Uri?

[DM311020]

Hi,

We found out that my guinea pigs hutch had a gap, this could have caused a draft and as a result we changed the hutch.

My guinea pig has been sneezing and wiping her nose for 4 days now.

Without vet treatment, how long can a young guinea pig with sneezes live?
Will she survive?

Is it uri?
it is not allergies and she has nothing up her nose
There are no other obvious symptoms.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Piggies often sneeze if there is something irritating the nose such as hay dust. What are they bedded on?
However, if you have concerns then your piggy does need to see a vet. A respiratory infection is a serious issue so any concerns must be addressed.

Outdoor guinea pigs require extra protection at this time of year such as moving into a shed where possible as this helps protect them from the damp, wind and rain. Ensure their hutch is well protected if you can’t move it into a shed, by ensuring thermal and waterproof hutch covers are added, along with lots of hay to snuggle into and by using snugglesafe microwavable heat pads so they both have somewhere warm to snuggle into. Guinea pigs aren’t hardy and young piggies can be particularly susceptible to the damp conditions of a uk winter.

 

[DM311020]

Piggies often sneeze if there is something irritating the nose such as hay dust. What are they bedded on?
However, if you have concerns then your piggy does need to see a vet. A respiratory infection is a serious issue so any concerns must be addressed.

Outdoor guinea pigs require extra protection at this time of year such as moving into a shed thermal and waterproof hutch covers are added, along with lots of hay to snuggle into and by using snugglesafe microwavable heat pads so they both have somewhere warm to snuggle into.

My hutch she's in is waterproof, but not thermal or not water bottled.
I live with my parents, they said no to hot bottle and said I have a good hutch already.
I can't get a thermal hutch cover either.

So I can get an idea.

How long would she live if she did not have a thermal hutch cover or by water bottle (my last guinea pig chewed it) and outside (no shed) ?

She is in hay but has never had an allergy to it before (always lived in it) and now she is on paper (had cold before then) and is also fine.

 

[Piggies&buns]

My hutch she's in is waterproof, but not thermal or not water bottled.
I live with my parents, they said no to hot bottle and said I have a good hutch already.
I can't get a thermal hutch cover either.

So I can get an idea.

How long would she live if she did not have a thermal hutch cover or by water bottle (my last guinea pig chewed it) and outside (no shed) ?

She is in hay but has never had an allergy to it before (always lived in it) and now she is on paper (had cold before then) and is also fine.

She will not cope well without full protection on the hutch and without thermal and waterproof hutch covers (which cover all the sides of the hutch to stop wind and rain getting in) along with extra warmth from a heatpad. They can’t cope with temperatures below 15 degrees. The hutch needs to be fully insulated, weather proofed, kept in a sheltered position and kept warm.

Being just on paper is not a good bedding for an outside piggy, it’ll be damp, paper won’t dry and it doesn’t provide any warmth. Being damp and cold is when piggies get ill. They need to be lots of hay - the whole hutch will need to be filled with hay to help insulate her from inside.

I note you keep saying ‘she’ not ‘they’. Piggies are herd animals and must always be kept in pairs - piggies kept by themselves get lonely and depressed. A young piggy by herself without extra weather protection will get lonely and will be cold.

guinea pigs don’t get viral colds - they get bacterial respiratory infections which require medication and treatment. If their immune system is compromised, which can happen through being damp and cold, then they are much more prone to becoming seriously ill.
as hay is a natural product, it can be dustier some times and not others - just because she’s been fine with it before doesn’t mean some dust hasn’t irritated her in this batch of hay. having a good supply of dust extracted hay is important

Can you not just buy the thermal hutch cover and heat pads yourself? you have a responsibility to provide everything your guinea pigs need to meet welfare requirements

 

[DM311020]

She will not cope well without full protection on the hutch and without thermal and waterproof hutch covers (which cover all the sides of the hutch to stop wind and rain getting in) along with extra warmth from a heatpad. They can’t cope with temperatures below 15 degrees. The hutch needs to be fully insulated and weather proofed and kept warm.

Being just on paper is not a good bedding for an outside piggy, it’ll be damp, paper won’t dry and it doesn’t provide any warmth. Being damp and cold is when piggies get ill. They need to be lots of hay - the whole hutch will need to be filled with hay to help insulate her from inside.

I note you keep saying ‘she’ not ‘they’. Piggies are herd animals and must always be kept in pairs - piggies kept by themselves get lonely and depressed. A young piggy by herself without extra weather protection will get lonely and will be cold.

Can you not just buy the thermal hutch cover and heat pads yourself? you have a responsibility to provide everything your guinea pigs need to meet welfare requirements

I'm not working at the moment, (haven't had first job yet as difficult to get one due to corona) . so have no money.

She has no partner at the moment, she died of old age (ironically, this one was bought to be friends with her, then she died a few weeks later).
I will get her a partner soon, waiting for illness to clear due to quarantine.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm not working at the moment, (haven't had first job yet as difficult to get one due to corona) . so have no money.

She has no partner at the moment, she died of old age (ironically, this one was bought to be friends with her, then she died a few weeks later).
I will get her a partner soon, waiting for illness to clear due to quarantine.

In that case your parents, have a responsibility to meet the welfare requirements of your pets.
if you are too young to work, then you are too young to have an account on this forum

 

[Siikibam]

I’m just going to add that you need to move her indoors if she is a lone piggy.