11 inches long and their weight should always be relative to their size. While the ideal weight of a guinea pig can best be determined by its size, males should weigh around 900 to 1200 grams or 1.98 to 2.65 pounds. The average guinea pig weight for females, on the other hand, is around 700 to 900 grams or 1.54 to 1.98 pounds As creatures of habit, guinea pigs need to be introduced to changes slowly in regards to feedings and routines. Some guinea pig behaviors can seem rather strange. For example, you may see your guinea pig eat its own poop. This is a normal, healthy behavior that provides essential vitamins and nutrients The guinea pig requires 15 mg/day Vitamin C. Cabbage, kale, green peppers, and oranges have Vitamin C. Vitamin C tabs added a rate of 200-400 mg/L drinking water can be mixed fresh daily as treatment of hypovitaminosis C. Good commercial guinea pig diets are the best prevention While guinea pigs can live a long healthy life, it is always wise to provide regular veterinary care. Vets qualified to care for your guinea pig are called exotics veterinarians. Experienced guinea pig owners can't stress enough how important it is to find a good vet who knows your animal before you are in the middle of an emergency For two Guinea Pigs, you need a cage that is at least 10.5 square feet in size. A cage of 30 by 50 would be quite appropriate for your pets. Guinea Pigs have fragile feet, so I recommend a cage with a solid bottom rather than a wired one. Guinea Pigs need a large cage to stay healthy and happy
For a single guinea pig, the cage needs to be 7.5 square feet minimum, but you should definitely shoot for larger if able. If you have two guinea pigs, the minimum size should be 10.5 square feet. It is critical to select a cage that is big enough for these furry friends Guinea pigs can also suffer from heat stroke if they get too hot which can lead to severe breathing problems and sadly can be fatal, so it's important to take steps to keep your guinea pigs safe in hot weather. Symptoms of breathing problems include: Breathing quicker than normal. Wheezing. Sneezing The most important thing is to assess whether or not it is supposed to be like that. 1. Check if the skin around it is dry or cracked 2. Gently touch the area and see if the guinea pig reacts, in pain, to it 3. Determine whether or not it was like.. guinea pig to refuse his healthy, essential foods. It's important to remember that • Sores on the feet • Abnormal eating or drinking GUINEA PIG BEHAVIOR Guinea pigs are most active at dawn and twilight, may see your guinea pig eat its own poop. This is a normal, healthy behavior that provides essentia
Normal, occasional scratching in guinea pigs is nothing to worry about.Piggies might scratch a bit after a good nap or after they finish grooming.. Your cavy might be scratching because you have changed his bedding or hay contains some dust that irritates him.. But in all these cases, there is no biting, scratching is minimal and piggy doesn't show any sign of pain ( grinding teeth or making. Normal Behaviour. The following guinea pig behaviours are normal and should not cause concern: Popcorning (the guinea pig version of a rabbit binkying): Popcorning is the name given when a guinea pig jumps in the air, all four feet leave the floor and sometimes a guinea pig will twist while in the air.The height of the jumps varies from guinea pig to guinea pig This is a curiosity stance that affords a guinea pig a better view of their surroundings, and it helps them zero-in on a particular smell. It also makes them even more adorable when they beg for a food treat, like the Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Healthy Bits guinea pig treats. Standing on the hind legs goes hand-in-hand with sniffing. 8 Ventilation is critical for guinea pigs, so a habitat with solid sides, such as an aquarium, won't work. If you choose a wire cage, be sure the wire spacing is small enough so your guinea pig can't get his head through and be caught. For adult guinea pigs, this means wire spacing of 1.5 inches or less. Guinea pigs don't climb, so a cover.
