HM Queen Elizabeth II

Today, we all say our final goodbyes to The Queen, may she rest in peace. Many have only known the Queen throughout their lifetime, therefore this is a huge change for many around the world, not just Great Britain. As we say farewell to the Queen, we say Welcome to King Charles II. Live long Charles. The queen will never be forgotten, and shall stay at the top of out hearts. Always to be remembered, never to be forgotten.

Wheek of the Week - 2

Not much has happened this week. This is mainly because I have a lot of side projects to attend to, however I have quite a large back-log of posts and ideas for the coming weeks.

Some of these ideas include:

• Posts about different Guinea Pig breeds, Products to stay away from, General Guinea pig health checks, Keeping Guinea Pigs Indoor vs Outdoor and a lot more...
• Interviews - I have requested different interviews from a few companies such as KaveeCage, and The Blue Barn (pet shop). Let’s hope that they get back to me :)

Not only do I have quite a lot of content planned, I am also planning to get some guest posts and hopefully get some feedback on the site so far.

Have a happy wheek!

Colours and Markings

This topic is about the markings and patterns of a Guinea Pig’s coat (fur). I’ve found this quite interesting as there are a lot of different types, etc.

Marked patterns

This basically means that there are more than one colour included with the pattern on their coat.

Agouti

Like wild Guinea Pigs, the coat has more than one colour on each strand of hair, thus creating a sort-of rainbow that ends up being a brown-ish, grey or even a sliver colour. There are far more variations to talk about!

Roan

This coat pattern scheme is quite similar to Agouti, however the head and feet have a solid black colour, with white hairs spread around elsewhere.

Brindle

An even-spread mixture of black, white and brown hairs on a Guinea Pig’s coat.

Silver

Simply, put a dark-coloured coat spread with silver hairs.

Bicolour

A Guinea Pig’s coat is called a Bicolour coat when it is made up of two different solid colours, thus a Tricolour coat whenever there’s three.

Another type of bicolour is the dutch coat, where most of the Guinea Pig’s coat is mostly one colour, or is agouti, with a white saddle (patch) of hair on its back, and a white blaze on the front of their head (nose upwards to their ears).

Yet another type of a Bicolour coat, is called “Dalmatian”, as their coat is white with black spots. This is much like the Dalmatian doggo.

Tricolour

And here we are, finally at the Tricolour coats! Well, this is obviously going to have three colours in a coat of this type.

Tortoiseshell

Very similar to tortoiseshell cats (meow), Guinea Pigs with this coat have read and black blocks of coloured hairs, and can also be Tricoloured when White is in the mix, and can therefore (ironically) be called “Tortoiseshell and white”.

Self-pattern

This basically means, the guinea pig only has one colour for it’s entire coat. Some colours (the most common of which) are as follows: White, buff (a dark-cream colour), cream, gold, lilac (a light shade of grey), slate, chocolate, red-beige (a mahogany brownish-red)

Guinea Pigs Behaviours and Body Language: A brief introduction

 I have found that this is one of the more interesting topics when it comes to keeping your Guinea Pigs happy, Taming your Guinea Pigs, and generally understanding them. As always I do warn you that I am not a vet, I just do lost of research from many different sources, to make sure I get it right, and from my own understanding & knowledge. 

• Begging for food
  This usually happens when they're hungry, if you forgot to fill-up their food bowl, or if they're thinking that you might feed them. One instance of this is when my Guinea Pigs have Squeaked quite loudly whenever I open or close the fridge, mess around with a paper bag (because the Pellets I buy them comes in a paper bag), etc.
• Popcorning
  When a Guinea Pig is exited, they can hop up in the air, run around and quickly turn in another direction and jumping some more. This usually happens more in Guinea Pigs which are younger. One of my older Guinea Pigs (who's sadly not with us anymore) popcorned at the age of 7, which I'm quite surprised about, to this day.
• Running away and hiding when you try to pick them up
  This is a natural defence instinct, which of course needs you to be patient. When a Guinea Pig does this, they are not rejecting you, they're just not used to being picked up for one or more of the following: 
  
