Unexpected new Guinea pig owner. (Australia)

Ann had a few things to say to them when she went up there on Monday. She said they are all quite skinny and the mum look very sickly. She would not show me them all but the ones I did see 😢 she will also be contacting the RSPCA. I think she knows the right things to say. And explain it way better then I ever could.
The difference with Ann a she can't lose her temper with them. As she is a rescue worker. Type thing so She is like after going out there I'm glad you did. Cos man I wanted to.
 
Also guinea pigs and chewing on cardboard? Is that OK?
Hi, yes that’s fine, however is he kept in a cardboard box as he could chew a hole in it and get to the others/escape? If/when he’s in a hutch he may start to chew the bars from time to time. I’m not sure wether this is a sign of wanting attention, excitement (for food usually), boredom or distress....
 
Ok update, The mushed up pellets with water in a sringe is working! Took a bit, to work out a way to do it so she was not so squirmy, load noises, all distressed and trying to get away even with a blanket and for her to work out it was just food. But I kept talking to and patting her between it all and then I finally found a position (pretty much on my chest rugged up) and she clamed right down not so noisy and unhappy with the hole process. Was awkward to feed her like that by myself, so with some team work and me just talking with her and my partener working with the syringe we got somewhere. To the point that she was even making like cute little noises.... I don't know how to explain it... (it's not a noise I had hired from her) but it was no the same noises as befor. so I like to think it was a happy noise. But at least she is eating it! Even if it took some time to work out a position that she was comfortable with. It's morning now. Shr ate a far bit of the carrot (not alot) all the baby spinich and some hay. So my partner ia going to go to the pet shop and try the diffrent hay. See if she likes that any better. I will get him to grab some alfafa too
And then we will try the syringe feeding again.

Syinge feeding video: Syringe Training Before The Need For Medicating
Judging the amounts of what and how to feed in 24 hours: Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

All the best! You are a very caring piggy mum!
 
Hi, yes that’s fine, however is he kept in a cardboard box as he could chew a hole in it and get to the others/escape? If/when he’s in a hutch he may start to chew the bars from time to time. I’m not sure wether this is a sign of wanting attention, excitement (for food usually), boredom or distress....
Yeah majora bits the bars I asked Ann when she was here she said it pretty normal, if you can get them out of the habit of it try as it can chip a tooth. But they grow back... I just was not sure on cardborad. And no they can't get to each other. We go in next week to see how link is traveling. But no major alarm bells. But man did he let one rip . And the smelt wow it was so bad 😂 but at least it let us know his bowels 100% moving 😂
 
In more amusing news, Hades is an escape artist , we need a bigger tarp on something (we are working on an actual home for them all). He gets out through the bars and then he full jumps over the tarp 😯 he did it a few times before but today/tonighT like man come on six times in a row, I played rodeo with a guinea pig.
It's more I'm worried for his safety, here in Australia we do have spiders and we also have stairs at ours... So tomorrow am even bigger tarp maybe make shift top, hopefully that will stop Mr, Houdini.
 
Update - mix of good and bad, Little link has went down hill, so his heart is better the antibiotics helped him... However.... But yesterday I noticed his poop was a little off, it was not the right shape Bit dry yet a little runny, eating drinking fine though, so I was a little concerned called my vet, she said just keep an eye on him mush up the pellets in water maybe he is not being use to eating them are upsetting him. Keep a close eye on him, (we had an appointment for Friday so it was concern but eating, drinking fine...) this morning full on diarrhea like running down my arm blob at his rear. Immediate or the phone to the vet, We have stopped all antibiotics, The vet is giving him a couple of days to hopefully turn it around naturally as she thinks it could be the antibiotics as he was all signs of imprisonment all positives... But today when I got up to go through the morning routine I pick him up and it's running down my arm and his tummy is swollen. I call Links Vet immediately! I'm no guinea pig whisperer but I'm pretty sure diarrea is not good. And of course she says to bring him in, I'm like I will have to call you back as I don't have a car and my partner is at work so let me get hold of him or a mate. So thankfully his work let him get out for a few hours.

He is eating and drinking fine still very active. And his weight has been improving and no has no signs of the infection. She could hear his little heart beat normal (while before she could not) So our vet thinks that maybe it's the antibiotics have worked and ran the course and due to this they are not required and they a stuffing up his guts, so if taking him off the meds does not allow his body to naturally fix it-self he will be going back in in two days, for more intensive care. As he is eating and drinking all on his own. No need for critical care or syringe feeding (like he was in the start) and he has even been eating pellets all on his own so all improvements the only difference what is poop. So this is why she thinks/hopes it's just the antibiotics give him a few days off them an see if that corrects it self, if not it is something more serious and he will be going under more intensive care. Poor little guy.

I also checked out the other two, just incase it's some type of virus, they appear fine. And the fungal is clearly up so well, but We also took in the other two just to be safe in case it was some type of virus. She was so wonderful she didn't even charge us for the vist. Also she gave us some critical care (as its apparently impossible to find) just invade.

So have Link in your prayers.
 
