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Toby's not okay

squeakly

squeakly

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 20, 2022
Messages
43
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68
Points
200
Location
Derbyshire
Hi everyone. Toby's not been eating a lot, I know he's lonely but I don't know what to do in this situation. It's been over 3 months since George died and I've spoken to my parents about getting a new guinea pig but they won't have it. I can buy one myself but I have nowhere to put it unless I buy a cage first and then it will become clear to my parents what I intend to do. Bottom line is I'm not head of the house so I can't make these decisions for myself, and I have nowhere to go instead should I get another guinea pig. I've just checked him over and he's lost a lot of weight, really boney, and his bottom is soaking wet and brown, and he's squealing very loud like he's in pain. Just to note he previously went to the vets for a large lump on his belly but they told me it was nothing to worry about after doing tests. Any advice is appreciated as I don't know what to do and I just want to help my baby. Thank you
 
I'm sorry to hear that poor Toby is not well. I think under the circumstances it would be better to deal with Toby's health issues before getting a companion for him as the new guinea pig might become infected if Toby's illness is contagious. Can you see the vet again and ask them to test him to see if he has an infection? He needs treatment as he is in pain and his symptoms sound very serious. I hope he will be OK. 🙏
 
Truffolo said:
I'm sorry to hear that poor Toby is not well. I think under the circumstances it would be better to deal with Toby's health issues before getting a companion for him as the new guinea pig might become infected if Toby's illness is contagious. Can you see the vet again and ask them to test him to see if he has an infection? He needs treatment as he is in pain and his symptoms sound very serious. I hope he will be OK. 🙏
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for your reply, I will try and get an appointment booked asap.
 
I’m so sorry to hear this.

I also agree - his health issues need to be addressed first. This sounds urgent and he should ideally see a vet as an emergency today.

Please make sure you immediately step in with syringe feeding him so that you can stop his weight loss. He needs to be fed every couple of hours and fed at least 60ml per day, but it could be as much as 100ml per day to stop weight loss.
Make sure you weigh him every morning so you can monitor that he is getting enough syringe feed each day to keep him stable.

How much weight has lost in total?

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

After you have dealt with the immediate issues, you then should have another discussion with your parents about how important it is that he has a new friend.
How old is Toby?

The guides below can help with this

Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
 
Piggies&buns said:
I’m so sorry to hear this.

I also agree - his health issues need to be addressed first. This sounds urgent and he should ideally see a vet as an emergency today.

Please make sure you immediately step in with syringe feeding him so that you can stop his weight loss. He needs to be fed every couple of hours and fed at least 60ml per day, but it could be as much as 100ml per day to stop weight loss.
Make sure you weigh him every morning so you can monitor that he is getting enough syringe feed each day to keep him stable.

How much weight has lost in total?

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

After you have dealt with the immediate issues, you then should have another discussion with your parents about how important it is that he has a new friend.
How old is Toby?

The guides below can help with this

Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Click to expand...
Hi, thanks for your reply. I wish I could tell you how much weight he has lost, but we don't actually have scales for him. I tried when I was still a child years ago to get my parents to buy scales for them both, but my mum in particular thought it to be a silly thing to buy for two guinea pigs. We have kitchen scales but the family would not let me use those on the guinea pig. Upon recent advice given on this website that he needs to be weighed regularly, I revisited the idea and my parents and I have spoken about getting him some scales. I understand that now I'm older I should be taking this matter into my own hands but I have no experience with online shopping so I don't know where to start, and due to personal reasons I don't go out so I wouldn't be going to fetch any myself. I've noticed he's lost his appetite for the past couple of weeks now, and that's why we bought him some new foods to try because we thought he might be getting bored of the usual. It's only now that I've felt around his body that I've noticed how boney and skinny he has become. He was always a little slimmer than George, but there's definitely a big difference. It's not easy to tell visibly with long haired guinea pigs. We also don't have the syringe feeding kit, I think my mum threw the last one away from years ago when we were using it with my first guinea pig Cappuccino. Once we have the vet appointment, I will see if they can give us a syringe feeding kit. May I also note he's in a small outdoor hutch cage and in these winter months I won't allow him to be left outside, but he's not allowed out the cage indoors, so he gets no exercise. I do try my very best with him around the disagreements I've had with my family over how things should be. They often think I'm overreacting on these subjects, and it's only seemed to be me noticed there's anything wrong with him. He's 5 years old.
 