• Being picked up from above,
• It is first time that they're being picked up, and there are a lot more reasons than that short list!
• Running Laps
  This is normal for every Guinea Pig. As Guinea Pigs can't use excersice wheels, I make sure they have a open space for them to do this. Similar to how athletes run around a track, Guinea Pigs do this to burn off some steam.
• Sniffing
  They're just curious about something, or they're making sure that you are who your smell says you are! Or, they could be trying to find some more food, or wondering what's going on out there.
• Scent Markings
  This is how Guinea Pigs mark their territory and/or property. They'll rub their chins, cheeks and backside on those items/areas. They can sometimes do this on the sides of their cage which they usually are.
• Freezing
  When they're scared, or think they are in danger, they simply just freeze. This usually happens when an unusual sound (e.g. plate falling to the ground and breaking) or when it's startled, or uncertain about its surroundings. 
• Tossing/Pushing you away with their head/moving it up into the air
  This could be when they are annoyed with being petted on their head or in a different area (or even with tunnels and flipping them over - well it could be just my Guinea Pigs, who knows). Its a way of saying "Stop that human!". I would personally recommend to do what they say when they do that.
• Licking your hand (or only one specific person's hand)
  And here we go.... Some people think of it as a sight of affection by the Guinea Pig, but not always. Yes, this could be a sign that they are comfortable near you, but you could just have a bit of salt (from sweat) or if you were cutting up some veggies for them, you could have some of the juices from those Vegetables still on your hands.
  
• Fidgeting when being held
  In my personal experience, if I do nothing about this: I end up getting weed on (not nice). This can be interpreted as they guinea pig saying "I NEED THE LOO!".
• Teeth chattering
  If you hear this, you've most likely either scared your Guinea Pig, or done something that makes it angry. This behaviour is usually said to be a pattern of anger or being upset. 
  If it is directed at you, move away to respect its wishes so that it feels better.
• Nibbling
  When I got my recent two piggies (Nugget and Teddy), I had noticed a huge chunk missing from my hoodie. Within 2 minuets of noticing that, I got weed on. Usually this is a way for them to say "I need the loo, but not right this second", or its to say "take me back to my house". This can also be observed from younger Guinea Pigs who are testing their limits, and seeing if your clothing is food, or even your finger/s!
• Biting (owch)
  It can be quite rare, but not so unusual. There can be many different reasons that they could bite you, so it's quite hard to guess which one:
• It could be the result of an accident, e.g. if you were hand-feeding your pig which therefore your Guinea Pig may bit you thinking it was the food.
• If your Guinea Pig is upset, angry, defensive or even annoyed at you or someone else.
• A result of a skin problem such as mites, so holding, stroking or touching them could cause severe discomfort, therefore they'd try to do anything to stop that pain (in that case, see a vet as soon as you possibly can).
• Not closing its eyes
  This is normal in the sense that it is a natural defence instinct, so they can see a predator coming even when they are asleep. They only ever close it if they feel very, very relaxed and safe.
• Stretching
  A guinea pig normally will stretch out while yawning at the same exact time. It is quite a cute experience to watch and observe

11 Tips to keep your Guinea Pigs happy and Healthy

Guinea pigs are very sensitive to many different things such as the temperature, sounds, and more. I have decided to compile a few tips on 11 Tips to keep your Guinea Pigs happy and Healthy

