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Worth Going To Vets?

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Cookie&Cream

Cookie&Cream

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 19, 2014
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Bristol, United Kingdom
Woke up this morning to Cookie and Cream teeth chattering and Cream pounced at Cookie, had a quick look and thought everything was fine like usual
Then when I went to get their food bowls out I seen a cut on Cookie's nose (its not small but not big) so I got him out, sorted him out and put him in different cage
Since then Cookie is trying to get to him and bites the bars of his cage (he's never done that before) and Cream just keeps lying in his house
I don't know what to do
Is it worth getting them vet checked?
 
Did you clean the wound up with something like saline?

I would probabably get them checked at the vets if they were my pigs because I am a worrier but it is best to be sure there are no furtehr injuries. It may be that he is sore and needs some pain relief especially as he is just lying in his house (thought that could be the trauma too)
 
I'd go to the vet if you think he needs pain relief, but otherwise give him a thorough check over for other wounds and keep a close eye on him. How old are they? If they are young, it could be the start of disagreements as they get older. Biting at the bars could be a sign of aggression, or it could be that he misses his mate and wants to get back to him. Is it the one who was injured who is staying in his house for the other one?
 
No it was the one who bit the other who was lying down. They've been more active since I moved the cages
They've both been eating and drinking like normal, I used a syptic pencil to stop the bleeding and whiped the blood away as best as I could (he's a wriggler!)
When would be best to put them back together? They're around 6 months
 
It seems like the biter might be poorly. I suggest they both get check, but my gut tells me that Cream might be feeling sick, as you're saying its a drastic change in behavior , it looks like something's up
 
It isn't exactly drastic, he used to lay down quite a bit but since they started to chase eachother and teeth chatter more often (last few weeks) he hasn't really had the chance to

They seem a lot better now, Cookie's nose looks better than it did earlier (just a tiny cut about 1/2cm long and just a bit of missing hair)
They're not as stressed as earlier (been spoiling them with extra veggies!) So at least they're eating alright, I feel a lot more happier than I did 12 hours ago, I don't feel on edge at all now as I don't have to worry about them fighting (I really thought they was going to have a full on fight last night, thankfully they didn't!)

When would be best to put them back together?
 
Could you let them walk around on the floor a little? Give them some fresh air? You can make tunnels out of cardboard and string and hide treats, maybe they need a little play time. I would keep an eye on Cream. Piggies wash their face with their paws, I'm concerned that if you're putting human treatments on the nose of Cookie, she might wipe her nose and then lick her paw, or transfer the stuff to her eyes. If it's superficial, why not just let it heal naturally, but keep an eye. I'm hoping I'm wrong, but I think Cream might be uncomfortable about something. Maybe I'm wrong?
 
Oh okay I won't use it again, I only just dapped it onto his cut as he kept moving when I tried!
I'll just let it heal naturally
They both seem happier and popcorning arouns now!
 
Yes, thank you, that is so great. I'm very happy for you and your piggies. Everything's fine, brilliant. Thanks
 
I had this game with my piggy (he passed away recently) where I would tie a toy green spider to a string, I would dangle it in front of Sunshine and he would head butt. Mine was a bit of wrestler. What if you give them some toys and move them around, that kind of thing?
 
There is nothing wrong with using a styptic pencil, they stop the bleeding and we used them at piggy clinic if a pig whipped their paw away while their nails were being cut.

As for when they can go back together, I am tagging @Wiebke but I am a bit concerned that as blood has been drawn they maybe shouldn't go back together.
 
If there have been serious fighting bites to the face/ears or the rump and not just a casual scratch or graze in the heat of the moment, piggies will rarely go back together again.

You can try a re-introduction on neutral ground if you wish to, but please don't get your hopes up too much! Piggies are unfortunately not known for changing their minds once they have decided they don't like each other. :(

You will have to wait ideally a few days until tempers have settled down, they have stopped teeth chattering at each other and ideally until the wound has scabbed over so you can give them a bath to wash down any testosterone stink before putting them back together. Have an oven glove at the ready, as you can end up with some major damage to your hand if you come in between them in fighting mode.
here are more tips:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/


I am sorry; finding your boys fighting is a very upsetting experience!
 
Thank you @Wiebke
And @Amanda1801, they're registered at Companion Care (PAH, as I got them from there and they said if any problems they'd pay for treatment, as they did with the ringworm a while back)
There's one vet there who's brilliant with Guinea Pigs if I do have to take them back I'll try make sure to see her as the last vet I seen there didn't have a clue when it came to handling them -_-
 
I gave them a bath, put them in their run whilst I cleaned out their cage, no problems only a bit of tooth chattering
Put them in their cage at 7pm and since then they've been tooth chattering loudly
This is so distressing, I don't know what to do
I can't keep them in separate cages forever as I don't have the space to have 2 cages out :(
 
@Wiebke for more advice. If it is loud teeth chattering I think you need to be very careful they don't fight properly. I wouldn't leave them together tonight :(
 
They've done loud teeth chattering before and nothing bad has happened (obviously apart from the bite) I'm jusy so worried and I won't be able to keep both of them if I can't keep them together as there isn't any space at all but I can't choose between them :(
 
To be honest, it doesn't look good, and I would certainly not leave them together over night! The bath can only help with minimising hostilities from the word go; like any of the other tricks, it cannot fix the fact that they are not getting on. :(

We have got several good rescues in the Bristol area, the biggest and most experienced one is Windwhistle Warren near Cheltenham. Perhaps you could contact them whether are prepared to take in one of your boys, bond him at the rescue and rehome him to a good (home chekced) home and re-bond the other with a suitable character compatible boy for you to take back home if you cannot keep both boys? Otherwise, could you keep the cages stacked, if necessary with the help of a shelf or table?
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/
 
Going to try the cages stacked! At some point I'm going to get some shelves put in, I've taken Cookie out and put him in the 2nd cage (he likes it in there as there's a little ledge and he loves climbing
Probably going to keep them apart now, maybe I'll try again when they get a bit older or I'll try boar dating :)
Feel much happier now!
 
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