Piggy question!

[Sabrina-piggy]

Hello everybody, so recently I’ve been lying in bed all day worried sick about my guinea pigs but I just have a few questions
1. Is it normal for guinea pigs to sneeze (my pigs only really do it when they shove their faces in hay)
2. What are the first signs of illnesses
3. This ones probably dumb but- how do you guys cope with piggies, I’m worried all the time and I need to find ways to just relax

 

[Hannah_xx]

Hello! I’m a big worrier when it comes to my animals too, especially the small ones!
However I am completely at ease with my piggies as I know there behaviour and I have plenty of experience.
1. Sneezing can be perfectly normal when they’ve been rooting about in the hay trying to dig out the best bits. There are always small fragments and dust in hay which will make them sneeze. However if your piggie is sneezing regularly at all times of the day and night. you should seek veterinary attention.

2. Guinea pigs are great at hiding their illnesses until they are really quite sick.. some however are big wusses and will let you know straight away.
Illness signs could be, runny nose or eyes, squinting eyes. Fluffed up, hunched up. Squeaking when peeing. Scabs and sores. Not eating or drinking. Drinking constantly. Squishy poops. Red urine. Very white urine.

3. I cope like I said above
You’ll have absolutely nothing to worry about if you give your piggies their best life. A large cage with plenty of room to run and play, hidey houses and tubes. Good quality pellets, and fresh veggies and water. And a nice peaceful environment.
And if you notice one looking poorly getting them to the vet ASAP.
That’s all our guineas ask for!.. oh spike squeaked at said.. ‘Don’t forget a squishy comfy plushy place to have a nap!’

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

Hello! I’m a big worrier when it comes to my animals too, especially the small ones!
However I am completely at ease with my piggies as I know there behaviour and I have plenty of experience.
1. Sneezing can be perfectly normal when they’ve been rooting about in the hay trying to dig out the best bits. There are always small fragments and dust in hay which will make them sneeze. However if your piggie is sneezing regularly at all times of the day and night. you should seek veterinary attention.

2. Guinea pigs are great at hiding their illnesses until they are really quite sick.. some however are big wusses and will let you know straight away.
Illness signs could be, runny nose or eyes, squinting eyes. Fluffed up, hunched up. Squeaking when peeing. Scabs and sores. Not eating or drinking. Drinking constantly. Squishy poops. Red urine. Very white urine.

3. I cope like I said above
You’ll have absolutely nothing to worry about if you give your piggies their best life. A large cage with plenty of room to run and play, hidey houses and tubes. Good quality pellets, and fresh veggies and water. And a nice peaceful environment.
And if you notice one looking poorly getting them to the vet ASAP.
That’s all our guineas ask for!.. oh spike squeaked at said.. ‘Don’t forget a squishy comfy plushy place to have a nap!’
View attachment 116739
[/QUOTE

Hello! I’m a big worrier when it comes to my animals too, especially the small ones!
However I am completely at ease with my piggies as I know there behaviour and I have plenty of experience.
1. Sneezing can be perfectly normal when they’ve been rooting about in the hay trying to dig out the best bits. There are always small fragments and dust in hay which will make them sneeze. However if your piggie is sneezing regularly at all times of the day and night. you should seek veterinary attention.

2. Guinea pigs are great at hiding their illnesses until they are really quite sick.. some however are big wusses and will let you know straight away.
Illness signs could be, runny nose or eyes, squinting eyes. Fluffed up, hunched up. Squeaking when peeing. Scabs and sores. Not eating or drinking. Drinking constantly. Squishy poops. Red urine. Very white urine.

3. I cope like I said above
You’ll have absolutely nothing to worry about if you give your piggies their best life. A large cage with plenty of room to run and play, hidey houses and tubes. Good quality pellets, and fresh veggies and water. And a nice peaceful environment.
And if you notice one looking poorly getting them to the vet ASAP.
That’s all our guineas ask for!.. oh spike squeaked at said.. ‘Don’t forget a squishy comfy plushy place to have a nap!’
View attachment 116739

wow thanks so much I didn’t expect anybody to reply, I feel so scared everyday that there might something wrong but I’m going to try harder to cope and to realize that me worrying will not help me. I just love them so much and it would break my heart to loose them but I can’t worry about that now. I have to enjoy my time with them

 

[Wiebke]

Hello everybody, so recently I’ve been lying in bed all day worried sick about my guinea pigs but I just have a few questions
1. Is it normal for guinea pigs to sneeze (my pigs only really do it when they shove their faces in hay)
2. What are the first signs of illnesses
3. This ones probably dumb but- how do you guys cope with piggies, I’m worried all the time and I need to find ways to just relax

Hi and welcome

Guinea pigs can sneeze from dust in hay or when they clear their noses with a sneeze after a piggy wash, which they do several times a day.
You need to worry only if there is regular steady sneezing that is not a one-off sneezing fit to get an obstruction out of the nose if your piggy is sneezing every few minutes for hours, if there is crackly or raspy breathing, loss of appetite and apathy.
New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

Here is our quick but not exhaustive guide to spotting early signs of illness: Early Signs Of Illness

Weekly health and weight monitoring:
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?