1. Leads/Leashes are never a good idea as it can hurt a cavy’s spine and it restricts movement.
2. Hamster Wheels should never be used, and your Guinea Pigs wont look very cute when their spine isn’ in one piece. Guinea pigs don’t have the flexibility of a Hamster, therefore a wheel is just a waste of money.
3. Only having one guinea pig wont be much fun for you or the Guinea pig. They’re social animals and usually live in herds or pairs. When there’s only one of them, they’ll be lonely, and possibly become depressed.
4. Direct sunlight won’t help them much either. Long-haired Guinea Pigs are far more susceptible to heat-stroke as they have longer hair, but that doesn’t mean that if your Guinea Pig has short hair you can leave them in Direct Sunlight either. Piggies need to be kept at around 18 Degrees C.
5. Improper diets can make your piggies bellies rumble as they need a range of foods and nutrients. Burgers won’t do much good to your Guinea Pigs.
6. A small therefore unsuitable cage won’t benefit then too, as they cannot exercise or explore. This is another way for them to become depressed.
7. Not enough water or hay is highly dangerous as all animals need water, yet hay is needed (among other safe foods) to wear down their ever-growing teeth. If they don’t wear it down fast enough, Malocclusion may therefore be the result.
8. Wire-mesh cage flooring such as bare C&C cages, or any other for that matter could harm your Guinea Pig’s feet!
9. Not enough Vitamin C within the food they eat and/or their generic diet. They should be getting enough Vitamin C in their food. 
10. Artificial Food additives aren’t too great either as it could possibly be toxic! Especially if it is in their water, so avoid carbonated water (sparkling) and other such additions. For example, never add salt or Vitamin C as they should already be getting enough from their diet.
11. Rarely cleaning your Guinea Pig’s cage will firstly produce ewy smells, bacteria will also take over, mould will thrive, etc. So, I personally wouldn’t want to live in that situation.

Wheek of the Week - 1

This week has had a lot of updates to the site within this week. I have been heavily thinking about expanding the content on the site for areas such as Medications, dangerous meds, etc.

I am happy and proud to also announce that The Guinea Pig has reached its peak this month of 200+ views on the 7th August 2022.

This year, I am further planning on writing a minimum of 3 posts a day, whether it be about medical conditions, the needs of guinea pigs, or even tips and tricks for these wheeking little furballs.

Teddy and Nugget having breakfast.

I may currently be on holiday, 230 miles away from home, but I’m still going to keep posting! Plus, the google nests camera works quite well and has a surprisingly good quality to it (see the image above).

This weeks highlights:

• Added pages such as: Medical (a list of medical conditions and illnesses with some possible causes), Care Guide (the basic needs of your Guinea Pigs, ideal for new owners and experienced owners)
• Reached this months peak of 200+ views on 7th August 2022
• Ideas and possible starts on the Medications list and dangerous meds too.

I have lots of things to do regarding content on this site, so I’ll be working hard to do so! If anyone has any suggestions or feedback, I’d be more than happy to read through it and make improvements!

Cleaning your Guinea Pig's Cage

Guinea Pigs need a clean, yet safe environment to live in. No matter what you use as a bedding material, you should always clean them with 3-4 days from the last clean, that's around once a week. There are some smells and odours which humans cannot smell which may be on an old, or refurbished cage which you should try to remove. This is usually when Guinea Pigs are trying to mark their territory, a bit like dogs but less urine involved.

You should consider what cleaning supplies you're going to be using. Trash bags, handheld broom and dustpan and a disinfectant (Note: Some disinfectants are harmful to Guinea pigs as it could contain chemicals which may either be poisonous or generally harmful, such as coniferous tree sap, which is a natural disinfectant which can harm Guinea Pig's respiratory systems).

Your Guinea pig's cage should be cleaned at the minimum: once a week. If you're using s fleeces, make sure to have backup fleeces and wash them every 2-3 days as they'll get quite smelly. On the other hand, if you're using wood-based bedding, make sure to clean it often as it may get soggy. If you have high-quality absorbent bedding, then most of the urine and smells should be in the bedding, therefore you can take out a dust pan and dump it all in a trash bag. Remember to put your guinea pigs somewhere safe and make sure they're okay every now and again.

Personally, I would usually clean out the bedding every week, then clean the other bits and bobs such as the bottomless tunnels and hiding-places, Water Bottles and Food Bowls every 2 weeks. 

