Guinea Pig FAQs
BASIC CARE
Before you start reading this, you should note that I've
covered off nearly every eventuality concerning pig healthcare
and welfare. It is not meant to scare you - piggies are hardy
little creatures who rarely get ill - but this is a guide
so you have a good idea of what to do and what to look out
for.
Most importantly, piggies need lots of cuddles, fresh air
and love!
DIET
We feed dried food in the morning, sometimes with readigrass
(a dried grass product that you can buy in bulk from equestrian
centres) or good quality hay.
In the evenings, they have fresh food - their bodies absorb
the vitamins better at this time of day.
A diet consisting purely of dried food is not healthy. As
these dried foods are full of protein, excessive feeding can
cause kidney stones, leading to kidney failure.
FOODS TO FEED PLENTIFULLY
Cucumber
Melon
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery - this is good for their kidneys
Broccoli - full of protein
GO EASY ON
Apples (can cause mouth ulcers)
AVOID
Potatoes (poisonous)
Lettuce (can cause diarrhoea which can lead to death)
If you feed them cut grass or dandelions, make sure the
grass has not been treated and that the dandelions are not
near the road otherwise they can be poisoned by exhaust toxins.
HAY
We only use good quality, dust free hay normally a bale
costs about £6. We also use readigrass (or similar)
which is a dried grass product that the piggies love. This
is available from Pets At Home (£2-£3 a small
bag) or a bale is around £7 from an equestrian centre.
We favour the equestrian version as it is cheap and designed
for horses who are very susceptible to respiratory disease.
Hay can sometimes carry mites, but these are not visible
to the human eye. Never use straw, the ends are sharp and
can damage the piggies' eyes.
SCURVY AND ALKALINE BALANCE IN KIDNEYS
Piggies cannot make their own vitamin C and can have problems
if they don't get enough. Fresh foods provide it but once
a week we put a quarter of a soluble vitamin C 1000mg tablet
- the ones you buy for humans - into their drinking water
to keep them healthy. They love the taste too!
CLAWS
Check the piggies claws regularly - they need trimming normally
once a month in the Summer, less in the Winter. Your vet can
do this.
WEIGHT
Using kitchen scales, weigh your piggies once a month and
keep a note of their weight. Seeing them every day, you will
not notice any weight loss, which can be the first sign of
illness.
SKIN/FUR CONDITIONS
Mites is a horrible affliction that, left untreated in piggies,
can have devastating effects and can lead to death. If the
piggie starts to lose its fur, scratches a lot, or their skin
looks red or "pin-pricked", get them to the vet
asap. It may be mites or it may be a fungal infection, but
whatever it could be, the earlier you see your vet, the better.
BEDDING
Any piggies adopted from CavyRescue are adopted on the terms
that they are not put on sawdust or wood shavings. Dusty products
can cause respiratory problems and - before we got into rescuing
and were simply pet owners - one of piggies died as a result
of being on dusty shavings.
We recommend you use EcoPetBed (which you can buy online
from www.earthlyenterprises.co.uk at around £17 a bale
) or Carefresh Pet Bedding, from Supreme and available in
most pet shops.
Newspaper, changed daily to stop the ammonia causing breathing
problems, is an OK stop gap and, despite what people say,
we've never heard of a piggie dying from being on newspaper.
HEATSTROKE/THE COLD
Piggies can die of heatstroke. In very hot weather, bring
them indoors and put them in a cool room with a fan on. Place
a bowl of water near the fan to help humidity. If the air
is too dry, over a period of time, lung damage and respiratory
problems can occur.
SUMMER
Hutches should always be in a shaded in the Summer and can
be kept cool by:
Make sure they have plenty of bedding to keep them warm and
check that the water bottle hasn't frozen. An old sock with
the end cut off slipped over the bottle will help stop it
freezing.
SHOCK
Piggies are timid and can die of shock. Never startle them;
NEVER put them with rabbits - we have seen so many fatal injuries
where rabbits and piggies have been kept together - for example,
where a rabbit gets scared and kicks out and the guinea takes
the brunt of the powerful kick; and keep them away from where
foxes can get to them.
FLYSTRIKE
Flystrike is a horrible illness that can cause terrible pain
and distress to an animal and can even lead to death. However,
there are simple, easy steps you can take to help prevent
it.
What is it?
Flystrike happens when adult flies lay their eggs in faeces-soiled
fur around a rabbit's or guinea pigs bottom. Within as little
as 8-10 hours the eggs hatch into rapidly-multiplying maggots
which feed on the animal by burrowing into its flesh.
This causes extreme pain and distress for the animal and
eventually, they will go into shock and die. While flystrike
most commonly occurs in rabbits and guinea pigs, debilitated
cats and dogs who are unable to groom themselves properly,
can be affected too.
Pet hygiene and prevention
It is imperative that you give any pet a daily hygiene check
twice daily during hot and humid weather, when flies are particularly
active.
Examine your pet every morning and evening and check that
their fur is clean, dry and not matted. If their bottom is
not clean, use cotton wool and warm water or fragrance free
baby wipes to clean it for them.
In the case of rabbits and guinea pigs, change their bedding
daily and ensure the rest of their home is clean and dry.
Be particularly vigilant if the pet has loose droppings, as
they will be more at risk.
To keep the flies away, use a suitable pet-friendly fly repellent
available from your vet or pet store, and hang a fly strip
close to the hutch. (The safest fly strips to buy are available
from equestrian centres some traditional fly strips or fly
killers may be suitable for household use, but can be lethal
in close proximity to small pets).
There is also a product called Rearguard that is suitable
for rabbits and promises to keep them free from maggot infestation
for up to 10 weeks.
Speak to your vet for further help and
information on preventative measures.
Finally, if you think your pet may be suffering from flystrike
or you can see maggots, treat it as an emergency and get your
pet to a vet immediately. Prompt treatment can save your pet
from unnecessary suffering and even death.
