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First Guinea Pig/having Some Questions

Nbw_835

Nbw_835

Junior Guinea Pig
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I got a very young guinea pig yesterday and I dont know the gender so I have referred to her as a she. The person at the pet store said she was almost 4 months old. She cant seem to eat out of her bowl and when I got up this morning she was twitching around her tank. She has a bald spot above her left back hip and it looks sorta crusty or scaled over. She has been squeaking and scratching a lot. Is this something I should worry about? 1505573682910-570512933.webp
 
Nbw_835 said:
I got a very young guinea pig yesterday and I dont know the gender so I have referred to her as a she. The person at the pet store said she was almost 4 months old. She cant seem to eat out of her bowl and when I got up this morning she was twitching around her tank. She has a bald spot above her left back hip and it looks sorta crusty or scaled over. She has been squeaking and scratching a lot. Is this something I should worry about? View attachment 70934
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Hi!

Please have your guinea pig vet checked; only he can do a hands-on examination and make an informed diagnosis. Your girl has most likely ringworm, which is the most transmittable infection between all mammals (including humans). As the infection has been contracted and not been treated at the shop and as you have clearly been sold an ill guinea pig, you can claim back the vet cost from the shop by presenting the vet bill together with the sales receipt. This should not have happened! :(
Please do not treat on spec with cheap broad spectrum shop products, as they are useless and will only prolong the suffering and increase your expenses. If you come back if a ringworm infection diagnosis, please make sure that you follow our hygiene recommendations to prevent infecting yourself as well as transmitting it further on.
Alternatively, your vet may diagnose mange mties, which need different treatment with several rounds with a good quality ivermectin/selamectin product.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

Can you also please specify whether your girl was popcorning with joy or having a fit, which can happen with advanced skin infections or parasitic infestations.

Here is the best sexing guide. Please check the insides of the slit. With boars, it is going straight down while with sows there is a fleshy arrangement just below the surface. With boars you can also feel the penis shaft under the skin when you press very gently on the area above the button. Sows have nothing there. Sexing Guinea Pigs: How to Sex a Guinea Pig
Have you made sure that boars and sows have been properly separated at the shop? If not, there is a real chance that your piggy could be pregnant if it is a sow. Boars start making babies from 3-5 weeks and sows have their first season between 4-6 weeks; they basically start as soon as they are weaned.

Please also be aware that guinea pigs are social animals and should not be kept on their own.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice

Here is our new owners' information packet; you will find it very helpful. It includes the answers to the most often asked questions as well as some important information which helps you avoid problems in the longer term.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice
 
It is a locally owned family pet store and she was the only one they had. I don't know the difference between popcorning or a fit.
1505575164287669754467.webp

Popcorning is jumping around with joy. It really looks like popping popcorn and can sometimes be connected with running around madly.

Sadly your pictures are not clear enough. Please be also aware that nobody can reliably diagnose just from an online picture. Forums and online groups are not a cheap vet replacement; not if you are responsible owner and take your care seriously.
All we can do is tell you when you need to see a vet and what questions/avenues you need to pursue with him.
 
Welcome to the forum :)

When you say tank, do you mean a glass tank? Looks a bit like it from your first pic?

Wiekbe has given some great advice, definitely go to the vet. I always take my new pigs to the vet for a check over even if there's no signs, just in case!

What size enclosure do you have? Depending on the gender of your pig (find a cavy savvy vet to help?) you might need a bit bigger for boys than girls as piggies should always be in pairs or more :)

Some pics always help! :D
 
Its a 55 gallon tank. It is very large hight wise and today we are going to get materials to build a level on one side.
 
Nbw_835 said:
Its a 55 gallon tank. It is very large hight wise and today we are going to get materials to build a level on one side.
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I'm sorry to say that you'll need to get another enclosure :(

Did the pet shop sell you the tank for the piggy? They should be in cage type enclosures as they suffer from respiratory problems quite readily so they need the air flow. If the pet shop sold it to you for the piggy then you should be able to return it and swap it for a cage as it was their mistake. Glass tanks are more for gerbils and sometimes hamsters :)

Depending on the gender of your baby the minimum cage size is 2 foot by 4 foot for two girls and 2 foot by 5 foot for two boys.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
 
Its okay. It was the tank for my hamster and we might just build a larger cage. But right now its a very small guinea pig and shes out a lot. I think it should work for a little while. I called the pet store and the guy who sold it to me told me that he was the breeder and the mother get patches like that and his vet said it was dry skin. He suggested that I put some vitamin e oil on it and see what happens to her.
 
Nbw_835 said:
Its okay. It was the tank for my hamster and we might just build a larger cage. But right now its a very small guinea pig and shes out a lot. I think it should work for a little while. I called the pet store and the guy who sold it to me told me that he was the breeder and the mother get patches like that and his vet said it was dry skin. He suggested that I put some vitamin e oil on it and see what happens to her.
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Ah okay, yes C&C cages are fab and easy to build (even I could make one aha) :)

Unfortunately pet shops and breeders aren't always terribly experienced with illness and treatments. If it's something that reoccurs and creates a bald patch it's very unlikely to be dry skin.

Are you able to post a picture of it?

Where abouts are you from? If you put your location on your profile it will be easier for us to help :) I'm in the UK so I'm never sure about situations in the US and such :))
 
I live in the southern part of east coast usa.
 