You are in a difficult position, you are doing your best for him within the limits that you have - it’s hard when you aren’t in charge of the care.

You can buy a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care but in an Emergency (which this is - he needs support feeding right now, it can’t wait until you get to the vet) you need to mush his normal pellets with warm water to form a mush. You can try to feed him off of a spoon - he needs to take it willingly from a spoon though (as you can’t put it into his mouth) so can be harder in a reluctant piggy; or put a bowl of pellet mush in his cage - if he will lap it willingly out of the bowl then that is good; if he won’t then you will need to be more proactive with feeding
The issue is without scales of course you don’t know that he is actually getting enough to stop the weight loss but for now, just make sure he is getting some every couple of hours and make your best guess - a teaspoon is 5ml so you would need to make sure he has at least 12 teaspoons full a day

This is a link to syringes
Amazon.co.uk

Scales:
Amazon.co.uk

Recovery feed:
Amazon.co.uk

If his cage indoors is big enough then it doesn’t matter that he doesn’t get out of it as such - as long as you are providing him with lots of enrichment and mental stimulation such as large loose hay piles him to forage in, tunnels, boxes etc

Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
 
Re scales - you can get a decent pair of digital kitchen scales in a supermarket or hardware store.
I just buy a cheap pair which work perfectly.
Hope you can get Toby’s health issues resolved quickly
 
Piggies&buns said:
You are in a difficult position, you are doing your best for him within the limits that you have - it’s hard when you aren’t in charge of the care.

You can buy a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care but in an Emergency (which this is - he needs support feeding right now, it can’t wait until you get to the vet) you need to mush his normal pellets with warm water to form a mush. You can try to feed him off of a spoon - he needs to take it willingly from a spoon though (as you can’t put it into his mouth) so can be harder in a reluctant piggy; or put a bowl of pellet mush in his cage - if he will lap it willingly out of the bowl then that is good; if he won’t then you will need to be more proactive with feeding
The issue is without scales of course you don’t know that he is actually getting enough to stop the weight loss but for now, just make sure he is getting some every couple of hours and make your best guess - a teaspoon is 5ml so you would need to make sure he has at least 12 teaspoons full a day

This is a link to syringes
Amazon.co.uk

Scales:
Amazon.co.uk

Recovery feed:
Amazon.co.uk

If his cage indoors is big enough then it doesn’t matter that he doesn’t get out of it as such - as long as you are providing him with lots of enrichment and mental stimulation such as large loose hay piles him to forage in, tunnels, boxes etc

Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
Click to expand...
Thanks for all your help. Sorry I didn't see your reply earlier. The vet said she would like us to syringe feed him with fiberplex which is marketed towards rabbits, she said there's little research been done about its association with guinea pigs so I was wondering if this would be a safe thing to give him. She said if the problem persists after a few days then he will have to be referred to an exotic vet for blood tests. They cut his fur at the back to get rid of the wet fur and also shaved his lower underside where his skin seems to be irritated and has recommended F10 cream for that and his feet which look sore. He was also previously recommended a switch to fleece liner to better prevent bumblefoot, however my parents disapproved of this due to it having to be washed in the washing machine. She said the lump on his right underside has grown a lot from 2cm in August, but it still feels mobile and detached from any vital organs. She was worried that if this continues to grow it may start to touch the ground which will further irritate his skin. She said since his last visit in September, he has lost 150g in total, and he was already slightly under average weight then however it was not a concern at that stage as he has always been like that.
 
Fibreplex is NOT a recovery/syringe feed. It will not stop weight loss, it doesn’t replace lost hay fibre intake and it won’t keep him stable.
Fibreplex is perfectly fine to give to guinea pigs (many of us use it if you have a piggy with an upset tummy) but it’s a probiotic which helps replace gut bacteria and settle an upset tummy (when they’ve got soft poops for example). You give it a couple of times a day in a very small amount. It is not a food nor a medication.

You MUST give a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care or even mushed pellets as the emergency measure. He needs this more urgently than he needs the Fibreplex.
150g is a concerning amount of weight to have lost (particularly if he is small anyway). 50g of loss is the point at which you have to step in and he is obviously much beyond that now - he definitely isn’t eating properly.

