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ACCOMMODATION & BEDDING

The bigger the better. If your guinea pig is not to live in the house then ideally it will be kept in a shed or outbuilding which lets in daylight but is draft free.  Alternatively the guinea pig can be kept indoors. Experience has proven that it is normally preferable for females only to be kept indoors, unless your boys totally adore each other! or they have the space the size of a bathroom.

The accommodation which should have locks, should be off the floor and protected from the elements and predators such as foxes, rats, some dogs, some cats, some birds and some children.  Foxes and rats are good at opening hutch doors and digging or chewing.  The hutch should have a bedroom end which should be dark and snug.  During the cold, damp months it should be brought into a shed or outbuilding which lets in daylight but not drafts.

                                                            

A thick bedding of short chopped straw on newspaper is our first choice with an abundance of shredded paper in the bedroom end.  Hay must be availalabe at all times for eating, off the floor in a hay rack.  Because it can carry lice and fungal spores it is not suitable as bedding but okay to eat as long as it is dry, clean and sweet smelling.  For our hayracks we use ordinary, clean, sweet smelling farm hay.  Research has proven that sawdust or woodshavings can  cause respiratory problems or the aroma can have adverse affects.

You will need ceramic bowls rabbit size and  water bottles.  Keep the water bottles and water spout clear of algae as this harbours bacteria, one hay rack, and an anti-bacterial spray for use when cleaning. A salt or mineral lick and a tunnel would be ideal but not essential. 

           

A grass run with easy access is preferable.  It should have a lid and a shaded area.  You will need a floored nest box.  Never leave you guinea pig in a grass run overnight, foxes or rats will dig underneath to get to them.  The run should be moved on to fresh grass every time it is going to be used.  The run can also be moved to a concrete area which will help to keep the nails trimmed.  Make sure there is nothing around which may be harmful to your guinea pig like plastic sweet wrappers, posionous weeds ( see Peter Guerney's website) and dog excrement.

Spring Grass - Allow no more than 20 minutes for the first few visits and build on that.  If you leave them on new spring grass all day expect a bout of bloat in the not too distant future.  This condtion is often detected too late and a painful death follows.

     

THE KEY TO A GOOD GUINEA PIG DIET  

Do not feed too much of the same thing too often (excluding hay).  Guinea pigs teeth grow throughout their lives, they therefore need to be kept down with an abundance of hay and some dry feed.  The dry feed should not contain chemical colourants as they can give the symptoms of diabetes amongst other abnormalites.  The ingredients list has to, by law state whether this chemical is included.  Once you have found a supplier of chemical colourant free food you will need to check with each purchase as companys sometimes change suppliers which could mean the addition of the chemical colourant. If you buy your guinea pig food from a bin you need to ask the shop to show the bag it was supplied in (or a new bag).  The bin also needs to be clean and should not have the feed stuck to the sides indicating old feed or damp. The scoop needs to be clean and dry if not it could harbour bacteria which could have an adverse affect on your guinea pigs.  Guinea pigs do not make their own vitamin C so they are relying on you to be the provider.  Guinea pigs munch for around 16 hours per day so make sure they are munching on the right stuff.  People often ask how much should I feed my guinea pig ?  This is a tough one as every guinea pig is different.  You will soon be able to gauge how much your guinea pig likes to eat, therefore avoiding too much waste.  The dish is cleaned as and when but at least once a week.  Do not put fresh feed on top of old feed.

The total amount of fresh mixed vegetables and fruit with the skin on required for each guinea pig daily is approximately one cupful. When it comes to vegetable and fruit "BE CREATIVE AND COLOURFUL". The key is not to feed too much of the same thing too often !  Feeding veg direct from the fridge can cause diarrhoea.  The following is a good selection:

APRIL LODGE GUINEA PIG RESCUE DIET SHEET – 01.09.09

This diet sheet has been designed to avoid certain medical conditions.

Caution should be applied to the items marked with an asterisk.

BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:-

*GRASS (GO EASY ON NEW SPRING GRASS)

*CHEMICAL FREE DRY FOOD (SEE INGREDIENTS LIST)

*BEET LEAVES (A LITTLE OCCASIONALLY)

*GREENS (A LITTLE OCCASIONALLY)

*LETTUCE (A LITLE OCCASIONALLY, PREFERABLY ROMAINE)

*PARSLEY (A LITLE OCCASIONALLY)

*CHICORY GREENS (A LITTLE OCCASIONALLY)

*KALE ( A LITTLE OCCASIONALLY)

*SPINACH (A LITTLE OCCASIONALLY)

*DANDELION LEAVES (A LITTLE OCCASIONALLY)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF SUITABLE VEG AND FRUIT.

