Anyone with a blind piggie?

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JellyBelly

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Does anyone have any experience with a blind guinea pig?

Any issues with them? Can they go into a group?
 
I haven't had no experience with a blind piggie before but i'm sure they would be ok in a group. The blind piggie would be able to follow the other piggies. But i'm sure you have to be careful in case the other piggie's bully the blind one because it's got something wrong with it.
 
I have a partially blind lone boar, so i cannot help you with the group question. I find he has a great quality of life, but you have to make sure you dont move his house around too much as he gets used to where everything is, also, talk to them before you pick them up. Apart from that they can live like all other piggies.

Sorry I'm not much help.
 
I'm the same as Bubblesqueak, Lennie is partially blind but on his own as he fights with other boars. I dont see why a group would be a problem, just watch carefully for bullying and keep everything (toys, hay area, food bowls etc ) in the same place so they can be found and not bumped into. I know some animals pick on the weak in the group, but I dont think guineas are like this.
 
I am possibly rehoming a blind/partially sighted mini pig from Pets at Home and am considering the possibility of introducing her to my group.

I think that as they are so much older/bigger it will scare the life out of her...

Watch this space, they are calling me Monday.
 
hi i have had a blind pig and she was fine in a group.in fact she was looked after by them and they made sure she had food by binging treats to her.she did not run away from anything and stood still if left untill some pig came to get her but she lived a happy life and died of old age
 
Aww how sweet. I am hoping that if the little blind one doesnt settle well in my group then i will bond her with my new baby. That was part of the reason i bought the new one, because they seemed like a pair in the shop.
 
I have a blind sow called Princess. She is absolutely fine and finds her way around the hutch and run really well.

I got her at 7 weeks old because the breeder was giving her away and then 7 weeks later she presented me with a litter of 2 babies! :{ One was doa and the other I have kept here with me and he is called Junior. He has big bright dark eyes and can see, which was a relief.

Anyway, you do have to treat a blind piggie slightly differently.
1. Never leave the hutch door open while feeding as they wander around and can fall out.
2. Always speak to him or her before touching or picking them up.
3. Always give them their own portion of veg, fruit etc. as sometimes it is a case of they have something lovely to eat and then out of the blue it has gone, because their companion has taken it. That is very confusing for them as they just don't know where it has gone!
4. Bond them with a companion and group and try to keep it that way.

Apart from those 4 things that spring to my mind immediately, I think that is it really.

Princess is a delight. I love having her and caring for her as I often think what would have happened had I not had her. Apparently, the breeder would have had her sleep if she was a boar.

All the best with your new little one. Is the blind piggie in the rescue section of P&H?

PS. Princess loves having a bath as she has no fear of the water, she just gets a warm nice feeling I guess. There are some photos and a thread on her under the rescue section not long back.
 
Thanks Goldie i have isnce found your post on Princess.

She was in the group of 'normal' piggies for sale until i pointed out that she was having obvious difficulties finding her way around.

The manager wouldnt let me take her as she needed to see a vet. Which is great but i could have just walked up and said 'i want that one' and they would have sold her to me.

Anyway i am expecting a call tomorrow, and depending on the outcome i may be adopting her opposed to buying her...
 
I hope all goes well Jellybelly because as you say if you had not pointed it out, then they would probably not have even realised she was blind or partially sighted.

Yes, say that under the circumstances and bearing in mind the possible cost of vet visits, you wish to adopt her from them.

Keep us posted as to how things go.
 
I rang them an hour ago and spoke to the manager again.
She said that the piggie has been to the vet and she is infact totally blind. She also has no bottom teeth. I asked where the piggie was now and she said that one of the staff is going to keep her because of the level of care she needs. I said i was disapointed but happy that atleast she is going to a good home.
The manager then said that the lady who is taking her on has her own rescue, i didnt think to ask the details.

Had i not rung them she probably wouldnt have bothered to call me and i am dubious over whether the guinea pig has actually gone to a member of staffs rescue or if they just had her PTS.

I guess i will never know :0
 
Sorry Jellybelly to hear this as I know you were willing to look after and care for the little one.

Nope, I guess you will never know what happened to her but can only hope that she did go to a loving rescue home. You would think really that these large pet stores would actually check the health of the animals that they take in and then sell to the general public.

If someone didn't have knowledge of guinea pigs, then perhaps they would not have even realised that something was wrong with her.

Well done you though.
 
What on EARTH was a blind pig with missing front teeth doing in a pet shop. Just how stupid are these people? As far as I know, most Pets At Home stores get their pigs from big 'suppliers' and not local breeders anymore ....aren't they checked when they leave those places either?
 
I have just sent a massive email to Pets at Home voicing my disgust over the situation. The guinea pig was obvioulsy a 'lethal piggie', she had all the symptoms.

I hope she really is in a loving home.
 
JellyBelly said:
The guinea pig was obvioulsy a 'lethal piggie', she had all the symptoms.
Click to expand...

Was it white?
You said it was with a group of 'normal piggies' - were some of those Roans or Dalmations? If they were, it is even more ridiculous that the place they came from hadn't noticed a problem.
 
Yep she was completely white with tiny dark eyes.

I didnt notice the others i was just so concerned for her.

I feel awful i deeply regret not buying her straight away without bringing it to there attention that she was blind. 8...
 
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