8 Most Common Guinea Pig Health Problems. by . Bumblefoot is an infection on the underside of the Guinea Pig's feet. This occurs when the Guinea Pig is standing on hard surfaces for too long. Usually, the guinea pig is overweight, causing more pressure on the bottoms of their feet. This pressure causes the tissue to die and slough off The preferred basic diet for guinea pigs is unlimited amounts of Timothy or other low-calcium hay, supplemented with smaller amounts of a commercial, high-fiber, Timothy-hay based guinea pig pellets. The diet should be supplemented with a variety of fresh, well-washed, leafy greens or colored vegetables; especially those high in vitamin C. Guinea pigs cannot manufacture their own vitamin C. Check the guinea pig's movements Does the guinea pig move around freely and smoothly? Watch out for guinea pigs that move jerkily, hop, or limp. Check the conditions the guinea pig is being kept in Is the GP being kept in a healthy and clean environment? Is there plenty of hay, food, water, and space? Check the guinea pigs' droppings
A normal healthy guinea pig can eat hay without stopping during the day. Also a cup of vegetables, a few pellets, and occasional treats. If a guinea pig stopped eating its hay, vegetables, pellets and treats, it can affect its digestive system quickly. If a guinea pig won't eat for 12-24 hours it can become dangerously unhealthy for the pet A sick guinea pig should get at least 50mg a day of this vitamin. If your cavy goes 18 to 24 hours without eating much, you might want to consider force feeding your guinea pig. A mixture of baby food vegetables and pellet fines with a drop of honey can be fed with a syringe
Getting a guinea pig is a great thing to do if you are looking for a pet for your household. So when looking for a healthy guinea pig, here are 10 things you need to check for when getting a Guinea Pig. Things you need to check for when getting a Guinea Pig 1. Check its feet. Make sure that they look to be healthy and pink 10 Minutes per Week = A Happier, Healthier Guinea Pig. By adding a 10-minute health check to your guinea pig's weekly care routine of nail trimming and ear cleaning, you can get familiar with its body so that abnormal growths, changes in behavior and other potentially fatal health issues are caught - and treated - early Sometimes guinea pigs will be given to new owners that aren't the gender they needed, which can lead to a lot of baby guinea pigs wandering around. To avoid this, make sure that the person offering you the animal knows which gender it is, and ask them to show you. A female guinea pig will have nipples along her stomach Many things can go wrong with a guinea pig's health. And the signs for some ailments are similar to many others. A trusted, guinea pig-savvy veterinarian is key to your guinea pig's good health. An internet search revealed some of the guinea pig health issues focused on by veterinary websites from a few countries Your guinea pig's life expectancy. Guinea pigs tend to live to between 4 and 8 years of age. How to health check your guinea pig. Ideally bring your guinea pigs indoors and sit them on a towel so they are comfy. Use some small scales, like kitchen scales, to check their weight - usually adult males weigh between 800-1200g, females 800-1000
Keep the infected guinea pig isolated from other, healthy animals. When you handle him or clean his cage, wear protective gloves, wash your hands, disinfect the area frequently, wear a paper mask over your nose and mouth if you want, etc. Do all the things you would normally do to avoid catching a cold from another person The signs that a guinea pig is healthy are fairly obvious - eyes, ears, mouth and bottom should be free from soiling or discharge. Feet should be clean. Coat should be in good condition without scabs or patches of fur missing. Teeth should align nicely Pictured here is recycled newspaper bedding Be sure to offer a source of Vitamin C to keep your guinea pig's skin healthy and strong. We recommend adding a crushed up children's chewable Vitamin C tablet to fresh food items. Also, be sure that pellets are made specifically for guinea pigs and are used within 30 days of opening the bag. These pellets have additional Vitamin C and the.