PLEASE NOTE THAT VARIETY AND COLOUR IS BENEFICIAL.

GRASS (IN A RUN DAILY)/SUPPLEMENTARY REDIGRASS

CHEMICAL COLOURANT FREE DRY FEED (i.e. Wagg Guinea Crunch)

AD-LIB SWEET-SMELLING FRESH HAY IN A RACK OFF THE FLOOR

SOME WEEDS - REFER TO WEBSITE – Peter Gurney

ENDIVE   FINE GREEN BEANS BLUEBERRIES

SPROUTS

RED & GREEN PEPPERS (TAKE OUT SEEDS) NECTARINE
PARSNIPS CARROTS & CARROT TOPS PEACH
SQUASH TOMATO CHERRIES
TURNIP SWISS CHARD APRICOTS
SWEET POTATO BEETROOT PEAR
ASPARAGUS RADISH APPLE
BROCCOLI WHOLEMEAL TOAST GRAPES
CAULIFLOWER LEAVES PINEAPPLE ORANGE/TANGERINE
SWEETCORN/BABYCORN CRANBERRIES PLUM
PUMPKIN BANANA KIWI
MANGETOUT HONEYDEW & CANTALOUPE MELON CUCUMBER

AUBERGINE

   

                                               

 

 

These are just a selection, please see Peter Gurney's website or book The Guinea Pig for a greater expansion on a guinea pigs diet.

I cannot stress enough how important diet is.  A lot of people seem to be missing the point that a guinea pigs natural habit is to roam amongst wild vegetation where all their dietary and a lot of medical needs are met.  If you give your guineapig too much of the same thing too often you will probably come across a stumbling block at some point whether it be an imbalance of calcium, and phospherous, a lack of vitamin c or a build up of gas from too much of the wrong thing.  Some illnesses and often death are caused through an illness brought on by an incorrect diet. Please refer to www.guinealynx.co.uk  for more information about diet.
 
A lady came to us saying that each morning she put out a small tray with lots of bits of veg and some fruit on it in for her guinea pigs.  "Was this ok?" she asked, the answer to which is "perfect"!
 
See your local farm shop for what they call "the rubbish" (don't forget to wash it first).  Your guinea will think Christmas has come early!

Please remember that guinea pigs cannot be sick, so if there is a gut problem it can result in bloat which is very painful and often fatal (like colic in horses).

There are a number of reasons why a guinea pig stops eating.  The following are conditions which can be dealt with if caught in time.
 
They are:
 
A Dental problem
Oral Thrush
Bloat
Cystitis.

The following wild plants are okay to feed to your guinea pig.

Dandelion leaves - are a diuretic but you can give a small amount occasionally.

 

Parlsey - is rich and nutritious in vitamin C but only give small amount.

Clover - helps the coat.

 

Plantain - good to feed with Dandilion as they have an astringent quality.


Strawberry leaves - not liked by all guinea pigs.

These are just a selection, please see Peter Gurney's website or book The Guinea Pig for more suitable wild plants.  We would recommend that you refer to the vegetable chart on guinealynx website to adjust your guinea pigs diet, should he be susceptible to cystitis or bladder stones in which case you would be looking towards veg which is lower in phospherous and calcium.  

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAY
 
DON'TS!
1)   DON'T Feed your guinea out of vacuum packed, exhorbitantly priced, plastic wrapped hay.  I am sure it has been swept off the barn floor and washed...yuk!
2)  DON'T Put it on the hutch floor where it can get urinated and defecated on....yuk!
3)  DON'T Use straw instead of hay....inadequate!
4)  DON'T Use one of those hanging balls.  They don't hold enough and how would you like to eat your dinner with your hands tied behind your back!
5)  DON'T feed your guinea pig hay that smells musty or looks rank (even if it was a freebie!)
 
DO'S!
1)  DO Feed your guinea fresh farm hay. For sale here at £5 for a giant sack!  (Oxbows or similar)
2)  DO Put it in a big rack off the floor.  For sale here at £5.50
3)  DO Use an abundance.  It should always be available.
4)  DO Ensure the rack is the correct height (on the back wall of a hutch using wire curtain eyelets)
5)  DO witness your guinea pig thrive on unlimited good quality hay which contains mixed grasses. 

