My oldest gp Beans is acting every strangely. I came home to see him in his cage, lying down and then getting up, making a weird movement, itching himself, and laying back down. He only lays down for about 10 seconds before he gets back up again. He also isn't interested in treats or hay. Why does he keep itching?
Hi and welcome!
If your guinea pig is not eating or drinking, please start weighing him daily at the same time in the feeding cycle, ideally either before or after his dinner, instead of just once weekly. Step in with syringe feeding as son as a guinea pig has lost 50g/2 oz. Hay should make up to 80% of the daily food intake.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
It sounds like there is some pain/discomfort/painful/itching that is coming up and that is possibly interfering with his appetite as well. Please see a vet promptly if it is getting worse.
Keep an eye out for mange mites coming up (the bald patches develop from scratching and biting the painful skin, typically in the middle of the back,so they are not yet present in the very early stages), but please do NOT treat them with a low dosed broad spectrum shop product on spec - you can can make things much worse. An acutely affected guinea pig needs proper good quality treatment; by treating on spec at home, you will also prevent a vet from stepping in straight away with a high dosed product. Please be aware that we can only hazard a guess, but not diagnose.
You also need to treat any other guinea pigs in contact. A full mites course consists of 3-4 rounds of an ivermectin product, given at the interval specified by the brand. A very badly affected guinea pig would do best on a course of injections.
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