We might be getting a new piggy

Hope4gem

Hope4gem

Adult Guinea Pig
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So an extended family member heard of a guinea pig that needs a new home. 3 year old piggy, female, healthy. I don't know the owner personally and even if I did I totally get it that ppl can be dishonest when looking to rehome pets. However, after losing two piggies around the holidays we would love to give a good home to a piggy in need. And based on the owner's description this sounds like a good fit. Will update with more info hopefully in the next few days.
 
Sometimes the stars just align and the right piggy comes along at the right time. Fingers crossed.
 
Good news! It worked out and we were able to give the new piggy a home. They named her Peanut and I think we will be keeping that name. (The set up in the picture is only temporary. The cage she came with is stained and may be unsafe so we are making do with absorbent liner, fleece, and grids for now. This weekend we will have a coro base prepared so she will have a full cage).
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The water bottle they sent is stained with what appears to be algae. We gave her a clean water bottle and fresh water as soon as we drove away from the pick-up spot. But my concern is I don't know how long that water bottle was like that. Could the algae (if that's what it was) have hurt her?
 
Hope4gem said:
The water bottle they sent is stained with what appears to be algae. We gave her a clean water bottle and fresh water as soon as we drove away from the pick-up spot. But my concern is I don't know how long that water bottle was like that. Could the algae (if that's what it was) have hurt her?
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It’s obviously not good for them. A general vet check once she has settled in is probably a good idea anyway
 
Awww she’s beautiful. Glad she’s found her forever home with you.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It’s obviously not good for them. A general vet check once she has settled in is probably a good idea anyway
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Thanks! Will do. She might be a bit small too. 3 years old, 750g. I'm not great at determining heft but I think I'm feeling more ribs than I should. They were feeding timothy hay which is good but possibly not enough hay, too much veg, and unfortunately a muesli mix. So I'm a bit concerned about how that improper diet could have affected her.
 
Hope4gem said:
Thanks! Will do. She might be a bit small too. 3 years old, 750g. I'm not great at determining heft but I think I'm feeling more ribs than I should. They were feeding timothy hay which is good but possibly not enough hay, too much veg, and unfortunately a muesli mix. So I'm a bit concerned about how that improper diet could have affected her.
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Now she’s with you, you can improve her diet and give her a fabulous life.
 
Poor little one at least she's here with you know. Regarding algae, if it's just green algae then it's normally harmless and non toxic. That being said, I'd still get her checked over the next couple of weeks because if the previous owners couldn't be bothered to clean out a bottle, then what else have/haven't they done which could have consequences health wise?

Can't comment on weight as each piggy is individual. As soon as she's been on a good diet for a couple of weeks you may notice changes in weight.

Can't wait to see more photos of here, she's beautiful 💚
 
Peanut appears to have flaky skin. I know the previous owner bathed Peanut way more than is ever needed. (Child in 6th grade was the primary caretaker of the pet and her grandparents didn't seem to know to advise her against it). So I'm not sure if the flaky skin is from the leave in shampoo they used and excessive bathing. Or if perhaps she has something fungal, mites, etc. I was able to schedule a well visit for a general checkup for January 25th. My plan is to monitor for the weekend and then call the vet Monday if the flaking persists to see if we can get in sooner.
 
Peanut is gorgeous, but I agree she does look very small for 3. Having said that, though, some piggies are just petite. She has firmly landed on all 4 paws with you.

When you take in an adopted piggy or a rescue, as we do, try not to worry about the past and just treat it as day 1. Start as you have done, with proper supply of pellets, unlimited hay, clean water and perhaps give her some extra high vitamin c veggies (I usually give red bell pepper) to make sure she’s getting her vitamin c. It’s amazing how within a few days of proper diet and care piggies start to gain weight and look a little more chunky. You can’t change anything that’s happened in the past, but you can set her up for a great future.

I would book a routine vet visit when she is settled (unless anything is causing you particular concern).
 
VickiA said:
Peanut is gorgeous, but I agree she does look very small for 3. Having said that, though, some piggies are just petite. She has firmly landed on all 4 paws with you.

When you take in an adopted piggy or a rescue, as we do, try not to worry about the past and just treat it as day 1. Start as you have done, with proper supply of pellets, unlimited hay, clean water and perhaps give her some extra high vitamin c veggies (I usually give red bell pepper) to make sure she’s getting her vitamin c. It’s amazing how within a few days of proper diet and care piggies start to gain weight and look a little more chunky. You can’t change anything that’s happened in the past, but you can set her up for a great future.

I would book a routine vet visit when she is settled (unless anything is causing you particular concern).
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Thank you for the advice. We started her on healthier food right away and better quality hay. Unfortunately, we had to throw out the majority of the food they sent because it was either muesli mix or treats that aren't good for guinea pigs. But we kept things like her hidey and fleece blankets because we figure they smell like her previous home. There was a lot of love in her previous home. They did the best they could with what they knew. I'm so grateful they allowed us to give her a home. She's such a snuggle bug. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to let her go. I offered to stay in contact with them and have been sending pictures and little updates. Thanks again for the advice!
 
Happy to report that the flakiness we saw on Peanut's skin before has completely cleared up. I'm guessing that it was the shampoo/frequent baths from her previous owner. Peanut still has a general checkup scheduled for January 25th, but I'm relieved that her skin is looking better.
 
More good news. Peanut is gaining weight. She's up to 799 g now. :yahoo:
It appears that she is benefitting from the proper diet she's had since coming to us. I can still feel more ribs than I think I should be able to, but hopefully she will continue to gain.
 
Healthy piggies gain weight pretty quickly, once they get the right kind of diet if they were underweight before.
Odi weighed about 800 g when he came to live with us 1.5 years ago. He was about 2.5 years at the time. Now he weighs 1200 and has got a really big bum. :inn:
He still thinks that everything Tessy is eating belongs to him though. :blink:
 
Hope4gem said:
More good news. Peanut is gaining weight. She's up to 799 g now. :yahoo:
It appears that she is benefitting from the proper diet she's had since coming to us. I can still feel more ribs than I think I should be able to, but hopefully she will continue to gain.
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Sounds like she’s found she’s living her best life with you. It’s so lovely seeing a piggy’s coat and skin improve and watching them blossom with the right diet and care :luv:
 
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