First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

It’s urgent that you get the scales (so you can weigh him every day yourself) and the recovery feed.
Feed him mushed pellets off a spoon in the meantime.

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

I assume they checked the lump was an abscess or a cyst (you said they did tests so I’m guessing they did a needle aspiration?)
A growing lump should usually be removed before it gets too big and can impede them.

Did they say anything about his bottom being wet?

Is he living inside now?

Bumblefoot (or even just sore feet) can be caused by poor circulation, not moving enough and spending too long in one place, if his bottom is wet then he may be getting urine scald on his feet (hence the advice to use F10 cream).
If he is on disposable bedding such as shavings, then you need to make sure you remove wet areas every day - if he is getting sore feet then it needs to be removed several times a day to ensure he isn’t exposed to wet patches.
 
squeakly said:
however my parents disapproved of this due to it having to be washed in the washing machine
Click to expand...
I know you can buy something like a large bag, a container if you like for people who to put pet bedding in and then put the whole lot in the washing machine. This protects the washing machine from bits of hay etc. I've forgotten what these bags or sacks are called, but I think they're available in pet shops. When I still had guineas, I used an old duvet cover that had a zip. That worked too and was undoubtedly cheaper since I got it second-hand.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I know you can buy something like a large bag, a container if you like for people who to put pet bedding in and then put the whole lot in the washing machine. This protects the washing machine from bits of hay etc. I've forgotten what these bags or sacks are called, but I think they're available in pet shops. When I still had guineas, I used an old duvet cover that had a zip. That worked too and was undoubtedly cheaper since I got it second-hand.
Click to expand...
We use one, it's great. Often marketed as horse rug wash bags.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I know you can buy something like a large bag, a container if you like for people who to put pet bedding in and then put the whole lot in the washing machine. This protects the washing machine from bits of hay etc. I've forgotten what these bags or sacks are called, but I think they're available in pet shops. When I still had guineas, I used an old duvet cover that had a zip. That worked too and was undoubtedly cheaper since I got it second-hand.
Click to expand...
I bought mine from an equestrian supply shop.
As @Wheekallweek said, they are often sold as horse wash bags.
They work well
 
Piggies&buns said:
Fibreplex is NOT a recovery/syringe feed. It will not stop weight loss, it doesn’t replace lost hay fibre intake and it won’t keep him stable.
Fibreplex is perfectly fine to give to guinea pigs (many of us use it if you have a piggy with an upset tummy) but it’s a probiotic which helps replace gut bacteria and settle an upset tummy (when they’ve got soft poops for example). You give it a couple of times a day in a very small amount. It is not a food nor a medication.

You MUST give a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care or even mushed pellets as the emergency measure. He needs this more urgently than he needs the Fibreplex.
150g is a concerning amount of weight to have lost (particularly if he is small anyway). 50g of loss is the point at which you have to step in and he is obviously much beyond that now - he definitely isn’t eating properly.

First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

It’s urgent that you get the scales (so you can weigh him every day yourself) and the recovery feed.
Feed him mushed pellets off a spoon in the meantime.

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

I assume they checked the lump was an abscess or a cyst (you said they did tests so I’m guessing they did a needle aspiration?)
A growing lump should usually be removed before it gets too big and can impede them.

Did they say anything about his bottom being wet?

Is he living inside now?

Bumblefoot (or even just sore feet) can be caused by poor circulation, not moving enough and spending too long in one place, if his bottom is wet then he may be getting urine scald on his feet (hence the advice to use F10 cream).
If he is on disposable bedding such as shavings, then you need to make sure you remove wet areas every day - if he is getting sore feet then it needs to be removed several times a day to ensure he isn’t exposed to wet patches.
Click to expand...
All they said at first when we got the results from the needle test was that it was nothing to worry about and just fatty tissue. The vet previously explained when the test was done that the cells would determine wether it was a tumour, cyst or fatty tissue, but said the last one is something you can't be sure about as it may only pick up fatty tissue and no tumour/cyst cells when that's actually what it is. However again they said in the results that it's nothing to worry about. On our most recent visit, we were then told that those test results came back inconclusive. So I'm not sure what to think about that one.

They didn't really say anything about his bottom being wet, they just said they reckon he has an upset stomach and that's why he's in the state he's in, hence the recommended fibreplex.

