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Help needed please

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Ange

Hi everyone. I'm new here and I need some advice about my piggies.

I have two long haired guinea pigs, Leela and Amy, who are about 7 months old. They are my first guinea pigs so when they needed their nails trimming I took them to the vet. While we were there the vet found they had mites. She gave them the drop on the back of their necks, advised me to buy some drops from the pet shop and repeat the treatment in a couple of weeks time.

I left them alone for a couple of days to settle down after the trauma of being moved. When I got Amy out she was very restless, didn't want to be groomed and was trying her hardest to jump out of my arms. She's a hot-headed little madam anyway, so I've persevered with her, getting her out every day and grooming her as best I can, but she doesn't seem to be getting any better. She seems to be shedding quite alot of fur as well.

They're both eating and drinking as usual, and Leela's fine with being handled. They seem quite happy, popcorning around and screaming for food as soon as they hear me come home. The only other unusual thing is Amy keeps "lying down" in the middle of her cage, which I've never noticed her to do before.

I'm not sure whether it's worth a trip to the vets again, as this seems to be what's upset her in the first place. :-\

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. Thank you :)
 
How do you mean "lying down"?

Is she lying on her side in a kidney bean shape or is she on all fours
Are her eyes open?
 
Sort of on her tummy with her back legs spread out behind her.

Her eyes are open but she almost doesn't seem aware of anything going on around her, like she's asleep with her eyes open (I don't know if that's normal!)
 
It sounds as though your lovely girl is having a snooze

Laid on tummy with legs sticking out the back to me says that she is comfy and "flopped down" for a rest

Mosy piggies sleep with eyes open
 
I wondered whether that was all. Thank you :)

Any thoughts on the general awkward-ness? Perhaps she's just going through her teens!

I'm a natural worrier so I can't help but fret when she seems so distressed about being held :(
 
Some piggers just dont like being held or stroked. you said yourself that she is hot headed so maybe you need to give her some time to get used to regular handling.
How long have you had them? since birth?
 
Pretty much. We got them from the pet shop when they were very small (at a guess probably about 6 - 8 weeks old)
 
Hi Ange, If the pigs have mites they need to be shampooed as well as being treated with Iverrmectin.Gorgeous Guineas do a very good range of shampoos,or you could get a shampoo called Vetsect from your vet.If you cannot get any of these,buy a Tea Tree based shampoo from the Health Food Shop.You can get tea tree shampoos in the ch
mist of course,but the ones from the health food shops are likely to be purer.Wet the hair thoroughly and lather the shampoo in well(careful not to get any in eyes ,nose or mouth) leave for 3 to 4 minutes,then rinse very thoroughly.You can towel dry,and if the piggy is not too nervouse you can use a hairdryer.I do not think you can get Ivermectin from a petshop but I am not 100% sure of this,maybe someone else knows. Hope this helps. Mary
 
Pet shops so not sell it. :)

My girls snooze like that with their legs stretched behind them! ;)
 
After spending £55+ at the vets last time for ivermectin I discovered that P@H do a spot on for small animals that is ivermectin I haven't used it myself but shall investigate next time
 
Hello and welcome, well you've had a bit of an intro haven't you.... gosh your girl is educating you quickly ;D ;D
Awwww they're just being piggies....LOL little monkeys

Snoozing with legs out stretched is quite the norm :)

What's your furbabies names, we'd all like to see a piccie if you have one :) :)
 
Hi guys. Thanks everyone for your help, I'm gonna get some shampoo and have a go at bathing them. I've done it once before and I think I was more traumatised by it than they were!

This is a picture of Leela and Amy when we first got them. They look like a push-me pull-you, you can't tell where one ends and the other starts :)

PICT0099.jpg
 
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