Concerns about my daughter's new baby guinea pigs...

kristielove

Junior Guinea Pig
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My teenage daughter got 2 new male pigs a few days ago at 16 days old. She has everything they need and handling them often. However, they are not eating nor drinking water, only a few nibbles of spinach. They have plenty of hiding places, has offered them ice cubes and loving on them a lot. I know 16 days is very early for the pigs to leave their mom, but is there anything specific she should be giving them to help with the transition or is this normal stress?
 
Hello and welcome. Oh my goodness, these little fellows should still be with their mum at 16 days. Where have they come from?
Are they indoors? Why are ice cubes being offered? Please don’t give ice or anything vey cold. It can upset tummies.

Please read our pregnancy and baby care guides. Pregnancy & Baby Care Guide's.

They need additional vitamin c, unlimited hay and pellets and additional calcium in the form of specialist alfalfa hay.

Please also read our settling new piggies guides. These guys need time to adjust to their surroundings and to get used to their new homes https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/understanding-prey-animal-instincts-guinea-pig-whispering-and-cuddling-tips.117031/
. I would give them a few days without handling. I would also cover over at least part of their cage to give them privacy and to make them feel less insecure.

given that they will be feeling vulnerable please ensure they have hay, pellets and water all In Close proximity to their hideys so they don’t have to come out into the open to feed.
 
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My teenage daughter got 2 new male pigs a few days ago at 16 days old. She has everything they need and handling them often. However, they are not eating nor drinking water, only a few nibbles of spinach. They have plenty of hiding places, has offered them ice cubes and loving on them a lot. I know 16 days is very early for the pigs to leave their mom, but is there anything specific she should be giving them to help with the transition or is this normal stress?

Hi!

As you mention ice cubes, I assume that you are in Australia? Which state are you in? I know that you are facing record temperatures of 40 C plus in most of the continent today. :(

Here are our tips for hot weather and heat stroke care. Babies that young are extremely vulnerable; they have been separated before the weaning process has actually started, never mind finished and should have never been sold! Are they orphans?
Yours sound like they could be suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which may have caused lethargy and partial or complete GI stasis (the gut has stopped working); we get contacted over those symptoms often uring a heat wave. Please see a vet as an emergency as quickly as you can! it is a life threatening condition.
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

Here are our tips on looking after orphans and babies that need help; support feeding with recovery care has to be handled very carefully as anything going down the wrong way can cause fatal pneumonia. At two weeks the babies have made the transition to eating mainly solids and should not be fed milk replacements anymore.
Please keep in mind that over 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, hay and more hay and NOT veg, which should make only around 10% followed by pellets at 5%.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...pport-feeding-orphans-and-tiny-babies.159468/
 
We are in Texas where the weather is lovely this time of year. I am not concerned about heat or stroke. I just offered the ice thinking maybe they would like to lick it to get some water; maybe they don't know how to drink out of a water bottle yet? However, they didn't.

They are not orphans, rather the mom was a rescue and pregnant when she arrived. She only had 2 babies, and because they were large and growing, we were told they were ready; in addition, because they were boys, they needed to be away from mom at 3 weeks. Is this not accurate? Should we return the babies to their mom for a few more days? They will be 3 weeks old tomorrow.

All of this info is very helpful! Thank you so much!
 
We are in Texas where the weather is lovely this time of year. I am not concerned about heat or stroke. I just offered the ice thinking maybe they would like to lick it to get some water; maybe they don't know how to drink out of a water bottle yet? However, they didn't.

They are not orphans, rather the mom was a rescue and pregnant when she arrived. She only had 2 babies, and because they were large and growing, we were told they were ready; in addition, because they were boys, they needed to be away from mom at 3 weeks. Is this not accurate? Should we return the babies to their mom for a few more days? They will be 3 weeks old tomorrow.

All of this info is very helpful! Thank you so much!

Piggies learn how to drink from a bottle by watching and imitating their elders from around weaning age. A bowl with water would be a better option than an ice cube that can cause major injuries if the tongue is getting stuck to the ice (and yes, it has happened to a forum member piggy!)

Boars start making babies from around 3 weeks of age so that is the normal separation age; so unfortunately that window has closed.
But what you could consider discussing with the rescue if they let you foster a suitable single (ideally adult and not teenage) boar to use as guardian and teacher for your baby boys during the formative 'school weeks', which is the time babies learn to master the environment by shadowing an elder piggy. They reach teenage around 4 months when strong hormone spikes signal the decent of the testicles.
The importance of the school weeks period is grossly underestimated and widely unknown because piggies are traditionally sold as babies. You only notice how much happens when you see babies growing up in a group or with an 'uncle boar' - and how much the babies rely on the company and guidance from an older piggy.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sexing-separating-baby-boars-and-rehoming-babies.109391/

Unfortunately most boar trios with baby boars fail during the teenage months, so I would strongly recommend that you work out a return option for one of the boars that ends up as outsider during that time - it can turn out to be the adult or one of the babies.