Link is so lucky to have such a caring and loving owner as you @Little trinquet! A lot of people would have given up on him by now.
Thanks, no I will not give up on him, he is a little fighter. Unless it is in His best interest and we have to put him so sleep or something. I will fight for him, We have all Been through to much with him so just give up on him. Lots of poo everywhere. And it's smelly but we have been told keep him warm, I am studying with an old blanket on the bed with him on that, mostly as he will not stop squicking if he is not with me or if I leave the room to pee. So he doesn't want to be alone. So we do what we have to sometimes I guess.
 

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Can your vet offer you a probiotic to help replace the natural bacteria in his gut as I am guessing the antibiotics may have killed all the good bacteria that normally live there. I think you can also make poo soup from the poop of a healthy piggy. I'm sure one of the experts on here can advise on this. Maybe @Wiebke can help.
 
The poo soup she did say that is a good option, if he stops eating and she did give us critical care also if he stops eating/drinking in his own to keep his guts moving. we have done that with the other twos poop, Right now he is hay, water (lots of water) and pellets only no veggies for the moment. To see if he's tummy will correct itself.
 
The poo soup she did say that is a good option, if he stops eating and she did give us critical care also if he stops eating/drinking in his own to keep his guts moving. we have done that with the other twos poop, Right now he is hay, water (lots of water) and pellets only no veggies for the moment. To see if he's tummy will correct itself.

All the best! These tiny ones that haven't had much in the way of the natural protection that comes with their mother's milk (especially the first one) are sadly more susceptible to problems as their immune system is not as strong and takes longer to build up.

One tip: use poos that have literally just dropped out from a healthy piggy's bottom for poo soup. the fresher, the more effective poo soup is. At its freshest, it is more effective than probiotics.

You are doing all the right things! :tu:
 
All the best! These tiny ones that haven't had much in the way of the natural protection that comes with their mother's milk (especially the first one) are sadly more susceptible to problems as their immune system is not as strong and takes longer to build up.

You are doing all the right things! :tu:
Thanks, and yeah that is exactly what the vet said. We don't want to over load him as he is so small, if taking him off the antibiotics does not correct itself naturally then he will go under more intensive care.
Right now just let the antibiotics get out of his system and hope it corrects itself. We take him back in say two to three days. Then we go more the Intensive care.
 
Thanks, and yeah that is exactly what the vet said. We don't want to over load him as he is so small, if taking him off the antibiotics does not correct itself naturally then he will go under more intensive care.
Right now just let the antibiotics get out of his system and hope it corrects itself. We take him back in say two to three days. Then we go more the Intensive care.

Or if he stops eating, drunking a thing that could stop his guts moving. Then we just take him in immediately.
 
His poo is still really runny today, And talk about our wake up call at 6am, he is like my little fluff child, he woke up and would not stop squicking until he was snuggled up right next to me....

My partner keeps saying well at least we get training for real children... Oh ha.. Ha. You're not the one with poo all over you again 😂 Just get me a coffee....
 
Oh bet it’s so nice that he lives to snuggle tho. Rare in a guinea pig! Lol

Didn't know that 😊 it's only when he is sick so really. And he also does this thin were he needs my approval sometimes like he looks at me and squicks and until I pay his head he will not go back to eating or what ever he was doing. He is a strange little one.
 
Update- his tummy has went down ALOT! it's not like still fully swollen like he is holding his breath but in his belly, and no explosive diarrhea and WHAT is going on?!?!?! his poop is still irregular and squishy, sometimes still runny but way better so improvements. I don't think we are out of the woods, just yet but he is still eating and drinking all fine. But so far taking him if the antibiotics has has a positive effect
Me and him and a one to one today no scaring mummy like that again ok. Not cool Link.

It's funny but if I leave the room to say, to go make yourself lunch, maybe do some laundry clean all the poop, the bathroom.... He is happy eating....ok... Let's go give Hades and Majora some love and spot clean all their little home maybe eat something yourself etc, You think it's that easy? Right? ha ha nope! wrong. if you try to leave, or Link wants you, they will come looking for you. And he will start losing his little mind, sometimes I just had to make shift him a little box to hopefully not stress him out to much, but I have worked out it's only when he is sick. When he is feeling OK its like, I'm a big guinea pig I don't need my mum, leave me alone little door slam 😂 he has personality that's for sure. I wish I could post videos no I could show you all.

Hades is the essence artist but bigger tarp stopped that 😂 and the most chilled

Majora is the hides alot :coat: Bu O think that has to do with him being attacked but the infected bite mark on his back is healing well. And both their fungel infections 😊
 

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Update- links tummy is no longer swallow nice and back to normal. His poop is nice and normal again. The Vet says he everything sounds nice and normal still keep an eye on him as he was so maltreated. But they are all three of them nice happy healthy and healthy little guinea pigs.and we have been right into anything that seemed off so that's good as we are right onto it, and that has 100% saved Links life. Give it a few days then we can introduce them all if we want. Just keep on Hades fungal infection as it is transferable (if course not just to them but us). And majoras little infection on his bum has sacabed up nicely (still keep an eye that) but all in all the are all nice and happy health little piggies 😊
 
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