He's living inside currently through the winter months but as it's a small cage and he's not allowed to roam indoors, he's not getting enough exercise. I took the option of this rather than have him get enough exercise on the garden but be out in the cold all day. I have previously spoken with my parents about a larger fold-up cage that he can be put in for a few hours just so he has space to run around etc, but my mum argues that it would take up too much space.

The wood shavings we have mostly stopped using, apart from a bit in the corner to soak up the urine. The problem is he digs it up, and the vet in August recommended we stopped using wood shavings also for the reason that the dustiness can cause him to have breathing problems, which he does from time to time have stuffy/croaky breathing. I I however cannot do much about this as the fleece liner alternative is an issue. I've seen people's comments about a wash bag but unfortunately I have already tried to explain this to my parents and the answer is still a no.

He seems not to be squealing anymore, and is eating certain things such as parsley, broccoli, blueberries and hay. I don't want him to rely on parsley and blueberries as a food source because of the high calcium and sugar levels respectively. Regardless of what he has or hasn't been eating over the past few weeks, the weight loss tells the story that it's not enough.

Thank you for the information and recommendations, I am going to mention adding the oxbow to the online shopping list that we currently have for Toby.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I know you can buy something like a large bag, a container if you like for people who to put pet bedding in and then put the whole lot in the washing machine. This protects the washing machine from bits of hay etc. I've forgotten what these bags or sacks are called, but I think they're available in pet shops. When I still had guineas, I used an old duvet cover that had a zip. That worked too and was undoubtedly cheaper since I got it second-hand.
Click to expand...
I've already tried to explain this to my parents but unfortunately they still won't allow it 😔
 
Fatty lumps are quite common but a lump which is growing usually needs investigating/removing.
Where exactly is the lump - is it near one of his nipples at all?

Weight loss

We know he is losing weight because he isn’t eating enough hay (and this is why you need to be syringe feeding him every few hours). Fruit and veg don’t count when it comes to weight maintenance as it doesn’t make enough of the diet to to do it (veg portion is only one cup so only makes 20% of daily food intake; hay is the rest of the diet).
If a piggy drops hay and eats more veg than they should then the issues caused will be weight loss, poor gut health and dental problems.

Are you giving him the mushed pellets?
It’s good if you can get critical care but he needs the mushed pellets immediately.

Wet bottom:

It’s good he doesn’t seem to be squealing any more.
Did the vet check his urine?
Is his bottom wet with urine or getting wet through having diarrhoea, or is it wet because he is just sitting in urine in his cage (ie his urine tested negative for any issues)?
A wet bottom generally points to a urine infection, (sludge or even stones are also a possibility).

Poops:

What are his poops like?
Are they normal?
If he has soft poops, then that is a clear sign of a upset tummy/digestive imbalance (too much veg and not enough hay) and you must immediately stop feeding all veg and fruit. He can only eat hay and the mushed pellets or critical care. Giving any veg or fruit if he is having soft poops (and therefore tummy upset) will make things worse.

Feeding too much fruit (and veg) in itself can be a cause of an upset tummy where hay/fibre intake is too low (which we know he isn’t eating enough hay because he is losing weight). It will cause the gut to get out of balance.
Full diarrhoea is an emergency due to the risk of dehydration.

Fibreplex is a good idea if his poops are soft.

Bedding

If he only has shavings in one corner, then what is the bedding used in rest of his cage? If he has no bedding then that is going to make a wet bottom and sore feet worse.

I use snowflake softchip. It’s small wood chips rather than shavings. They’re heavier so don’t blow around and get in the airways like shavings can. Plus they’re so much easier to spot clean with!

It’s good he is indoors particularly now he is single. It will help him to be kept warm but also for you to spend time with him (Even outdoor piggies can’t go in a run on the lawn at this time of year anyway).
 
Piggies&buns said:
Fatty lumps are quite common but a lump which is growing usually needs investigating/removing.
Where exactly is the lump - is it near one of his nipples at all?

Weight loss

We know he is losing weight because he isn’t eating enough hay (and this is why you need to be syringe feeding him every few hours). Fruit and veg don’t count when it comes to weight maintenance as it doesn’t make enough of the diet to to do it (veg portion is only one cup so only makes 20% of daily food intake; hay is the rest of the diet).
If a piggy drops hay and eats more veg than they should then the issues caused will be weight loss, poor gut health and dental problems.