But that would be a workable option for the rescue and for you to give your boys the socialisation and guidance that they need but also allowing you to just keep one boar pair for the long term.

Here are some video link to when I let my adult ex-single Dylan meet two three weeks old brothers (which were incidentally born at mine when I emergency holiday boarded a highly pet shop pregnant sow for a local person) so he could choose with boy he was happier with. the other boy went to a local rescue and was chosen by a newly bereaved adult boar as his new friend there. As long as you give the babies space, they can't get harmed (they are far too agile for an adult), not to mention that many more gentle boars make wonderful nursery nurses. I hope that the videos give you a bit of an idea how the integration works.
Dylan and now 1 year old Llelo have both been neutered and live each with their own wife now.




PS: Could you please add your state to location in your account details (accessed by clicking on your username on the top bar). This will make it appear with every post you make and allows us to tailor any advice to what is available and relevant for you, from climate to differing medical and other brand names, vet access etc. We have members and enquiries from all over the world but our default and our most active hours are UK based.
 
They really are not eating the hay, per my daughter. However, they are pooping quite a bit, so I am guessing they are eating. Since she is at a university down in Austin, I just told her she needs to get a scale ASAP.

She did say they came out of their hidey places last night and today, were running around their cage chirping, and seemed very happy.
 
My daughter is an absolute animal lover, and I swear she has got the whispering talent! She decided she needed 'babies' when she continued to get reprimanded on campus for allowing the squirrels to climb up on her and attempting to touch the turtles. After having a hamster, I encouraged her to get something with a bit more of a lifespan, personality, and relational. She has been handling them for hours on her bed the past few days. When she pets their head, their eyes close. Not sure whether she should leave them alone for a few days or continue just as she is doing as they do seem to be getting more comfortable.

Thank you again for all the support!
 
They really are not eating the hay, per my daughter. However, they are pooping quite a bit, so I am guessing they are eating. Since she is at a university down in Austin, I just told her she needs to get a scale ASAP.

She did say they came out of their hidey places last night and today, were running around their cage chirping, and seemed very happy.

Normal cheap kitchen scales will do, as you are just measuring relative weight gain.
Here are our weighing tips - especially with wiggly babies it is not that easy!
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely

But it sounds like they are settling in now!
Here are our piggy whispering tips - using their own social interactive behaviours to communicate. I have observed how my socially most adept guinea pigs have been integrating difficult piggies and dealing with problems. Whoever says that cavies are just boring children's pets has never really looked at them!
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Who is the boss - your guinea pig or you? (this is lesson two in piggy whispering - and it is really effective because you put everything across in the way piggies are wired to think so you make actually sense to them! Again, my own piggies have taught me.) :)
 
They really do seem to love her; I just want to make sure we are interpreting their noises properly and not overstepping boundaries at such an early age. I am confident these pigs are the luckiest in the world to have landed in her hands and heart! They are going to have THE VERY BEST LIFE!
 
Welcome to the forum.
If your concern to do things right for the piggies is anything to go by then they are very lucky indeed to have landed with your family
 
BTW, she is following all of this. I am just a little OCD when it comes to things like this and understanding animals from THEIR perspective.

You daughter is welcome to join in her own right. We are a friendly place that is here to help and support in a practical and not dogmatic way, encouraging everybody to do the best they can do individually. We are all on the same never ending journey - none of us will ever stop learning or forget that all of us have started out with knowing zilch.

Welfare is important, but it won't work if it is preached from the pulpit; you will make much more of an effort and get further if you are helped and supported with practical tips to do the best you can and get as far on your own journey as possible. ;)
 
Weibke, I am certain she will. However, she is crunching for final exams this week and coming to me with questions. I, personally, am the concerned 'grandmother'.

Anyway, we are here for any questions although I won't be around as much in the coming days as I am away on a family visit. But we have other experienced members!
 
Update: the babies are gaining weight beautifully. They are now one month old, and each weigh close to 400 grams! I got to pigsit for the holidays and enjoying them immensely. HOWEVER, they are bickering quite a bit! If not holding them both, one cries for the other. When holding them both, they keep headbutting each other. One already has a tiny little nick out of his ear. Should this be of concern? Is there anything I can do to help them get along better? Is this where the 'Uncle' you mentioned introducing would be helpful?
 
Sorry I don’t remember, are they boys? It may be they’re just trying to sort out their hierarchy, even if they’re young. As for crying for each other, that can happen. Can’t live with, can’t live without 🙄☺️ Just make sure that their cage is big enough and they have two of everything.
 
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