Hey so I've just recently got myself. Two guinea pigs one is perfectly fine but the other seems to have a big problem with not cleaning its self has started coughing and constantly going to the toilet. He won't let me pick him up to groom, clean and clip his nails he will bite and kick off so. I'm unsure on what to do
Hi and welcome
Please have your guinea pig vet checked. Any health problems within 2-3 weeks (UK)/1 month (US) after purchase should be reimbursed by the pet shop. We always recommend to have your piggies registered with a vet right from the start.
What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)
Are your piggies indoors or outdoors? Does the coughing happen during or after eating, or at all times? Do you mean that he is constantly peeing (in which case he could have an urinary tract infection).
Please make sure that they are warm and in stable temperatures at all times and switch from weighing once weekly as part of their life long health monitoring to weighing once daily at the same time with any guinea pig you have concerns about. Since over 80% of the daily food intake should be hay and not veg or pellets, you cannot control whether your piggies are eating enough just by eye and a piggy can lose a lot of weight quickly without you noticing.
Some boars are noticeably messier than others but all guinea pigs are pooping machines.
Please take the time to read these guides here. Keep in mind that guinea pigs are prey animals and not natural born animated cuddly toys. When they are sold as pets, they have virtually not had anything in the way of gentle human interaction. Please use the tips in the links below to work around their prey animal instincts and to communicate in ways with them that they will instinctively understand and lift you out of the 'predator' category in which you currently are ('piggy whispering').
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
All these guides are part of our New Owners useful guide collection, to help you learn what is normal and what not and how to make friends with your piggies and understand their behaviour and species needs:
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides
PS: Since we have members and enquiries from all over the world, you can help us a lot by please adding your country, state/province or UK county to location in your account details (via clicking on your username on the top bar). this makes it appear with every post you make and allows us to tailor any recommendations to what is available and relevant where you are. As you can imagine, climate, background, vet and rescue access, medical and supply brand names etc. can vary enormously from country to country. This saves you and us a lot of time. Without knowing, we have to keep any advice as general possible. Thank you!
