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polydactyly?!?

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Deleted member 146692

I just got a new Guinea pig, his name is chandler (chandler-bing from friends😂) once we got him they lady told us he’s ONLY 3 weeks old. But I just noticed he has a extra toe on his left back foot, the toes just hanging there. We called the vet but the receptionist said she won’t be back until next Wednesday. Our vet is not an exotic’s vet.
I will avoid doing anything removing that toe at home.

I was also wondering what vegetables to feed him, is there any I should avoid?
 
I just saw that there’s an extra toe on the right back foot too
 
He may only be 3 weeks old... guinea pigs are born precocious (with fur, teeth, claws- the works!) and as such they grow up quickly. Three weeks is really young to sell, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen! Is he with other pigs? Babies in particular really benefit from other mentor pigs at a formative age.

As for his toes, polydactyly does happen in guinea pigs... it's a genetic cause. The vet may choose to surgically remove the extra digits if they are poorly formed or likely to catch on things, but it's not an emergency and it can wait for the vet to return on Wednesday.

There's a guide about vegetables to feed and avoid in a sticky post at the top of the page of the food page... I'll try to post a link.

Edible And Forbidden Veg And Fruit List With Vitamin C Grading

Because he's new and really young, I would introduce veggies slowly... they aren't essential to his diet and you don't want to upset his stomach when he's already under stress!
 
He’s living in a Midwest cage with my two year old male Skyler, right next to them is my two year old female pumpkin and the 8 week old female Penelope, we just got her yesterday:)
 
I agree with everything Freela has said about his toe.

In terms of the cage, a Midwest is usually too small for a boar pair. Boar pairs are more territorial and need more room. Lack of space can cause problems in their relationship particularly once the baby turns a teenager (16 weeks of age). Boars need a cage 150x60cm as a minimum but 180x60cm is recommended. A midwest is only 120x60cm and boars can often struggle in a cage of that size.

Cage Size Guide

As you have a sow pair right next door to them, you need to be careful that neither of the boars are able to escape their cage and get in with the sows - you dont want the sows getting pregnant.
Hopefully the boars will be ok with having sows living next door as the baby will boar will grow up being used to sow smells, but you do need to be aware that having a sow pair next to a boar pair can cause a reaction in the boys. Boar pairs do have the potential to fight and fall out if they can smell sows. Its recommended that if you have to have a boar pair and a sow pair in the same room, that their cages are as far apart from each other as possible.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

I see Freela has added the link for the safe/unsafe veg but I'll also add our other feeding guide for you to look at

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
 
You’ve been given great advice in the threads above.

Don’t panic about the extra toes. As the others have said, depending on their location and constitution and after they may catch on things, the very May either decide to leave them alone or to remove them. If the decision is taken to remove them it’s unlikely to be for some time as he’s very young.

3 weeks really is an exceptionally young age for rehoming. He should really have been kept with his dad for a few more weeks. Hopefully he’s doing well with your boar.

It’s really not good idea to keep boars next to sows. Boars are amazingly agile when they can smell a sow in season and can perform amazing feats of gymnastics to get themselves into girls’ cages and runs. Also, as @Piggies&buns has said, the scent of sows can cause even well bonded boars to fight. If you can’t keep them in separate rooms then please move them as far apart as possible, keep the room well ventilated and always handle the boars and their cages first so you aren’t transferring sow scent into their cage.
 
I have been planning on getting two more Midwest cages so that both pairs would have more space, though I’m not sure the other people in the house would let me I’m trying my best to convince them. The older guinea pigs have been next to each other their whole lives, they where bought from the same litter. And they freak out when they can’t see each other? We have cats and dogs in the house so the cages have tops on at all times, and we keep them on a table in my bedroom, my room is quite small so I can’t really separate them much and it’s the only room i’m able to keep them in.
The males are getting along great! And the females are doing ok🥰.

I’ll try my best, thank you for the advice!
 
Could you stack their cages somehow? The sows could be on the floor while the boars are on a table above them? You really do need to find a solution where they’re not next to each other. If you’re struggling for space now then it will be even worse if (hopefully not) they were to fall out and have to live as neighbours. Hope you find a solution that works for everyone.
 
As I had said my room is quite small, so I couldn’t move them to far away from each other. But I took the females off of the table and put two side tables I had together so that their cage would fit on it. The tables that the girls are on are lower than the guys so they can’t see each other. I think it’ll do for now, I’ll try to get another actual table for the girls in a few months. 🙂
 
Having the girls lower than the boys is safest as you do not want any sow pheromones going near the boys.
Now they have their own friends the older boar and sow do not need to be able to see each other
There is a risk in having a sow near your younger boar as once he becomes a hormonal teenager, things can easily change
 
I was wondering if I hung a drape between the cages if it would help to make them feel more separated?
 
Any divider between a boar pair cage and a sow cage ideally needs to be higher and wider than the cage itself. The aim is to reduce any sow pheromones making it to the boar pair. This also includes ensuring you only ever deal with the boar pair first so as to not risk transferring any smells on your hands/clothes etc.

There is a section in this guide which deals with the subject of having boar pairs and sows in the same room
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
 
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