When cleaning water bottles and food bowls, I would recommend boiling some water and putting it into the bowl & bottle/s to kill any potential bacteria. Never use disinfectant for food-related items as it can therefore harm your guinea pig's health. Don't give them the boiled water from the bottle, and make sure that it's fresh when you're ready to give it back to them

Recommended Disinfectants/Cleaners:

• 50/50 Water and Vinegar (make sure to rinse away the smell afterwards)
  
• Any small pet-safe disinfectant spray.

Further Notes

Make sure that once fully cleaning their cage is dry before putting your Guinea Pigs back in. This is because when something is wet, it has a higher possibility to grow mold and therefore harm your Guinea Pig.

Malocclusion and Elongated Roots

 Maloccluded teeth are teeth in which have not worn down properly and have over grown.

Guinea pig's teeth are always growing, which means they have to wear down their teeth to ensure that their teeth do not hurt them, or over grow. When a guinea pig has over-grown teeth, they may struggle to eat or drink, therefore Anorexia would be a side-affect of having over-grown teeth.

Generic signs of Malocclusion

A guinea pig may be finding it hard to eat, or only picking at its food. The mouth of a guinea pig which is suffering with malocclusion may hang slightly open. As usual, by the time most owners notice, their pet would've already lost a lot of weight. Since the mouth may not be able to close properly or at all due to the over-grown teeth. 

Note: The best thing you can do to make sure that your piggies are of a healthy weight is to put them in a weighing scale. Keep a note of this just in case there's an anomaly in their weight.

Diagnosis

If you think that your Guinea Pig has Malocclusion and/or Elongated Roots, make sure to see a Vet as soon as you possibly can. Many Guinea Pigs have been misdiagnosed and the malocclusion has gone untreated. For this reason I recommend that if you have the slightest thought of this happening, make sure to see a vet.

Basic Diet for Guinea Pigs

 Guinea Pigs need certain Vitamins, Nutrients and Minerals which can differ a lot from other rodents such as Rabbits or Hamsters. 

Hay or Fresh/Dried Grass
These should be 80% of their daily intake. In the wild they mostly eat grasses as their native environment is usually situated within Temperate Grasslands, Woodlands or in extreme conditions, Low-Mountainous Environments. However, if you want to introduce fresh grass to them, you should do introduce it slowly, with a small amount and increasing the amount slowly, which would therefore not upset their stomachs. Make sure not to give Guinea Pigs sopping wet grass, which could give them too much water. This can be similar to humans drinking too much water (water intoxication). Also make sure not to feed your piggies any grass which has had animal faeces or urine, which could therefore be poisonous (or any pesticides for that matter), another problem could be if you feed any grass which has been put through, or cut via a lawn mower as it has been through something that may be oily or have other such elements/compounds which may be poisonous to Guinea Pigs, in addition to this; who would want to eat something that was cut by a machine or strimmer.

Guinea Pigs need good quality hay, and most turn to timothy hay, as it is rich on nutrition and fibres. Hay can also wear down Guinea Pig's teeth which is a great thing as their teeth never stop growing. They need a constant supply and constant access. Hay racks a great, however they can obstruct the access to the hay, thus resulting in your piggies eating less hay in comparison to keeping a small or large pile of hay.

Vegetables
An estimated need for veggies is 15% of their entire diet. Make sure that you feed them a good mix of different veggies. You can include Carrots, Bell peppers, celery, beetroot, kale, cucumber and a whole lot more. I personally give my piggies 2 Bowls of veggies a day, which is 1 bowl per piggie.

Pellets
This should be 5% of their food, which should be only a supplementary food. These pellets shouldn't be based on grains or seeds. The best pellets are cylindrical shaped, and should offer a good rand of vitamins and other such nutrients.

Some piggies don't eat a lot of these pellets which is perfectly fine, just make sure they're still eating and drinking other foods which is in their diet. If they're not eating at all, they may be experiencing Anorexia (Read about it here)

Water
This specific liquid is very important to every animal alive, as it is the building blocks of life. Make sure your Guinea Pigs have a constant supply of water, either from a bottle and sipping tube. However it also needs to be fresh and clean. Make sure to clean their bottle often as well.

