Hello all guiena pig owners, I have two guiena pigs jack and jenny both which are 2 years old and we are planning to go for a trip with them by train. Our journey is long (around 10 hours) so we were planning to use some sedatives (if advised by doctor) during our journey to keep them sleepy. We are visiting the vet tomorrow for guidance about whether is it ok or not,but still I am anxious whether it will affect their health or will it be okay. Please help

Hello,
My daughter wants a pet guinea pig and I’m wondering how risky they are? With frequent cleaning of their feces in the cage, indoor habitat, plus the potential bite, what are the risks here? I also have a lowered immune system due to an autoimmune disease so I’m curious to hear everyone’s answers. We had a dog for years who passed away earlier this year..so we are accustomed to pet care.
Thank you in advance!

before i start off i COMPLETELY understand that is their nature and what they do naturally for many different reasons. i dont have a problem with it whatsoever. however i live with my dad and he absolutely hates it and has given me an ultimatum that if they dont stop waking him up i have to get rid of them. that is the absolute last thing i want to do. they are my babies and are imbedded in my life. but unfortunately i really have no options. i dont have another place to live nor do i know anyone who would be willing to take care of them. so i’m just asking as a last try to see if there is any method or something adjacent that could potentially help reduce the noise. my dad is willing to work with me but he isnt willing to change any of his habits ex. closing his door, headphones etc. i tried white noise to drown it out which didnt work. i keep the door closed at night but it still wakes him up in the morning. but i am open to any and all options to try the best i can to make this work. thank you in advance!

I don't know what to expect from this post but I feel like I need to get it out so here it goes.

I feel like I'm really not managing to do what I should for my two guinea pigs at the moment and everything's getting harder and harder. I'm struggling a lot mentally and physically. Adapting to university (even just part time) has been harder than I thought with limited energy from my health issues.

I am not managing to keep up with spot cleaning the guinea pig cage every day. It's probably roughly every 3 days at the moment. I'm still trying to do a deep clean once a week. I haven't been interacting with them so much and getting them out for floor time because all I can think about after a day at uni is how badly I want to curl up in bed immediately. They've sometimes gone a few days without any fresh vegetables/salad because I can't find the energy to go shopping for myself or for them. I am giving them extra hay to try and make it up to them when I don't have fresh produce but I don't feel like that's good enough.

This morning I did a deep clean and tried to clip their nails which was very much needed as I hadn't been keeping track of their claw growth for the past two months. I accidentally cut too far on one or two claws on both of my guinea pigs. I couldn't stop the bleeding and called my parents who came with some supplies from the pet shop that were supposed to help with this but both of them bled so much and I ended up having a panic attack I couldn't calm down from for ages. I was so scared I was going to end up accidentally killing them through blood loss or something and also I think there was just so much stress over the week that exploded out of me at that moment. Eventually the bleeding stopped thankfully.

Somehow they seemed completely unfazed despite the blood and my crying, and climbed on me and licked my fingers whilst I lay on the floor sobbing. I guess they were ok then, and maybe they forgave me for hurting them but I feel so bad.

I'm having the thoughts of 'do I need to rehome them again?'. I feel like I'm not doing enough for them. It's a constant anxiety. I don't want to have to part with them as I love them, they make me feel less alone in my flat and they do often cheer me up when I'm upset. I don't know if I would be able to do a better job or not if I had more support - I'm in supported living but don't really get much help from the staff who are in charge of the building who don't seem to understand my health issues. My social worker is trying to get better support put in place so I hope things change but I don't know.

TLDR; I'm really overwhelmed and exhausted by life at the moment and I'm worried I'm making my guinea pigs suffer because of it. I don't know what to do. Has anyone been in this situation and found ways to manage it?

Hey!! So without judgement please give me the best advice, i'm struggling, like bad right now, mentally.i have my 2 piggy boys and they are my absolute pride and joy, i really don't want to give them up or have to rehome them but my mental health is way worse then it has been before, i built my own cage for them, they are super healthy and chunky!! and their super cuddly and sweet but taking care of them has been eating away at me cause i feel like im not doing enough or at least as much as i used to, they get the stuff they need like food, water, pellets, and fresh cage along with cuddle time, but i feel like it's not enough anymore... I feel horrible saying this cause they're my babies but i just can't stomach the fact that im not doing enough, especially with my older piggy starting to decline a little in health due to his age, i want them to have the best life they could get but i feel like it's not with me anymore and i feel horrible saying that, my mom and sister guilt me into keeping them and my dad just doesn't understand since i only recently just moved in with him.
I really don't want to have to rehome bug i feel like it might be the best option but i honestly don't know what to do, im hoping that i can get through this mental bump but its been happening for a while now and the thought of rehoming them has been on my mind for a while now, im not doing it because i can't take care of them, im doing it because i genuinely don't feel like im enough for them anymore, and the guilt is so bad i almost cry everytime i hold them, they are my absolute everything but i honestly don't know if i can't care for them much longer with my health, i used to have a lot more help with them when i was living with my mom, and ive lived completely on my own with them before just me and them plus my other critters, its not about realizing its to difficult it's just the guilt that's getting to me, i feel like im not good enough for them as a pet parent which makes me feel even more guilty about my other guys.... like why can i take care of everyone else but not them? ik their a lot of care i did my research before even considering getting them, rehoming them is making me consider a lot of things including my other guys... im perfectly fine taking care of the rest of the critters but i feel like its not enough for my 2 piggies and im genuinely at a loss, any advice would be amazing, please nothing harsh im just not sure what to do