WATERING

The bottle should be out of the sun and refilled daily.  Do not bother putting vitamin C drops in the water as after a few hours there is a chemical change in the spout making this addition a waste of time and money.  Make sure the spout is at a comfortable height for the guinea pig. We find knicker elastic preferable to the bottle wire that is used to secure the bottle to the cage.  Some people like to use a trumpet head brush cleaner on the spout.

THE WINTER

Because of our wet summers, beware of the quality of the hay you are purchasing.  Any dampness in the hay will produce fungal spores which can have an adverse affect on guinea pigs like fungal skin infections.  Lice can also thrive in damp conditions.  The way round this problem is to use short cut straw.  We use Dengie Medibed on top of newspaper with, lots of shredded paper in the bedroom end.  Our hay is kept off the floor in a hayrack. Or you can use the imported fungal spore and lice free Oxbows Western Timothy Hay.

Guinea pigs should not be kept outside during the cold, wet months as they are very susceptible to the damp.  They should be kept either indoors or at the very least in a shed or disused garage.  I have heard stories of guinea pigs being found dead in frozen bedding during the winter so please give this aspect of care serious consideration. On more than one occasion we have brought an older guinea pig indoors that has had laboured breathing due to the damp, cold winter weather.  On every occasion their respiration has improved.

THE SUMMER   

Guinea pigs are very susceptible to temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit/ 20 Celsius.

Please avoid plastic hutches and igloos as they get overheated very quickly in our hot weather.  On a hot day just stick your nose inside one of those (green) plastic hutches to see. 

So here are a number of things you can do to help your guinea pig in hot weather.

  1. Make sure the hutch and run are well shaded.

  2. Fill plastic bottles with cold water and lay them in the hutch or run making sure he does not nibble the plastic.

  3. Drape cold water-soaked towels over his hutch or run.

  4. Keep him inside in the cool on really hot days.

  5. Put a parasol over his run.

  6. Make sure he has an unlimited supply of fresh water.

  7. Remember that the sun moves round during the day.

  8. Consider putting him out after the sun has gone down, not forgetting to put him back later!  Perhaps you can set an alarm, maybe your mobile phone, an oven timer or clock to remind you he is still outside!

If it is too late and your guinea pig is already suffering from heat exhaustion.....he will not be able to stand and be panting. You should wrap your guinea pig in a water-soaked towel for a short while, usually until he is able to stand again and respiration returns to normal.  Do not give him a drink at this stage as the heat may have caused a swallowing abnormality and he could drown.  Keep him in cool surroundings and when he has recovered, carefully and slowly syringe water in or use a drip-feed bottle.  If there are no further problems try to rehydrate him as much as possible later.

HOW TO BATH A GUINEA PIG

  1. Have everything ready, water,shampoo, conditioner, towels and dryer.
  2. If you are worried about the guinea pig getting soap in his eye use a squirt of brolene eye ointment in each eye.
  3. Wet the guinea pig all over and rub in the shampoo creating a good lather, especially around a males grease gland.
  4. Don't forget to shampoo his face, round his neck and chest and underneath including legs.  Use the lather to wash just inside his ears.
  5. Wrap him in a towel for 10 minutes if using an antifungal shampoo or 20 minutes for an antiparasite.  He can be placed in a box for this or you may wish to hold him perhaps within a carrier bag for protection ensuring he can breathe.  An antiparasite shampoo should be used once a week for three weeks.  After that maintenance bathing would be on a regular 1 - 2 monthly basis alternating between antiparasite shampooing and antifungal shampooing. We would use either Nizarol, T-Gel or Selsun.
  6. Rinse well.
  7. Conditioner is optional but beware if you have two males living together as they may think a lady has moved in !
  8. Towel dry and place in a box on a dry towel, to shake and recover !
  9. You can use a hairdryer at this point although it would be better if he could dry naturally.  We would recommend using a dryer on all long hairs as they take so long to dry and could get a chill.
  10. If he is normally kept outside, it would be wise to keep him in following a bath.
  11. If you are unsure about bathing you can follow this routine in the bath, to avoid any suicide attempts (by the guinea pig).
  12. Have fun !