Are you giving him the mushed pellets?
It’s good if you can get critical care but he needs the mushed pellets immediately.

Wet bottom:

It’s good he doesn’t seem to be squealing any more.
Did the vet check his urine?
Is his bottom wet with urine or getting wet through having diarrhoea, or is it wet because he is just sitting in urine in his cage (ie his urine tested negative for any issues)?
A wet bottom generally points to a urine infection, (sludge or even stones are also a possibility).

Poops:

What are his poops like?
Are they normal?
If he has soft poops, then that is a clear sign of a upset tummy/digestive imbalance (too much veg and not enough hay) and you must immediately stop feeding all veg and fruit. He can only eat hay and the mushed pellets or critical care. Giving any veg or fruit if he is having soft poops (and therefore tummy upset) will make things worse.

Feeding too much fruit (and veg) in itself can be a cause of an upset tummy where hay/fibre intake is too low (which we know he isn’t eating enough hay because he is losing weight). It will cause the gut to get out of balance.
Full diarrhoea is an emergency due to the risk of dehydration.

Fibreplex is a good idea if his poops are soft.

Bedding

If he only has shavings in one corner, then what is the bedding used in rest of his cage? If he has no bedding then that is going to make a wet bottom and sore feet worse.

I use snowflake softchip. It’s small wood chips rather than shavings. They’re heavier so don’t blow around and get in the airways like shavings can. Plus they’re so much easier to spot clean with!

It’s good he is indoors particularly now he is single. It will help him to be kept warm but also for you to spend time with him (Even outdoor piggies can’t go in a run on the lawn at this time of year anyway).
Click to expand...
Hi,

They said they found a tiny lump near the right nipple I think, but the big one is more on his upper half.

I haven't been giving him the mushed pellets, I tried to but my mum wouldn't let me, she said there is no need as he is visibly eating enough hay, so she said wait until we get the scales and if he is still losing weight then that is what we'll do. We've already ordered the oxbow so hopefully it should be with us soon.

The vet did not check his urine. I don't exactly know why his bottom is wet, but I don't think it's because of loose stool because his poops have started forming well again. But his bottom has become wet again, so I think it's urine related.

There is no bedding anywhere else in the cage, because the vet told us to stop using shavings. There is just a lot of hay. Thanks for your recommendation and all your help.
 
Glad you have seen a vet.
It’s impossible to tell how much hay a guinea pig is eating just by looking.
This is why weight is so important.
It’s the only way to tell if they’re eating enough.
Oxbow is well liked by many piggies.
Mine have always loved the aniseed flavour best and I usually added a tiny piece of mashed banana into it.

Hope his health issues can be dealt with.
Holding you in my thoughts
 
Having no bedding in the cage is not a good idea. He needs something to walk on and to help absorb urine. Hay is not absorbent, and sitting in damp hay won’t do him any good. Even newspaper under the hay is better than nothing but it will need to be replaced every day.
There is nothing wrong with using shavings or as I suggested softchip as they are heavier.

It’s a shame your mum won’t let you help him. As merab has said it is impossible to know a piggy is eating enough hay by watching them. They can nibble at it but the reality is their intake has dropped dramatically.
If he has been losing weight all this time, then his weight loss could be considerable by now and if it gets too much then it can be difficult to come back from.
It seems strange that your mum has let you order the critical care but she won’t let you mush pellets to help him right now. It’s not going to cost anything as you already have the pellets but it could literally make all the difference to his life.

He needs his urine tested to know if he is dealing with a urine infection requiring antibiotics or any kind of bladder issues (stones even).

If the lump is near the nipple has your vet been able to rule out it being a mammary tumour (they’re more common in boars than sows)?
 
squeakly said:
I haven't been giving him the mushed pellets, I tried to but my mum wouldn't let me, she said there is no need
Click to expand...
😢😢😢

I used to have a lot of difficulties syringe feeding my ill guinea pigs and the fact is that there were quite a few times when they got too hungry and it got too late to save them, even if then a friend came and helped me. Guinea pigs get too weak and/or they get gut stasis fast, they're such small animals. And then they pass, which is very sad if they could have been helped. I was always devastated. So I'm sorry for you and your guinea that your mum won't let you mush up pellets - if it's not an emergency yet, it soon may well be. Not that I know for certain because obviously none of us here on the forum can see or touch your guinea or even weigh your guinea to find out, but as I said dangerously little weight on a guinea develops quickly.

