Hello! I've recently purchased a 3-4 week old male guinea pig as a companion for my slightly older male. Since I've gothen him, I've noticed that he sometimes makes clacking noises at me when I take him out of his cage I've heard crackling noises being associated with URI, but he doesn't have any other symptoms (i.e., sneezing, anorexia, runny eyes, lethargy, etc.) and the noise really seems to be directed at me, as I've never heard him make it while he's in his cage. Still makes me pretty nervous though
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It may be an early symptom but I’m not sure, I’d be tempted with a visit to the vet though, tagging @Wiebke and @furryfriends (TEAS) for more advice. Paws crossed your littlun is ok x
Wise move, best get checked out
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Reenie
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Is it a clacking or a crackling noise? If it's a clacking, he is probably not happy being picked up and he is chattering his teeth at you. If it's crackling in his breathing - that's one for the vet.
He moves his mouth a lot when he makes the noise so I think it's chattering, but I'm still gonna take him to the vet to get him check out, as he's new. Just wanted to see how urgent the situation seemed though
He moves his mouth a lot when he makes the noise so I think it's chattering, but I'm still gonna take him to the vet to get him check out, as he's new. Just wanted to see how urgent the situation seemed though
As he is not showing any other symptoms, you can have him checked during regular hours. I would recommend to not wait too long as you can reclaim any necessary vet treatment from a pet shop if you have your piggy seen within the first 2 weeks, as exposure and infection must have happened at the shop.
Is your piggy a single? In this case, please consider getting him a companion once he has checked out healthy. He will be a lot happier and will come round a lot more quickly as he is currently feeling very lost. Guinea pigs are group animals and not wired to live on their own.
Please double check the gender of any piggies before you introduce and follow our tips.
Companionship
New Owners' Problem Solver And Information Collection
(includes tips on settling in, handling, making friends, understanding behaviour and doing intros as well as care tips and learning what is normal and not etc.)
I plan in getting him seen on Monday, if the office is open (we're in the middle of a big snow storm.) And he has a cage mate but they haven't been introduced yet because I wanted to quarantine him for a week or two before putting him in the main cage. Their cages are somewhat shouldered though, so they can see and talk to each other without touching each other
Got him checked out by the vet today and she said nothing seems to be wrong with his lungsWise move, best get checked out
Though he does have mild pink eye (presumably from the store he came from) and I got an antibiotic ointment for it