Guinea pigs should also eat around 80% long stem, grassy hay like timothy hay. Seymour and Etta here are both showing off their healthy coats, eyes, ears, noses and toes! It's also important to check the bottom of guinea pig's feet, for any red patches or sores that may develop An obese guinea pig will have a shortened life span and could encounter certain weight-related diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and arthritis. Normal Size Guinea Pigs: If your guinea pig is of an average, normal and healthy size, you will won't be able to feel individual ribs and neither will you be able to see them. You. Guinea pigs purr, but it's not the same as a cat's purr. It's more of a low, soft tone, almost like a hum. This is a sound that guinea pigs make when they're content. Rumble. Rumbling is often accompanied by a swaggering strut. It is the noise guinea pigs make as a precursor to mating Guinea pigs are a popular pet for children and schools, but many adults too appreciate the presence of these cute, loving little cavies as companions and pets. Like many small animals, the general health and common health conditions that can affect the guinea pig do not receive anywhere near as much publicity as those that affect larger pets such as cats and dogs, but veterinary care for. The vet will be able to check your guinea pig's teeth, ears, and coat. It is also important to know your guinea pig's weight, since weight loss is one of the most common signs of illness in a guinea pig. Become aware of what a healthy guinea pig looks and feels like, so you can better tell when something's amiss
Because it doesn't need one. In more detail: one of three reasons. 1. Maybe the ancestors of guinea pigs were once rat-like creatures with tails. Because of the environment in which they lived, shorter tails conferred a survival advantage over lon.. 10. Guinea Pig's teeth never stop growing. 11. Guinea Pigs can be easily tamed. 12. Guinea Pigs are a bit loud and noisy. 13. Guinea Pig allergies are quite common. When it comes to being small, cute, cuddly, and squeaky, Guinea pigs tops the list
Good news is that most guinea pigs will live healthy lives if cared for correctly and never need veterinary intervention. Children Kids under 11 should not be allowed to pick up the animals by themselves and walk around with them. Guinea pigs are not very agile and rarely land on their feet if dropped You will need: a cage that is a minimum of 10 square feet for two guinea pigs, a water bottle, at least one food dish per guinea pig, bedding (quality 2nd or 3rd cutting grass hay such as timothy, bluegrass, orchard grass), pellets, and material for hiding areas (fleece draped in corners of the cage, igloos during colder months, tunnels made. Bottom line: Don't wait even a day if your guinea pig is not acting normal. Your pet guinea pig will live 5-7 years, on average. If you start out with a healthy guinea pig and pay attention to simple but important care guidelines, piggies usually remain free of disease. But if diet, environmental changes, poor care, stress or neglect occurs.
As far as pets go, I would much rather that guinea pigs were a lot less popular as children's 'starter' pets and much more hard to come by, to eliminate the impulse buys that happy daily at well-known pet supermarkets, bolsted by the attractive array of guinea pig paraphenalia that is now available and makes them even more appealing 2. Examine your guinea pig's eyes. Respiratory problems, whether an allergy or infection, can affect your guinea pig's eyes. For example, you may notice a discharge coming from his eyes. This discharge may be yellow or green if he has an infection. Your guinea pig's eyes may look crusty from the discharge Purchase a comfortable cage: Just like humans, guinea pigs like to be comfortable, too! A good recommendation is to provide at least 7.5 square feet for one guinea pig and 10 square feet of living space for two guinea pigs. The more space you provide the happier your guinea pigs will be
A guinea pig cage should have a solid floor covered in bedding rather than a wire-bottom cage, which can cause problems if the guinea pig catches its toes on the wire. If you use a cage with a wire floor, be sure to provide another surface where the guinea pig can relieve its feet Guinea Pig Health Check List. If a guinea pig is drooling or has a wet chin, this could be a possible sign of dental problems. Make sure that you feed the guinea pig correctly to help prevent this. Check their eyes, ears and nose for discharge. Look at their feet, there should be no cuts or sores. Check that they are moving around okay and are. Your guinea pig's cage should be at least 1 x 2 feet (30 x 60 cm), but the larger the space, the better. The sides of the enclosure should be at least 12 inches (30 cm) high. Because guinea pigs do not jump or climb, they can be housed in an open-topped enclosure, such as a plastic children's pool, as long as dogs or cats do not have access. A vibrating guinea pig is not always a bad thing. It can actually mean that your cavy is happy and is purring like a cat does. A guinea pig will often signal their happiness and contentment by vibrating and making deep noises. If you are petting your cavy and they vibrate this will certainly mean that they are happy GuineaDad specializes and focuses on guinea pig's health. GuineaDad Nourish Series provides the fresh and high fiber timothy hay that is best for your beloved guinea pigs. Healthy & Safe - Unfiltered Timothy Hay can come with very fine dust, yellowed hay, tree branches, bird feathers, and even rocks. Our hay goes through a dust filter to filter.