Keeping you in my thoughts and hoping for a miracle change of mind on your mother's part.
 
@Piggies&buns is right, you need to start weighing him daily. He's already lost a startling amount of weight, is your mum aware of this? This is an indicator he is not eating enough and needs syringe feeding ASAP.
He us not going to get better on his own.
Your parents are breaking the law by withholding veterinary care for a sick animal, and the longer he is left, the less likely he is to survive. A urine infection is extremely painful.
This must be so hard for you without the support you need 😔
Could you show your mum this thread?
 
Wheekallweek said:
@Piggies&buns is right, you need to start weighing him daily. He's already lost a startling amount of weight, is your mum aware of this? This is an indicator he is not eating enough and needs syringe feeding ASAP.
He us not going to get better on his own.
Your parents are breaking the law by withholding veterinary care for a sick animal, and the longer he is left, the less likely he is to survive. A urine infection is extremely painful.
This must be so hard for you without the support you need 😔
Could you show your mum this thread?
Click to expand...
But we have already gone to the vets and they sent us off with fibreplex so I don't know what else to do. They said come back if he doesn't get better and get his bloods checked by an exotic referral. I tried again to give him mushed pellets when I was alone but he wouldn't take any of it. We've got the oxbow now but no syringe to feed it with, the other one is what the fibreplex came in. Also still don't have the scales yet which we will need to collect from a relative's house. Even though the vets advised against it due to the wet bottom, he was out on the garden yesterday while his cage was being cleaned, but I was out at the time so I couldn't do anything about it. When I asked my mum about it she said she couldn't remember the vet saying anything about it and said he enjoyed it and she wants him to have a good quality of life instead of being in the cage all the time. I've showed her this forum post but I think it's a sort of "who are these people you're talking to" situation. It's not the same having advice on here than having it directly from a vet, so in my parents' minds they are skeptical about taking this advice seriously, although I know it is only knowledge repeated from various online research I've done and YouTube videos I've watched over the years. My parents have always thought I've been over the top and obsessive over the guinea pigs and fussed over them too much, like a second hand hypochondriac. You have to keep in mind that the average people, especially older generations are unaware of this vast amount of information about guinea pigs and other small animals compared to cats and dogs, where education of the latter is much more widely circulated. When my mum was growing up she had a singular guinea pig who lived outside all year round, so she views it as a luxury for Toby being able to live inside. Many families also did the same, and maybe still do, it's just run of the mill pet rodent culture. And when that culture is or has been common, it's easy to assume that is how you inhabit guinea pigs and other small animals without actually having the knowledge. I heard something about it still being common for households to keep guinea pigs and rabbits together, even though it's been advised against. This knowledge isn't being projected to enough people. My parents didn't buy the guinea pigs for themselves, they bought them for me and my sister as children, so it's not surprising they had no incentive to do any research, even though you might think this would be the obvious thing to do before getting a pet animal. And you can hardly rely on Pets At Home to provide the correct information. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to try and explain why this is the situation we're in.
 
We understand how hard it is and we know you are trying your best within the limits you have.
The care knowledge is actually projected very well these days but only the people who want to learn how to care for the animals bother to look for it. Sadly your mum sounds to be one who just isn’t interested in keeping up to date.

He won’t voluntarily eat the pellets if he isn’t well, (and the more poorly he gets the harder feeding him will be) he would need to be syringe fed - I did see you don’t have a syringe though.

As I know you are aware (but your mum isn’t), he should not be put outside at all at this time of year. The damp and cold ground increases the risks of UTI, bumblefoot and sores, plus being moved from the warmth of inside to the cold outside and then back into the warm again puts him at risk of temperate shock and a respiratory infection.
It’s a shame your mum won’t listen because if she was is the one who put him out, she is now increasing the risks of expensive vet bills and a very poorly piggy.
 
And to add If you and your sister were both under 18 when the get the piggies then your parents absolutely did buy the piggies for themselves and they were the ones who took on the legal responsibility of having the animals in their care, not in your care, in their care
 
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