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Help! My piggie was attacked! :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gitte Bri
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Gitte Bri

Hello all... I am new to this forum, and to guinea pig ownership. We rescued our little man about 3 months ago, when he was found walking alone down a city street, and bleeding. We posted signs and ads for anyone who might have lost him, but he was not claimed. We made him a happy, comfortable home here with our six rats and fish!

However, the other night one of our rats escaped from his cage, ran across the room, and jumped into the cage of our guinea pig (his name is John Goodman.) The rat bit John Goodman a few times on his back, and then pushed him out of the cage, and they both fell on the floor. We woke up to this in the middle of the night, contained the rat and locked his cage, and stayed up with John Goodman for the rest of the night. His wounds are not bad, nor are they infected. We've been keeping a very close eye on him. He doesn't seem to be physically hurt in any major way, however he is definitely mentally stressed. He hasn't moved from the corner of his cage for almost 48 hours now. He canmove, but he just isn't. He finally stopped crying... but we don't know what to do for him!

We have picked him up to cuddle him for some time, but it is distressing him too much to be picked up. Does anyone have any suggestions? We love our guinea pig, and we want him to be happy and comfortable again!

Thanks!
 
well i think you should have taken him to a vet when it first happened,i would get him to one now,also if he is in fear minmise his stress by keeping the room dark and quiet i would also move him well away from the rats x
 
Yep I would take him to a vet, he may be in deep shock. I hope he will be ok.
 
Guinea pigs are prey animals, well down the food chain. So they react as prey will. Also they are vary sociable, living in little groups. Once John Goodman starts to respond to you again is it possible to get him a companion?

He sounds as though he's had a rotten start in life, well done to you for rescuing him, so extra patience will be needed to comfort and settle him. Just a little scaredy pig, all shocked into near immobility now, frightened of the world...poor John Goodman.
 
Just to add, frightened piggies like to hide, so when you pick him up use a towel or something similar to allow him to hide his head while you cuddle him. Talk to him in a soothing voice, allow him to hear your breathing and heart beat, and listen carefullly for any response. It may simply be slightly heavier breathing because he likes the cuddles at first - there may not be any sound.

Placing him in the open is making him more scared....do you have a home he goes into that you can lift out and stroke him in? Your communication with him will be important to him, he needs to make social connections. And don't be surprised if he nips at you - it is often another form of communication.

Having said all of that, I too think a trip to the vet is in order, but please put a towel or something in the carrier so that he can hide away completely.

Hope you don't mind all my suggestions, I'm just going by my own experience.

Sarah x
 
You should take him to a vet as the wounds can get infected from a rat bite.

When he's recovered, the best thing you could do for him is get him a companion. If you don't want to get him neutered, that rules out a female friend, but a young male would make him a great little companion. They do best with a frined of their own kind, so don't consider a rabbit.

Obviously secure housing would make him feel safe too. And if the top of his cage is open to the light, a towel placed over the just the roof would provide a little shelter for him.

Charlotte x
 
Is it possible that when he fell to the floor, he hurt himself and you are unaware of this? Hiding away for this amount of time may indicate that he is in pain...they hide pain very well as, has been said, they are prey animals.
A vets trip is in order I feel :)
 
I would agree with the others, a vet visit for him to make sure. also maybe a towl over half the cage just so its dark so he feels a little safer maybe. and he really really needs a little friend. Piggys like to be with other piggys so much and need to be i think.
Also welcome to the forum you will find great people on here with great advise.
Hope he settles for you and recovers :)
 
OMG what a shock for you all 8...
I'd pop him off to the vets pronto.......you never know what other injuries he may have, they hide their illnesses so well :{
Welcome to the forum from us in OZ (aka Australia) i'm sorry it's on such a sad note......i do hope John Goodman bounces back and you can then post some lovely pigtures of him xoxoxoxoxoxo
Let us know what the vets said, they'll give him a thorough look over and might prescribe some antibiotics for his wounds if they think necessary.
Good luck John Goodman xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
 
Thank you for all of the advice! John Goodman seems to be getting back to his old spirits, slowly but surely. He is moving around his cage now and getting back to his normal curiosities. We have, however, contacted some people who are adopting guinea pigs out, and are in the process of adopting him a pal!

We are still keeping a very close eye out on him, though. Is there anyone in this forum who lives in Massachusetts? If so, could you possibly recommend a good vet for piggies? The only vet that we know of and have been to in our area is an idiot, and he is very impersonal and ignorant to small animals (although his office says that he treats small and exotic animals.) If anyone can suggest a vet, that would be wonderful!

Thanks again for the advice!

(I'll be posting pictures of John Goodman once I can figure out how to do so on this forum! haha)
 
Welcome to the forum :)

Ah, you try to do a nice thing for a piggie in need, and look what happens...

As the other posters have mentioned, even though he maybe is just a bit shaken up, it's best to get him checked by a guinea savvy vet to make sure all is well. Also, definately keep the rats in a separate and well secured area.

It may be worth (if you don't already have stuff) finding him things to put in his cage to hide in like a cardboard tube or bendy log houses like this which will provide a hidey hole retreat when the world gets a bit too much for him and also he will love to run through it!

Pepesleepy2.jpg


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It's also great that you are looking to find a friend as this is one of the best things you can do for him (it's also worth the vet just checking that he is indeed a he!) as they are highly sociable creatures, and like us need the company of their own kind. www.cavyspirit.com is a pro-rescue US website and they may be able to help you locate a good local rescue to you. They also have a massively informative website with loads of quality info. Hopefully between our forum and Cavy Spirit you will be able to find what you need :)
 
Hey, I think you should've taken him to the vet but all you can do now is be with him... and if you can keep the room dark and quiet ... they like that, and maybe get him a friend guinnea pig and carry him slowly around the house. let him hear you breath so he knows that you will be there for him
 
and also next time don't have them get into a fight.... lol

:laluot_32:
 
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