You will find more information on how soon to see a vet, preparing for illness etc. as well as what to do in an emergency together with lots of of very useful information on a wide range of topics that address specifically the most often asked for questions from new owners via this link here: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

I was also wondering if guinea pigs fart? And if so is it normal?

 

[Wiebke]

I was also wondering if guinea pigs fart? And if so is it normal?

Guinea pigs can fart, but it is generally not normal and often a sign of a mild tummy upset; often caused by overfeeding fresh and watery veg.
If in doubt, take your piggy off any fresh veg for a day to allow the gut fermentation to settle down again.

See a vet very promptly if gassing continues after a day off veg, the belly swells up (bloat) or if your piggy is suddenly losing the appetite and is going very flat (GI stasis; no gut movement). Severe bloat and GI stasis count as an emergency as they can be fatal.
Bloat, GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

Guinea pigs can fart, but it is generally not normal and often a sign of a mild tummy upset; often caused by overfeeding fresh and watery veg.
If in doubt, take your piggy off any fresh veg for a day to allow the gut fermentation to settle down again.

See a vet very promptly if gassing continues after a day off veg, the belly swells up (bloat) or if your piggy is suddenly losing the appetite and is going very flat (GI stasis; no gut movement). Severe bloat and GI stasis count as an emergency as they can be fatal.
Bloat, GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

Okay thanks so much!

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

Do guinea pigs pee on themselves, I’ve noticed my piggy with white fur/longer fur has pee stains on her sometime, I think she’s just lazy but should I be concerned?

 

[Wiebke]

Do guinea pigs pee on themselves, I’ve noticed my piggy with white fur/longer fur has pee stains on her sometime, I think she’s just lazy but should I be concerned?

They can sit on their hair if it is long at the back, and they can also lie in a patch of pee.

Target peeing at other piggies is very common in sows (especially to deter boars) while boars spray everything with their testosterone laden pee if they are excited.

It is most noticeable on white piggies. Please give your girl a gentle bum wash with baby warm water and cut off the worst stains and tangles around the bum and back leg area. In hot weather a short haircut is a big way to prevent a piggy from overheating as it is not fun to wear the equivalent a ski suit on a tropical island! He hair will grow back in any piggy.
How to conduct a bum bath in this guide here: Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
For overall bath, you want this guide. Please be aware that no shampoo is removing the staining from white hair. We only recommend baths for medical reasons or if your guinea pig is very filthy indeed! Bathing (including cleaning grease glands)

 

[PennyCopper]

Hello everybody, so recently I’ve been lying in bed all day worried sick about my guinea pigs but I just have a few questions
1. Is it normal for guinea pigs to sneeze (my pigs only really do it when they shove their faces in hay)
2. What are the first signs of illnesses
3. This ones probably dumb but- how do you guys cope with piggies, I’m worried all the time and I need to find ways to just relax

Hi, my piggie started sneezing which I thought was so cute. But then a week later she was tilting her head to one side and sneezing so we went to the vet and Penny has an upper respiratory infection. An xray was taken and both ears deep inside, where topical medicine cannot reach, was really infected. So my piggie is currently finishing up an antibiotic, anti inflamatory, and on a nebulizer. Don't wait to seek a professional. The piggie is in pain. I cried several times over this because I felt like a bad mom for waiting and having her suffer. I cried the other day with her because she is still not 100% better and YES I am totally worried about her. I love her and want her to have the best, healthiest, happiest life she can have. This forum has been very beneficial to us with many issues and questions that have come up.
The vet said she could end up deaf, or have a permanent head tilt if I had waited much longer.

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

Okay so just today when I got home I noticed some of the poops in my girl’s cage we’re rather small not shaped badly but just a tiny bit small, is this bad?

 

[Hannah_xx]

Have you got some photos you could share of your piggies? Also a photo of their cage?
And a photo of their poop if you like!
That way we can tell you if you need to worry

 

[Wiebke]

Okay so just today when I got home I noticed some of the poops in my girl’s cage we’re rather small not shaped badly but just a tiny bit small, is this bad?

Hi!

It usually means a diminished food intake.

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

Have you got some photos you could share of your piggies? Also a photo of their cage?
And a photo of their poop if you like!
That way we can tell you if you need to worry

I’ll try but how do you take pictures on here

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

View attachment 116995

Here are some of the smaller poos I’ve noticed

 

[Sabrina-piggy]

Do piggies also have slower stool production sometimes? I notice that sometimes my piggy bailey doesn’t make a lot of poops throughout the night but then in the day she makes quite a lot, is this normal?