Is This Popcorning?

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Cara100

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I've had my "Teddy" guinea pig, Trevor, for around 5 weeks (he's like 13 weeks old now) now and for the first two weeks he was pretty docile, obviously getting used to the surroundings and me. Now he's started to do this jump and twitch thing and from what I've seen on YouTube it doesn't look like popcorning. It looks almost painful and can render him twitching for minutes on his back sometimes, it getting worse when I touch him.
Do I take him to the vet? Is it not just popcorning? Help please!


(Also, he's a big biter and will hardly let me stroke him without nipping me, advice on how to get him to stop? He used to be so cuddly!)
 
Cara100 said:
I've had my "Teddy" guinea pig, Trevor, for around 5 weeks (he's like 13 weeks old now) now and for the first two weeks he was pretty docile, obviously getting used to the surroundings and me. Now he's started to do this jump and twitch thing and from what I've seen on YouTube it doesn't look like popcorning. It looks almost painful and can render him twitching for minutes on his back sometimes, it getting worse when I touch him.
Do I take him to the vet? Is it not just popcorning? Help please!


(Also, he's a big biter and will hardly let me stroke him without nipping me, advice on how to get him to stop? He used to be so cuddly!)
Click to expand...

Perhaps you could record it and upload to youtube then copy the link and paste it to here so we can see. Guinea pig popcorning is usually a jump with a shake/toss of the head as if their body is just loose for a second.

I'm a bit concerned about it happening with him on his back? Is he in that position himself or is it when you're stroking him and he's turned? If not I would advise seeing a vet as it could possibly be that he is having seizures.

I'll tag @Wiebke
 
That is a great (slowed down) video of popcorning. Notice the jumps and toss of the heads and slight turn of bodies?
 
Cara100 said:
I've had my "Teddy" guinea pig, Trevor, for around 5 weeks (he's like 13 weeks old now) now and for the first two weeks he was pretty docile, obviously getting used to the surroundings and me. Now he's started to do this jump and twitch thing and from what I've seen on YouTube it doesn't look like popcorning. It looks almost painful and can render him twitching for minutes on his back sometimes, it getting worse when I touch him.
Do I take him to the vet? Is it not just popcorning? Help please!


(Also, he's a big biter and will hardly let me stroke him without nipping me, advice on how to get him to stop? He used to be so cuddly!)
Click to expand...
vet ASAP. Sounds a problem health wise. If he's in pain he'll not want touched.
 
Cara100 said:
I've had my "Teddy" guinea pig, Trevor, for around 5 weeks (he's like 13 weeks old now) now and for the first two weeks he was pretty docile, obviously getting used to the surroundings and me. Now he's started to do this jump and twitch thing and from what I've seen on YouTube it doesn't look like popcorning. It looks almost painful and can render him twitching for minutes on his back sometimes, it getting worse when I touch him.
Do I take him to the vet? Is it not just popcorning? Help please!


(Also, he's a big biter and will hardly let me stroke him without nipping me, advice on how to get him to stop? He used to be so cuddly!)
Click to expand...

Hi! Sadly we cannot judge just from your description; it is far too vague and personal perceptions differ a lot. If in doubt, please see a vet promptly!
Would it be possible to copy a video that you have uploaded on a public setting elsewhere to see whether your piggy is popcorning or fitting?

Is your boy a single piggy? They are much more more likely to tweak as they have nopig else to establish a working guinea pig hierarchy and society with - and that is at the core of any guinea pig relationship.
Here are our tips on how to deal with tweakers. However, the best thing would be to consider and researching getting him a same sex friend if the tweaking is down to him being a single piggy. It is not quite as simple as sticking another boar with him.
" Biting" And What You Can Do
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language

Companionship
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
 
Hi all, thanks for your advice! I'll attach a video I took of him earlier on today. He does it more and more lately and I was only able to get the end of an "episode" as I was too busy in making sure he didn't fall off my bed!
 
i would suggest Trevor is popcorning,it usually means they are very happy and excited.if you are concerned a vet visit would be best.lovely piggie .:)
 
One of mine popcorns like that, it does kinda look a bit like a seizure! Of course she stops when she can sense me getting the camera ready!
 
Looks like a popcorn to me. My Patchy sometimes does popcorns that look like she's having a fit and it freaked me out at first but if there's one thing i've noticed on this forum is that not all guinea pigs popcorn the same lol. You have a gorgeous guinea pig there.
 
When she was a baby Ruby used to popcorn so hard she would fall over like that.
I wish I had tried harder to record it, as she does still pop corn a lot, but no where near as 'violently' as she used to.
Trevor looks like a very happy piggy indeed - are there any plans to get him a friend anytime soon, as I am sure he would love to have a piggy companion to play with.
 
Hi guys, me again.
I had him out again today and off he goes, bouncing around and I took more videos (as funny as it sounds he stepped on my phone and deleted the best one when he was running around so i only have two okayish ones, I'll upload more if I get them) but I'm still curious if it is popcorning and whether it'll calm down over time or if he's still just getting used to being out.. if I get him out for more time each day will it eventually calm down? Tire himself out? I can barely have him out longer than half an hour with him bounding around everywhere and almost jumping off the bed. On the floor he hardly moves!


 
Cara100 said:
Hi guys, me again.
I had him out again today and off he goes, bouncing around and I took more videos (as funny as it sounds he stepped on my phone and deleted the best one when he was running around so i only have two okayish ones, I'll upload more if I get them) but I'm still curious if it is popcorning and whether it'll calm down over time or if he's still just getting used to being out.. if I get him out for more time each day will it eventually calm down? Tire himself out? I can barely have him out longer than half an hour with him bounding around everywhere and almost jumping off the bed. On the floor he hardly moves!


Click to expand...
He's popcorning and also "tasting" everything as he goes around! Just as a human baby does by experimenting with his surroundings the only way he knows as yet. By mouth!
 
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