Hi everyone,

long time lurker and guinea pig lover but I don't think I've ever posted in this sub.

For context, our sweet boy Herbie (7M) got x-ray's done at the vet yesterday and they found a large bladder stone. The vet shared options around surgery, as well as "making him comfortable". She did not seem preferential to either option, but described the surgery as "routine". She also mentioned that fatalities often occur when rehabilitating from the surgery, and he is at risk due to his age.

The dehydration related to the stone was causing other issues (like dry and painful poops, and general discomfort for him). Fortunately, with some antibiotics, anti inflammatory, and encouraging water intake, his poops are almost back to normal! He seems happy enough, excited to eat, and is communicating with us. He is a bit more comfortable with us petting him (not sure if he knows we are here to help or if he feels too tired to stop us), but still has boundaries/limits with us.

His comfort is our #1 priority, AND we want to keep him around for as long as we can (within reason). He is our pride and joy and has been a part of so many pivotal moments in our lives. The surgery is reasonably priced and at least one of us will be home at all times to keep an eye on him in recovery. If we do decide on surgery, we want to get him in as soon as next week to minimize chances of blockage (even though the stone might be too big to get in there at all lol)

For folks who have been in a similar situation with a senior pig, what choice did you end up making? In hindsight, do you feel like it was the right choice for your pig?

Hello everyone

Remember these girls from my introduction post?

Please just watch you'll crack up hahaha.

Toffee is such an asshole sometimes, Sesame immediately looked at her mother to complain about her sister.

i’m sorry to tell everyone that gus has been put down, he had blood in his stools and was not getting much better at all. we rushed to the vets who told us due to improper breeding and his upbringing he most likely had internal problems and he was not going to get better and it was more humane to let him go and not continue his pain. i’m so heartbroken, frustrated and angry.

we got him from a breeder, i know that’s a mistake and i’m sorry, and we thought it was okay as she seemed knowledgeable and had many guinea pigs to grow up healthy. wrong. she fed him on goat feed, stacked in hutches and it was clear she didn’t do any genetic testing. i had a friend who asked where i got him from, i said her name “chrissy’s cavies” from cornwall. she lives near me and said she had the same breeder and her guinea pigs died early too, some of hers even foamed at the mouth and died suddenly and awfully. it’s clear that this breeder is awful, doesn’t care about the wellbeing and sells ill guinea pigs. it may be wrong of me to say her name, but people who may live near me need to be aware of this awful person. i don’t want anyone to ever go through that heartbreak like me and my friend has.

gus gus was the most friendliest, cutest, beautiful cuddly baby ever. we may have only had two weeks together, and i spent the last week with him fighting tooth and nail making myself insanely ill for this baby. but i loved him more than anything, i imagined a life with him and a life with him and patch together. he had the best smile, the cutest face and crown. and the most amazing guinea pig, didn’t deserve his awful start but I hope I gave him an amazing ending even though it was painful. he tried pellets, timothy hay. a lovely bed, critical care which he loved and lots of cuddles and yaps about the world.

that’s two boys in three weeks i’ve lost, i’m lost and heartbroken. i’m not one for confrontation ever but I have sent a huge message to the breeder and gave a one star rating. i feel so sick, my fibromyalgia is flaring up and my hs. i’m at the point where i’m mentally exhausted, now i need to take care of my guinea pig who has lost two of his brothers. he’s scared and alone, now im missing my sisters graduation tomorrow and doing 24/7 care until he gets a friend. not sure if i should do quarantine when i get a new baby, as im worried about patch with all this stress and loss.

and finally im sorry to you guys, i know lots of people liked seeing his posts and food ratings and im so sorry he didn’t make it. i tried everything, im sorry.

i love u gus gus, time to meet peanut and pumpkin. you’ll have to let them know you knew patch, as you’ve never met them before haha.

love , kisses and cuddles

- mummy lily

I’ve only had these two sisters 6 days and they’re bonding with me so well! And nobody fret, more hides were added later because they were being washed and some just haven’t shown up in the mail yet. I also was able to hold Moose (dark piggy) for a good while while sitting, which was very unexpected but she didn’t squirm at all! I’m so proud of my new babies!

