Guinea Pig Frantic When In Cage, Does Not Want To Re-enter

[Mister Digital]

Hello,

Hope someone can help. We have a pig that is about 1.5 years old. She just got over a respiratory infection, and in the process, the vet had to try 3 different antibiotics. She is just finishing the last of a 30 day course of the 3rd round of (a different) antibiotic (given orally via syringe). She is, as most pigs are, nervous. Two days ago in the evening in my daughter's room, everything was quiet and she was just sitting in her cage peacefully. All of a sudden she got frantic and started running hysterically jumping up and hitting the top of the cage. She has NEVER done this before. Nothing in her cage changed and her cage had been cleaned this past Saturday. She had been acting rather friendly all that previous day, more so than normal. After the franticness faded, she did not want to go back into her cage. We cleaned the cage to see if that would help. After an hour she was fine and reentered her cage. She was fine all day today and then this evening went frantic again, hitting the top of the cage and walls. Again, in the 1.5 years we have had her she has never done anything like this, barely even popcorns anymore.

She is now out of her cage in her pen, and does not want to enter her cage again. Her physical health is fine, not excessively scratching, no hair loss. I don't see any bugs in her cage or hair. Has anyone ever seen this erratic behavior? Can the 3 different courses of antibiotics she has been on over the last 4 months be having some sort of effect on her brain? Seems almost like mental illness of some sort.

Any assistance anyone can provide is much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Julesie]

I honestly have no idea. I was going to suggest maybe it was her excitedly popcorning but as you then mentioned popcorning it seemed not to be that.

Could she maybe have mites that are making her insanely itchy? I had a guinea pig once that was hopping around like mad as he was itchy. Other than that I'm not sure what it could possibly be. Hopefully someone else can offer you better help.

But is she all by herself? Guinea pigs are supposed to be in 2 or more. It should help her with her nerves to have a friend too. None of my guinea pigs are nervous except my newest piggie (avatar) but even she's not too fearful. How long have you had her?

As this forum is mostly an English forum, not too many people are awake to answer at this time of day but I am sure some more knowledgeable members can give you help later when the UK users wake up.

 

[Mister Digital]

I honestly have no idea. I was going to suggest maybe it was her excitedly popcorning but as you then mentioned popcorning it seemed not to be that.

Could she maybe have mites that are making her insanely itchy? I had a guinea pig once that was hopping around like mad as he was itchy. Other than that I'm not sure what it could possibly be. Hopefully someone else can offer you better help.

But is she all by herself? Guinea pigs are supposed to be in 2 or more. It should help her with her nerves to have a friend too. None of my guinea pigs are nervous except my newest piggie (avatar) but even she's not too fearful. How long have you had her?

As this forum is mostly an English forum, not too many people are awake to answer at this time of day but I am sure some more knowledgeable members can give you help later when the UK users wake up.

Thank you so much for responding. She (Penny) does not seem to be scratching incessantly or anything. We do have 2 pigs, but they do not live together in the same cage. For the most part, they are kept apart, and more so lately because we did not want the other pig to catch the respiratory infection from Penny. We were able to put Penny in her cage this morning and she at least accepted it. But she then proceeded to move to the corner of her cage, and looked very apprehensive to move anywhere else in the cage. I am not sure what 'spooked' her the other day, but it still seems to be with her. I have nothing to base it off of, but I just wonder if all of the antibiotics have 'gone to her head'.

 

[helen105281]

This is a very strange one, like Julie I also wondered about popcorning at first. Am wondering though if Penny may have some pain or inflammation somewhere as my Phoebe used to literally leap about when she was in pain as if she was trying to run away from it. Do you know the names of the antibiotics? Please could you also confirm your location. I think the best thing to do though is speak to your vet and explain her behaviour and also ask about pain relief if the vet agrees it is pain related.

 

[sport_billy]

Have you altered any bedding? Or cleaned it with a new disinfectant?

 

[Mister Digital]

Hello,

Hope someone can help. We have a pig that is about 1.5 years old. She just got over a respiratory infection, and in the process, the vet had to try 3 different antibiotics. She is just finishing the last of a 30 day course of the 3rd round of (a different) antibiotic (given orally via syringe). She is, as most pigs are, nervous. Two days ago in the evening in my daughter's room, everything was quiet and she was just sitting in her cage peacefully. All of a sudden she got frantic and started running hysterically jumping up and hitting the top of the cage. She has NEVER done this before. Nothing in her cage changed and her cage had been cleaned this past Saturday. She had been acting rather friendly all that previous day, more so than normal. After the franticness faded, she did not want to go back into her cage. We cleaned the cage to see if that would help. After an hour she was fine and reentered her cage. She was fine all day today and then this evening went frantic again, hitting the top of the cage and walls. Again, in the 1.5 years we have had her she has never done anything like this, barely even popcorns anymore.

She is now out of her cage in her pen, and does not want to enter her cage again. Her physical health is fine, not excessively scratching, no hair loss. I don't see any bugs in her cage or hair. Has anyone ever seen this erratic behavior? Can the 3 different courses of antibiotics she has been on over the last 4 months be having some sort of effect on her brain? Seems almost like mental illness of some sort.

Any assistance anyone can provide is much appreciated.

Thank you.

helen105281 and JulieSie,

We spoke to the vet today here in Illinois. Penny has been on Bactrim for almost 30 days now. The vet said that in tests this drug had neurological side effects on humans, but not animals (at least that they know of). What we are trying, per the vet's suggestion, is to stop the Bactrim for at least a 48 hour time period to see if her behavior improves. I will keep you posted and thanks again for your replies.

MD (MisterDigital)

 

[helen105281]

Thanks for the update. For UK members, Bactrim is Septrin. I have not known any neurological side effects in my pig that had it. The vet may need to look at the previous antibiotics too if they were different ones?

I do have a pig with brain damage due to fungal issues but his behaviour is not like your pig (he is away with the fairies).

 

[Elwickcavies]

I've not heard of any side effects like this, with Septrin or anything else. It may be totally unrelated to the medication. Hope coming off the Bactrim does the trick. Poor Penny.