Anorexia (Refusal to eat or drink)

 A guinea pig's health can deteriorate very fast. By the time the illness or any problems are noticed, these illnesses may be life-threatening. Fast, competent veterinary care is crucial to saving a life of a sick Guinea Pig. When an illness is found early, they (in some situations) may be able to be cured with a course of antibiotics which are safe for guinea pigs.

Anorexia

Anorexia occurs when a Guinea Pig refuses to eat or drink. This can be extremely serious, as your pet's organs will shut down because of the lack of food and drink. After as few as 16 to 20 hours of Anorexia, liver cells being to break down. Onwards from that point your Guinea Pig's state will only worsen.

If you suspect or know your Guinea Pig is not eating or drinking, visit a vet immediately to determine the cause, thus bringing the possibility of treating this.

Anorexia can also be seen as eating very little. If no faeces or urine are being passed, and your Guinea Pig is not eating, you must seek veterinary care immediately! In addition, a pet which is loosing weight (or if young, failing to gain) is also at a great risk of Anorexia. Guinea Pigs are very vulnerable because of their need for Vitamin C and a tendency to develop ketosis.

There is a large variety of causes for anorexia, some of which may include

• Wide temperature swings
• Water Deprivation
• Changes in their diet
• Poisoning
• Loss of a cage mate
• Mechanical problems with feeders or sipper tubes
• Dental malocclusion
• Pain
• Obesity
• Loss of smell
• Oral lacerations
• An aggressive cage mate pre venting another's eating.
• Food changes (too hard or unpalatable food, or even a poorly designed diet)
• Infectious diseases (such as pneumonia)
• Metabolic disorders such as Vitamin C deficiency or renal failure

Some guinea pigs prescribed antibiotics (especially baytril) will and can stop eating. If this does happen, the vet should be notified and consideration given to switching to a different antibiotic which is suitable for Guinea Pigs.

The most common causes Guinea Pig owners usually encounter for Anorexia are illnesses such as a bacterial respiratory infection, malocclusion, antibiotic intolerance, pain and sometimes the loss of a cage mate.

Diagnosing Anorexia

A Guinea Pig may seem hungry and would like to eat or may be "truly anorexic". A Diagnosis will be based upon information about their diet, environment, recent changes, character of urine and faeces.

DISCLAIMER

I am not a vet. The purpose of this posts and similar ones is to spread awareness, but not to give medical advice. If you are not sure about your pets health, always consult a qualified vet first.

Is a Guinea Pig the right pet for you?

The domestic cavy is the only species of guinea pig which can be kept as a pet, living for an average 5-8 years. Guinea pigs are sociable animals, thus its important and ethical if you keep then in groups of 2 or more. Just because it may be easy to look after Guinea Pigs, doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared. On the very exiting day which you take your furballs home, you'll most likely feel better knowing you're ready to give them the best life you possibly can.

Quick note about caring for Guinea Pigs

Guinea Pigs don't usually like loud noises, thus meaning that most people keep them outside in a hutch. However some people keep them indoors in an area which everyone within the household tries to keep as quiet as possible. You should get a cage, enclosure or hutch as big as you can. Don't buy small plastic cages as they can be far too small, and your Piggies will quickly become Depressed. They need a large area with shelter to hide from scary things or to relax. Make sure they cannot escape from their hutch, enclosure or cage! (See our post on cage size guidelines).

Guinea Pigs need plenty of Vitamin C and and lots of fibre, so make sure you keep an eye out for this in their food. You also need to ensure that they have fresh and easily accessible water and hay, as well has pellet food or equivalent. Don't buy or feed treats or food to Guinea Pigs until you know that it is safe for them to eat. There's a huge list of Dos and Don'ts with Guinea Pigs, for example don't buy salt licks as their food should already contain the salt that they need to survive. Too much salt can be very unhealthy and could possibly result in death.