Worrying begins again...

[Pigglywink's Rachel]

So, probably nothing at all, but after what happened with Piggly I'm sure you'll all be patient with me. Caramel and Aphrodite are now a little more comfortable and are coming out of their house to explore, and I noticed that Caramel sneezed (once), and that both of them occasionally scratch a little behind their ears. They don't bite with their teeth anywhere on their bodies, but they kind of lift up their back legs and give a little scratch around the neck area, then use their front paws to clean their back feet, and finally lick their front feet to finish. Not sure if this is normal grooming behaviour for guineas or not, so if someone could let me know?

 

[MrsM]

My boys are prodigious scratchers, have been checked for mites twice and nothing. A soon as nausea is really a thing of the past they'll have a Gorgeous Guineas bath.
I think they're all prone to sneezing when in their new surroundings, with all sorts of new smells to get used to. If in doubt, you know what to do... pop them to the vets.

 

[Pigglywink's Rachel]

Oh, they'll be going to the vets for a check-up sometime next week, anyway, just for my peace of mind. There's nothing that I can see physically wrong with them, and they're calming down now. Still pretty skittish, but I put in their veg tonight and left the door open with me sitting in front talking to them. After conceding that possibly four inches was too close the front and moving it a further 4 inches back, they would then approach the food dish and eat out of them. They love their coriander, peppers and carrots. And they got into a minor squabble over a piece of cucumber, but they've both been eating, and in the hay at all hours. Just this one scratching thing (which they do maybe two or three times a day), and the one sneeze from Caramel they seem fine. I just noticed that Aphrodite has a ring of blue around her eye, though... is this a normal colour for guinea pigs?

 

[sue 1974]

I'm have guinea pigs that scratch? Are they long haired ones as i find mine are the worse for scratching. None of mine have lice or mites

 

[Pigglywink's Rachel]

No, both of mine are short haired, and they've only done it once that I saw today. I think I traumatized the poor things, though. I heard one of them squeaking (as if it had been attacked), so took them out one at a time (and what a treat it was catching Caramel). Now they're hiding again, and being very quiet. I guess I'll just have to be patient and see what the vet says when they go for their check-up. But I've posted a picture of Aphrodite... is this a normal eye colour for a guinea pig?

 

[Millie's-Mummy]

I'm not sure about the eye colour so hopefully someone will be able to help you with that.

All 3 of mine scratch themself's and they dont have mites so it might be they get overheated or just for something to do lol.

Eli sneezed twice last night, it could be dust from the hay or they could of got a bit of hay up their nose or it could be that it tickled their nose.

I understand you must be worring but I'm sure they will be fine, by the sounds of things your doing everything possible for them

x

 

[Laura-CCC4]

It's hard to tell the true colour of the eye with flash, but some dark eyed pigs have a dark blue or brown tinge to the eyes.

Scratching a few times a day is normal. Aggressive scratching (for more than a few seconds, repeatedly in a short space of time, or biting and scratching) are signs that something more may be going on with the skin. Likewise with sneezing - the occasional sneeze, a few times a day, is usually normal. Repeated and consistent sneezing may be something more.

I understand the worries. I still find myself checking on sleeping pigs when they are flat out on their sides, it worries me sick if they are sleeping deeply.