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Rescued Guinea Pig

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brittanyyrae23

brittanyyrae23

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Hello. This is my first time posting on the forum, so please bear with me. Two days ago, someone asked me if I wanted their guinea pig. After asking about the pig, it turned out that she kept the the poor thing in a storage bin lined with newspaper. The pig's previous owner didn't have guinea pig pellets OR hay available for the animal. She told me she had water available. She fed the guinea pig pizza and chips, but I'm not sure how often. She said the pig was also given "salad". She acquired the pig when it was only a few weeks old (was given to her by a friend). The piggie suffered in these conditions for at least a month, maybe two. I couldn't get a straight answer from her, and it seemed like she couldn't be bothered with my questions. From what I gathered, I can't imagine the pig is more than 3 months old. It is still very small (and way too skinny). I was told that "he" was a boy, but after checking things out myself, I'm thinking that it's a girl. I will attach a picture to see if anyone can help me with this.

Anyway, is there anything special I can do to help this poor animal? I have 2 boars of my own, and the suspected female is separated from them. I've given her vegetables 3 times a day for the past 2 days. I have ordered alfalfa hay for her since she is still growing. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Also, if she is a girl, will this pose an issue with my two boys even if they are separated?

Thanks in advance for any help.

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hi, welcome to the forum. so glad you rescued this poor pig; how awful it sounds the past was...and pizza and chips?! thats just crazy. i would guess it's a boy, but i'm not an expert-it just seems that "dot" thing on top might be a willy. could you get him/her to the vet? could use a good checkup considering the horrific past, plus they can sex for you. good luck.
 
I think it a girl by your photo if you have two boys you must keep her in another room as your boys will start to fight even if they been together for ages
 
Great that you have got hold of the poor little mite!

Please give your piggy normal hay (should make up to 80% of the daily food intake for balanced and optimal working guts) and just add a handful of alfalfa daily. That is all that is needed.

Be careful not to overdo it on the veg at first, as the guts are not used to them, little but often is certainly better than lots at once; it can easily cause diarrhea or bloat. Make sure that you add some high vitamin C veg like a slice of pepper or two, some broccoli, or a sprig or two of fresh coriander/cilantro, parsley, dill, mint or basil everyday. You do not need to fatten the poor little thing up, you are in for the long haul - and as it is still young, there is every chance that things will still work out before growing time is over.

I must say that from that picture it is not quite completely clear whether it is a girl. Could you take a picture without pressing on the tummy?

As long as she is out of sight of the boys, things should be OK. Being in the same room with them will help her to reassure her.

Which country are you in? We have got a piggy savvy UK vet locator on the bar underneath the forum logo.
 
If you apply pressure just above the genitals, if a male, the penis should extrude.
She looks female to me.
 
Thanks a lot for the responses!

She has unlimited access to timothy hay & pellets currently. I will just give her a bit of alfalfa when it arrives in the mail!

I've been giving her very small servings of veggies 3 times daily. Yesterday I fed 1 slice of green pepper in the morning, 1 baby tomato and 1 slice of cucumber in the afternoon, and a bit of radicchio and endive in the evening. It great to know that she still has a chance to grow to a full-sized, healthy pig!

I will take another picture and post it in a moment. Thanks so much for the helpful responses. I feel much better now.

I live in the US, so I'll just have to do some searching 8:)
 
Thank you for the link! My pigs rarely eat tomatoes... They only enjoy them every once in a while. Their diet is mostly based around leafy greens and bell peppers, with different things mixed in every other day :)

Here's another picture of mystery pig... The quality isn't very good, hopefully you can still see it.

https://i.imgur.com/sxoTWHQ.jpg
 
That is a girl, and no questions about it now!

Your diet sounds very good, so I am sure that the little girl will come right!

Have you got a picture of the rest of her? ;)
 
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oh my goodness, what a horrible situation that little pig was in. Um, yeah I think shes a girl from your photos. Oh dear :( Your friend needs a bit of education on how to keep animals to say the least. I'm shocked. Good luck with her. You have done a lovely thing taking her on :)
 
Here's a picture of the little cutie. I think I'll name her Coco.

https://i.imgur.com/Glp0oaZ.jpg

These are my wonderful boys, Bruno and Max.

https://i.imgur.com/5H7GZ8C.jpg

So, since there's now a girl in the mix, what is my next step? I will obviously keep them separated, but should I get another girl to keep her company? I live in a very small apartment, but I will do what I must. I really appreciate all the feedback. I'm so glad I joined the forum!
 
Oh my! Thank you so much for saving her from that life. I can't believe ANYONE would feed pizza to a guinea pig! What the hell?

She is utterly beautiful. I'm glad you now have her. She will definitely live a longer, happier life with you and a good diet. :)
 
Julesie said:
Oh my! Thank you so much for saving her from that life. I can't believe ANYONE would feed pizza to a guinea pig! What the hell?

She is utterly beautiful. I'm glad you now have her. She will definitely live a longer, happier life with you and a good diet. :)
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No like button so "LIKE"
 
I'm also in the Pittsburgh area! I live about 45 minutes from the city.

This little piggy is SO NOISY. When I walk in the room, she wheeks so stinkin' loud! Could this be because she wants attention? She always has food/water/hay so that can't be it. She even does it when she's in my lap! I can't figure this little girl out rolleyes
 
Young guinea pigs are very vocal and can be big drama queens! You will find that once she has settled down and is happy, she will calm down a bit. Mine start wheeking for breakfast the minute I come down the stairs...

It would be great if you found a little companion for her. If you are strapped for space, what about having one cage on top of the other (if necessary on a cheap table for easier reach at the lower cage). I have also seen pictures from the Continent (where more people live in flats) that integrate cages into two bookcases pushed behind each other for sufficient depth and with perspex or grid fronts; sometimes two shelves are connected with a ramp for a two-storey cage.

Ideally, you have the boars above the girls, so they are not affected by any pheromones when the girls come into season. As long as the girls are out of sight, things should be fine.

Sounds like a Pennsylvania forum meet is on the cards... ;)
 
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brittanyyrae23 said:
I'm also in the Pittsburgh area! I live about 45 minutes from the city.

This little piggy is SO NOISY. When I walk in the room, she wheeks so stinkin' loud! Could this be because she wants attention? She always has food/water/hay so that can't be it. She even does it when she's in my lap! I can't figure this little girl out rolleyes
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She's an Abyssinian - in my experience, they're the loudest, cheekiest of all the breeds!
 
brittanyyrae23 said:
I'm also in the Pittsburgh area! I live about 45 minutes from the city.

This little piggy is SO NOISY. When I walk in the room, she wheeks so stinkin' loud! Could this be because she wants attention? She always has food/water/hay so that can't be it. She even does it when she's in my lap! I can't figure this little girl out rolleyes
Click to expand...

Nice! I live about a half hour north of the city. :) There is a very good vet in Darlington called Rainbow vet and they did very well for George's foot surgery. They also have a vet on call 24/7 for emergencies, incase you ever need one.
 
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