So it is normal for guinea pigs to pee a lot but one of the things that you have to look out for is if the pee is actually healthy or not. This is important to know as a guinea pig owner because a lot can be told about what's going on with them from how their pee looks. Healthy guinea pig pee can be: Clear to cloudy in color. Brown or orange. 4.4 out of 5 stars. 1,950. $9.99. $9. . 99 ($9.99/Count) Cultivate your guinea pig's natural instinct to burrow with this toy. It can expand more than two feet long and comes with three wooden and twine balls for playing and nibbling. Cultivate your guinea pig's natural instinct to burrow with this toy That's a hard answer. I had 3 pet store guinea pigs - I adopted Loma (2 months) and Prieta (3 months) at the same time. My fiancé brought home another piggie a month later, Cali, who was 2 months of age. Within a few weeks all three had ringworm,.
Tails are usually very short or absent. The guinea pig has a short, flat nose, laterally placed eyes, and hairless external pinnae. Adult guinea pigs usually weigh between 700 and 1200 g, with the males being slightly larger than females. The average life span of the companion guinea pig is approximately 5 to 7 years Dont worry, it's not a pig and above all, you won't need to go all the way to Guinea to bring back one !! and after reading this article [Complete Guide ] you will know everything about this adorable pet. Native to South America, from the plains and mountains of the Andes, the guinea pig , piggy , Cavy is a rodent, which can weigh up to 3 lbs once adult, a strict herbivore that lives in. Cutting your guinea pigs' nails can be a bit of an unpleasant experience, but if you do it quite often then it becomes less of a problem, as less will need to be taken off and you'll have had a little more practise. The key to properly cutting guinea pig nails is to thoroughly examine your guinea pig's feet before you begin Healthy guinea pigs always display a great deal of aggression in their behavior ranging from popcorning, to nipping, biting and chasing one another. When you have a sick or dying cavy in the same cage as the healthy ones, he may become to poor victimized fellow amidst tough bullies
Because very little information on guinea pigs could be found, they performed echocardiography on an apparently healthy 1-year-old male guinea pig and also used the values determined by Cetin N, Cetin E, Toker M in 12 healthy, anesthetized guinea pigs. Variations from the mean confirmed their diagnosis of DCM The size of the enclosure needs to allow for normal guinea pig activity, the more room the better. Some authors and sites recommend a minimum size of approximately 2 square feet of space but the trend is going up to a larger cage, over 7 square feet. Ideally pet guinea pigs will appreciate lots of room, the bigger the space the better
Guinea pigs need continuous access to hay to aid their digestion and limit the growth of their teeth. Guinea Pig Hay on Amazon.com. Fruit and vegetables: Fresh vegetables can be offered once a day and should be equivalent to about one cup total per guinea pig per day. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, kale. Small Cage Dimensions. Interior: 27 x 41 = about 7.5 Square Feet of cage space.; Exterior: 30 x 44 when assembled = you will need a table space of about 2.5 feet by 3.75 feet to accommodate this cage.; Coro Height Options. 6 walls on all four sides. This is the perfect height for keeping bedding contained, visibility to pigs, good airflow, and safety
Guinea pig teeth regrow to a healthy length pretty quickly, which ensures your guinea pig doesn't lose weight or condition. The most important thing is the teeth remain even. What About Back Teeth? A guinea pig's back teeth are called 'cheek teeth'. They are a lot harder to examine as they sit quite far back in your pet's mouth Guinea pigs must also be offered a commercial pellet food (1/8-1/4 cups per day is a good starting place) that is specific to guinea pigs, since other types of rodent or rabbit food will not have all the nutrients they need. Guinea pigs can also have a few tablespoons of treats per day
A female guinea pig's hymen disappears and regrows at various points of her reproductive cycle. Specifically, the vaginal membrane is closed except during estrus (heat) and at parturition (birth). [13] In 2015, an alarmed New York City resident called 911 to investigate a man they believed was mistreating a squirrel over a barbeque pit. It turned out that he was just barbecuing a guinea pig The answer is 'No,' guinea pigs are herbivores, and they are not grain-eaters. Grains like oats are not healthy for guinea pig's health because of their high phosphorus and calcium levels. The increased amount of calcium, carbs, and phosphorus leads to several health problems in guinea pigs, like obesity and urinary issues