Piggylu
New Born Pup
Hi, sorry if this is long but want to explain the best I can. I have a 3 year old female guinea pig who lost her sister to bloat around a month ago. Both the same age and had them both since they were young, with no other guinea pigs.
She lives in a c&c cage, with an upstairs. The upstairs is cosy and they both would spend a lot of time up there together, mainly to sleep and would mainly run round together and eat downstairs. The guinea pig that died would just go to the toilet wherever, and my current guinea pig would occasionally too, but her favourite spot is a corner toilet downstairs. They both had favourite water bottles, current guinea pig liking downstairs, other guinea pig upstairs.
Since my other guinea pig died she seems completely fine in herself in the day, will come down and eat, sometimes get zoomies and run round, will wheek for veg. I have always worked from home in the room their cage is in so she’s very used to being with me. But at night or if I go out she basically won’t poo at all or at most just a few, and I think not weeing either but it’s harder to tell. I’ve got a camera and she’ll spend the whole time upstairs, with a water bottle and hay, but I don’t think is having much of either. Once I’m back with her she’ll start eating and moving around the cage and eventually start going to the toilet again.
Around 2 weeks ago she sounded like she was squeaking a little in pain occasionally when she went to the toilet for a few days. Took her to the vets, they checked her belly etc said seemed to be no bloating or pain, and they gave her metacam to have for 5 days and it went away. I noticed what looks like a little bit of calcium where she’d been to the toilet too but the vet said it seemed a normal amount. It happened after she’d been alone for a slightly longer period of time for the first time since losing her sister.
I think the same has happened again now, I was out for slightly longer the other day and I think the squeaking when going to the toilet is back.
What I’m guessing is she either is sleeping for too long upstairs at night / when left alone now she’s alone or wants to go to the toilet but is waiting to go downstairs to go, but won’t go down with out me there. So is she holding it in and causing herself bladder issues? Does anyone have any advice on how I can help her? Or know how I can get her into a better toilet routine? I know people will probably suggest getting another guinea pig but I don’t want to get into a cycle of owning more guinea pigs each time one dies as I don’t think I can cope with losing any more. And she always seemed to tolerate her sister rather than enjoy the company, she genuinely seems really happy in my company but I can’t spend 24/7 with her. So I do worry even if I considered another guinea pig if it would cause her stress. Currently I’m leaving a bit of light on and the radio on when I’m not there to make her feel less like I’m not there. She’s also always enjoyed snuggling toys, which she still tends to do when she’s left alone. So I’m just wondering if anyone has any advice or been in a similar situation before? Thanks and sorry this is so long!
She lives in a c&c cage, with an upstairs. The upstairs is cosy and they both would spend a lot of time up there together, mainly to sleep and would mainly run round together and eat downstairs. The guinea pig that died would just go to the toilet wherever, and my current guinea pig would occasionally too, but her favourite spot is a corner toilet downstairs. They both had favourite water bottles, current guinea pig liking downstairs, other guinea pig upstairs.
Since my other guinea pig died she seems completely fine in herself in the day, will come down and eat, sometimes get zoomies and run round, will wheek for veg. I have always worked from home in the room their cage is in so she’s very used to being with me. But at night or if I go out she basically won’t poo at all or at most just a few, and I think not weeing either but it’s harder to tell. I’ve got a camera and she’ll spend the whole time upstairs, with a water bottle and hay, but I don’t think is having much of either. Once I’m back with her she’ll start eating and moving around the cage and eventually start going to the toilet again.
Around 2 weeks ago she sounded like she was squeaking a little in pain occasionally when she went to the toilet for a few days. Took her to the vets, they checked her belly etc said seemed to be no bloating or pain, and they gave her metacam to have for 5 days and it went away. I noticed what looks like a little bit of calcium where she’d been to the toilet too but the vet said it seemed a normal amount. It happened after she’d been alone for a slightly longer period of time for the first time since losing her sister.
I think the same has happened again now, I was out for slightly longer the other day and I think the squeaking when going to the toilet is back.
What I’m guessing is she either is sleeping for too long upstairs at night / when left alone now she’s alone or wants to go to the toilet but is waiting to go downstairs to go, but won’t go down with out me there. So is she holding it in and causing herself bladder issues? Does anyone have any advice on how I can help her? Or know how I can get her into a better toilet routine? I know people will probably suggest getting another guinea pig but I don’t want to get into a cycle of owning more guinea pigs each time one dies as I don’t think I can cope with losing any more. And she always seemed to tolerate her sister rather than enjoy the company, she genuinely seems really happy in my company but I can’t spend 24/7 with her. So I do worry even if I considered another guinea pig if it would cause her stress. Currently I’m leaving a bit of light on and the radio on when I’m not there to make her feel less like I’m not there. She’s also always enjoyed snuggling toys, which she still tends to do when she’s left alone. So I’m just wondering if anyone has any advice or been in a similar situation before? Thanks and sorry this is so long!