This little freak (Freya) keeps eating the towel I have her on when she's on my bed. Concerning? Or is she just the destroyer of my towels now.

Second picture shows how she chooses the TOWEL over the bamboo

Tried somewhere new that was cheaper, it just seems so brown to other hays ive gotten in the past.

Second photo is the hay they had before ( before it ran out and i bought this one)

Hey everyone, my wife and I have owned guinea pigs for about 5 years and have been fortunate enough to have never had one be seriously ill until now. Our youngest has sounded congested and been lethargic since yesterday. We took her to the vet yesterday afternoon and they gave us an antibiotic and a medicine for motility to give her. We have also been trying to feed her critical care.

Right now we are both very worried about her. Today we have been able to give her the medicine and gotten her to eat some critical care as well. Tonight after we fed her she has started sneezing somewhat periodically and I dont know if this is something i should be very alarmed about or if its something I should expect as part of the recovery process.

Any general tips on taking care of a sick guinea pig would be greatly appreciated.

Hi all!

Hope everyone’s adorable piggies are doing well!!

I’m quite stumped by my newish guinea pig’s behaviour and was hoping you all might have some suggestions!

My elderly pig had to be put to sleep a few months ago, leaving Wilbur (1) alone- Wilbur is quite an aggressive pig and constantly reminds everyone that he is in charge. He struggled with being alone so we got him a little baby friend- Smidge. They get along really, really well- no arguments, although a fair amount of chasing from Wilbur (Smidge is very submissive but is able to hold his own in regards to food, water, etc- the behaviour is not severe enough to be bullying. More playing)

The issue I’m having is Smidge’s sleeping habits. We’ve recently brought them into our conservatory which is the only room that can be in in the house. We have a main hutch with a massive run attached that they have constant access to.

Every year, I spend ages making it as toasty and warm as possible for them with blankets, hay piles, hides, enough heat pads to fill a spa, etc. Over the years, all of my pigs have either gone to bed in the hutch sleeping area or been total blanket and hide monsters.

Smidge however rejects all of this.

He is incredibly stubborn and likes to sleep/hide under the hutch. This is usually fine but with the cold creeping in, I’m getting worried that he’ll be too cold under there. Wilbur likes to sleep next to him so they curl up together but the hutch isn’t raised enough for me to comfortably put a full heat pad under there- I’m worried they’ll get their heads stuck or something! Also, pushing hay under there is also a worry due to hay poke, especially when Wilbur decides to chase Smidge as Smidge often throws himself everywhere, eyes open, head first.

Should I start locking them in the main hutch at night so he’ll sleep somewhere warm? That just feels slightly cruel, as they love being able to run around constantly at night.

Will he seek out a warm place if he gets cold? Or are guinea pigs too stubborn? I did consider getting a thermal cover for the hutch but that won’t solve the issue of him being underneath. Am I just overreacting? After the death of my elderly pig, I have become a little obsessive with their health so unsure if my worry is just due to that!

If anyone has any suggestions or advice, please please throw it my way! The situation with the room that they are in unfortunately cannot be changed (though I really wish it could!!) so please be as understanding about that as you can.

Thanks so much!

at least they’re sharing i suppose

2 days ago I noticed some scabbing in my guinea pigs ear and a small scab under her nose area. Took her to the vet today and he completely ignored her nose and said she probably just had an ear infection. I brought up ringworm and was shot down and basically treated like I was dumb. As soon as I got home I was suspicious so I did another check on her body. I found a small spot on her back where there is clearly ringworm (no hair, red, kind of crusty). Today is Friday so chances are the earliest she’ll be seen is Monday/Tuesday.

There are no other exotic vets near me that can see her this weekend.

For the time being, what do I do? I am so desperate to help her and I’m so sad that she was failed by the vet. They didn’t even examine her body at all. The car ride was so stressful for her and they didn’t take her seriously at all.

For the time being I want to do whatever I can to help tackle this before we can see the vet again.

Any recommendations from experience or vet knowledge?

Thank you

So my pig Pebbles (3 years old) has been having issues with her left eye for a few months. None of us know what happened but it just started looking strange and I took her in. She’s currently on Ketorolac and Meloxicam for suspected cataract leaking causing uveitis and her pain. She still gets tenderness when I touch her head but doesn’t squint any other times. I’m concerned the eye is just more trouble than it’s worth. They’re not 100% sure what’s wrong with her but her behavior otherwise is great. They measured for pressure and it was low. The vet said they couldn’t see the back of the eye and they also did a stain test which looked okay. I’m just wondering what to do since the vet isn’t sure either. Not looking for medical advice, just owner’s opinions as I’ve never had a pig with eye issues before. Would you keep trying medications or investigate removal? I just want her to be comfortable!

Not very sweet, but it's approaching frost tonight so I had to pick. My girls love their rind treat!

My two new babies after losing my soul pig
They seem to have settled in well!