Sneezing Worries?

[Winnielove]

hi all! I got Winston barely a week ago and have been getting to know him and learning a lot about guinea pigs along the way. One thing I’ve been very afraid of is a URI. I’ve noticed Winston does this thing (linked above) where he will kinda sneeze? I’ve heard this sound as much as three times in a row, but usually it’s pretty sporadic. (Maybe up to 7-8 times a day, but throughout the day.) Sometimes after this noise he will wipe his nose but then that’s it, he will go to sleep. Should I be worried? He doesn’t have a runny/crust nose or eyes, his breathing is normal. https://youtube.com/shorts/oZItJD6tJSo?feature=share

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum.

Piggies don’t get viral infections and as such sneezing is not usually a first sign of a URI. Generally sneezing is a way to clear the airways of dust - such as hay dust. However it can occur is there is an untreated infection present.
Piggies respiratory infections are bacterial and signs such as crackly or noisy breathing are of concern.

However, as he is a new piggy we would recommend a vet check in any event particularly do he has come from a pet shop or private rehoming. A piggy adopted from a reputable rescue centre should ideally have been proper vet checked before adoption.

Does Winston have a friend? If not, then do look to get him a friend (once he has a clean bill of health) as piggies are social animals and should not be kept alone.

 

[Winnielove]

Also I am working on getting his nails trimmed and a bigger cage! his old owners didn’t really noble what to do

 

[Winnielove]

Welcome to the forum.

Piggies don’t get viral infections and as such sneezing is not usually a first sign of a URI. Generally sneezing is a way to clear the airways of dust - such as hay dust. However it can occur is there is an untreated infection present.
Piggies respiratory infections are bacterial and signs such as crackly or noisy breathing are of concern.

However, as he is a new piggy we would recommend a vet check in any event particularly do he has come from a pet shop or private rehoming. A piggy adopted from a reputable rescue centre should ideally have been proper vet checked before adoption.

Does Winston have a friend? If not, then do look to get him a friend (once he has a clean bill of health) as piggies are social animals and should not be kept alone.
One

Yes! I am working on getting him a friend. I applied for another Guinea at a local shelter and am waiting to hear back.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Definitely get him seen by a vet, if he is a private rehome, before you get him a friend. You need to be sure he is fully healthy before putting him through the stress of bonding and before exposing another piggy to a potential contagion/infection.

Two boys together need a 180x60cm cage. They are more territorial and need a lot of space.
Below are some guides detailing the specifics of boar pairs but also the correct neutral territory process for bonding piggies

Do you know how old is he?

Thread 'A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars'

May 5, 2019

1 Common myths and misconceptions
2 The different ages (including teenage)
- Important biological facts
- The formative 'School Weeks' (3 weeks - ca. 4 months)
- The Teenage Months (ca. 4-14 months)
- The Adult Years (ca. 15 months - ca. 4-5 years)
- The Golden Age (ca. 4-5 years until end of life)
3 What do boars need? (List of boar dos and don'ts)
- Space, space and more space!
- Respecting the hierarchy
- The 'one for each...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

Thread 'Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics'

Jan 23, 2019

1 Introduction
2 Pre-bonding
- Quarantine and sexing
- The need for a plan B
- The rule-breaker: Youngsters under 4 months (sub-teenage)
3 Setting up an introduction
- Getting to know each other
- ‘Buddy baths’ – why not
- Scent swapping - why not
- Setting up a neutral bonding area
- How to start the bonding
4 Acceptance phase: Do we like...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

 

[Winnielove]

Definitely get him seen by a vet, if he is a private rehome, before you get him a friend. You need to be sure he is fully healthy before putting him through the stress of bonding and before exposing another piggy to a potential contagion/infection.

Two boys together need a 180x60cm cage. They are more territorial and need a lot of space.
Below are some guides detailing the specifics of boar pairs but also the correct neutral territory process for bonding piggies

Do you know how old is he?

Thread 'A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars'

May 5, 2019

1 Common myths and misconceptions
2 The different ages (including teenage)
- Important biological facts
- The formative 'School Weeks' (3 weeks - ca. 4 months)
- The Teenage Months (ca. 4-14 months)
- The Adult Years (ca. 15 months - ca. 4-5 years)
- The Golden Age (ca. 4-5 years until end of life)
3 What do boars need? (List of boar dos and don'ts)
- Space, space and more space!
- Respecting the hierarchy
- The 'one for each...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

Thread 'Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics'

Jan 23, 2019

1 Introduction
2 Pre-bonding
- Quarantine and sexing
- The need for a plan B
- The rule-breaker: Youngsters under 4 months (sub-teenage)
3 Setting up an introduction
- Getting to know each other
- ‘Buddy baths’ – why not
- Scent swapping - why not
- Setting up a neutral bonding area
- How to start the bonding
4 Acceptance phase: Do we like...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

Thank you! Will schedule an exam for him today. He is 11 months.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

You will find this link here helpful.

Thread 'New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights'

Jun 24, 2018

1 Double-checking the gender upon arrival
- Sexing
- Pregnancies and surprise babies
2 When to quarantine new companions?
3 Vet visits
- Health check/registration upon arrival
- Reclaiming vet cost for newly bought ill guinea pigs
4 Common illnesses in new guinea pigs
- Ringworm
- Respiratory infection (URI)
5 List of guinea pig...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

Best make sure that he doesn't have anything infectious before bringing another pigy home and have a plan B (next door companionship) in case a bonding is not working out.

You may find our guides very helpful. They talk you through things in a bit more depth than we can in a single post so you can make better informed decisions. New ownership always comes with lots of questions and unanticipated practical issues but you will get there. Firstly, give your new boy time to settle in and have him vet checked.