Nbw_835 said:
I live in the southern part of east coast usa.
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Ah okay so slightly different to UK procedures, not sure about vet fees out there but shouldn't be too much for a a check up and some medication. I've found that meds are quite cheap for the pigs so far!
 
Vets around here are very very expensive.
 
If you don't mind me asking you had said that c&c cages are great. What is a c&c cage. I probably sound stupid.
 
Oh dear, vets fees are never much fun. Can you post a pic of her bald patch? We'll try to help where we can :)

Not stupid at all! I had no idea what they were before. Basically C&C cages are made with wire grids (typically used to make storage units or shoe racks) and they come with connectors to make the cage part. For the base you use correx which you can buy online cheaply (4mm stuff is best) and you cut it and shape it to make the base and it slots into the cage.

It sounds complicated but if I can do it, anyone can! I'm a bit of a din when it comes to stuff like this so it must be easy if I can do it :))
 
There is a picture on up in the chat. I cant get another one because I'm not home.
 
If your guinea pig has ringworm or mites, which she honestly probably does, it will only get worse until she sees a vet and starts treatment. Not to mention that ringworm would be shedding thousands of fungal spores in your house to infect you and any other humans or animals who live there, and contaminating your furniture, clothing etc. I would call the pet store first and ask their policy, as I know most in the US will pay for vet treatment needed within 2 weeks of purchase. Ringworm treatment is a lengthy and expensive process that I'm going through with my own pigs currently. Also, in addition to the other respiratory hazards, glass tanks present a problem with ammonia from pee becoming quickly toxic. If the store won't cover the vet bill, you still have to find a way to swing it. I live in the US as well, and my base fee for the vet was $68, and the ringworm medication itraconozale was $135, plus I have to return 2 times for follow-up and am expecting similar bills. I have 2 boys so each appointment is just over $500! If you can't or aren't willing to take the piggie to the vet, you might consider surrendering her to a quality rescue, as guinea pigs are expensive pets who need regular care and are prone to all sorts of medical issues. I honestly had no idea how much money I would spend on care for two healthy, young guinea pigs but they cost more than my dog, cats, and multiple aquariums combined.. totally worth it though! They're such lovely animals.. good luck to you! I hope the pet shop is willing to help you out since they sold you a sick piggy!
 
Nbw_835 said:
Theres the spot.
View attachment 70961
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Ouch yes that will definitely need treatment. As mentioned the pet shop should be paying for any treatment. That's definitely not just try skin and will need veterinary diagnosis and treatment.

It's unfair that the breeder and shop are selling infected animals and they don't even know :(
 
If money is an issue,and it looks like you might have some vet bills to contend with, you can get a cheap run, plastic table cloth and some fleece for a cage. If you decide to trade up to a c&c later the run can fold away. Here's what I mean. DSC_0087.webp
 
Reenie said:
If money is an issue,and it looks like you might have some vet bills to contend with, you can get a cheap run, plastic table cloth and some fleece for a cage. If you decide to trade up to a c&c later the run can fold away. Here's what I mean. View attachment 71007
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Is that a litter box in the back corner?
 
Okay. I thought it was. I had my hamster litter box trained.
 
Litter training is more a case of making sure you have the trays in the place they choose to go, rather than them actually learning to use them. Some people get lucky though.
Just realised there's not a pic of a C&C cage. Try having a look at this thread. If you start from the last post, as a lot of the earlier ones, the pictures don't come up. It will give you an idea of what you can do with C&C and there are some other great ideas too.
Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages
 
I'm sorry but you MUST get your piggy to the vet, ASAP. Please don't listen to the breeder, take him/she to the vet. She will also be able to sex your piggie for you. To be a piggie slave you give it regular care & vet visits. If this is your first piggy, you should have researched first Hun. Good luck at the vets.
 
The vet appointment is really late tomorrow after they close because the vet is a family friend and I had to beg for him to see her. It is looking better today.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
I'm sorry but you MUST get your piggy to the vet, ASAP. Please don't listen to the breeder, take him/she to the vet. She will also be able to sex your piggie for you. To be a piggie slave you give it regular care & vet visits. If this is your first piggy, you should have researched first Hun. Good luck at the vets.
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I did research. I spent all my spare time for about three days. I always research before getting a animal.
 
Nbw_835 said:
The vet appointment is really late tomorrow after they close because the vet is a family friend and I had to beg for him to see her. It is looking better today.
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Hope it goes well! Hope the treatment works well too, maybe you'll get mates rates? ;)

You'll likely have to treat the cage with a good pet safe disinfectant too and maintain impeccable hygiene to stop the spread :)
 
I have been keeping vitamin e oil on the patch and it looks quite a lot better. Although her fur is so oily. Will I have to wash ger fur? Also her claws are getting kinda long and sharp. They are about 1cm long.
 
Nbw_835 said:
I have been keeping vitamin e oil on the patch and it looks quite a lot better. Although her fur is so oily. Will I have to wash ger fur? Also her claws are getting kinda long and sharp. They are about 1cm long.
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It depends on what your cavy savvy vet says, I wouldn't touch it for now as it could irritate her skin. You have to be careful what you wash piggies with anyway, Gorgeous Guineas is the best site for general piggy shampoo :) I don't tend to wash my pigs if I can help it, only 3 of my 5 have ever had a bath and only once each!

As she's young she'll have sharp nails anyway, generally they don't need clipping til about 6 months but it depends on the pig. Can you see the quick?
 
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