          

Milly at the start of her bath     Lathering up well              Towel Wrapped

                                                                                                                                                                            

          

Removing excess water    Nearly Dry A clean & pretty girl

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Towel wrapping your guinea pig is a great way for you and him to gain confidence

BEDDING AND LICE

These are the two options

  1. Keep your guinea pigs totally lice-free by using Dengie Medibed (on thick newspaper for bedding along with lots of clean shredded paper in the bedroom end and Oxbows Timothy Hay off the floor in a rack.  This hay is imported and is lice-free.
  2. Keep your guinea pigs on hay for bedding (on thick newspaper) and hay in a rack off the floor.  You will need to bath your guinea pigs in an anti-parasite shampoo at regular intervals if you want to keep any lice under control.

THE APRIL LODGE HOMEOPATHIC UNIT AT RIVER, DOVER WITH SUE VILLIS

I have had an interest in homeopathy for about 10 years now but find there is still much to learn but it makes for a very interesting subject.

Homeopathy can be used on guinea pigs and other animals as well as humans and some farmers have been using it for years preferring it to conventional medicines. It cannot always take the place of conventional medicines as sometimes it is slow to work and sometimes difficult to match the treatment to the problem especially with animals as they can't tell you what is wrong.  Homeopathy is a case of 'like cures like' which means the treatment used, would in its raw state, actually cause the problems you are treating, but the raw materials are diluted many times, so as not to cause any adverse effect.  It works by stimulating the body to heal itself, so it is important to find a good match.  By caring for your guinea pig, you will get to know its character and little ways and will notice any changes in its behaviour and if they are not feeling too well.  It is best to use one remedy at a time, until a good match is found.  Most of the  remedies cover a wide range of physical and physiological problems and you will find that not all of them match.  The tablets/pilules should not be handled as it will weaken the remedy.  For the treatment of guinea pigs, one should be tipped into the lid and tipped into a pill crusher or crushed between 2 teaspoons, (not pilules as they shoot ound the room!).  Sprinkle a little on their dried food and some in a drop of water and syringed into the guinea pigs mouth or sprinkled onto a bit of cucumber or apple.  When changing the remedy, the crusher or teaspoons must be washed so that there is no trace of the previous remedy.  It is best to start with 6c which is the main one found in the health food shops and chemists.

These are a few examples of treatment:-

 ARNICA                for bruising especially used before and after a dental

 APIS MEL              used for red hot swellings eg. bites and stings

 HEPAR SULPH        skin abscess

 MERC SOL             tooth abscess

 NUX VOM              constipation

I have found that a mixture of RHUS TOX and CAUSTICUM helps an older guinea pig that has suddenly developed a tooth problem, especially the back teeth, usually due to arthritis which stops the guinea pig grinding its teeth, which leads to overgrown teeth.  The guinea pig in this case will have to have the teeth ground down by the vet but if the homeopathic treatment is started straight after, it helps get the jaw moving again and the teeth will grind down.  This is only a guideline and doesn’t always work, especially if there is another underlying problem.

THE END OF THE ROAD

This subject is hardly ever mentioned.  But one day we all have to face the end of the road.

We don't like to see our animals suffer and fortunately we are allowed to use euthanasia on them.  The big question is, of course, when is the right time and how will you make the decision?

If you do decide to have your guinea pig (or any animal for that matter) euthanased, please ensure the vet gasses the guinea pig first.  The guinea pig should be unconscious before he is given the lethal injection.  You can ask to be present if you wish. 

I am the worlds worst for this aspect of "care".  I have cried more tears over this than anything else, which is rather odd as I am supposed to be used to it.  Five years on and I still waiting to be "hardened to it".  So having had over 800 guinea pigs here, I do quite a lot of crying.

This little anecdote makes me feel better.........

We had a chap here once who was donating an indoor cage.  He phoned to say could he bring it round as he was working on a building site just up the road.  So round he came, a short, stocky chap complete with check shirt, muscles and medallion.  When I opened the door, he burst in to tears saying how much he missed his guinea pigs (ever been down that road ?).  Trying to console him I felt myself welling up too.  I felt so sorry for him.  So there we were, both crying like a couple of 2 year olds.  Of course I am not quite as bad now.  I usually manage to contain myself at least until the visitor has left.

So my advice would be.

When the vet says "it might be kinder to have him put to sleep", please contact the Cambridge Cavy Trust on 07721 026401 who will put you in touch with your nearest Rodentologist or Guinea Pig Health Advisor for at least a second opinion.

We know of many a guinea pig that has been incorrectly diagnosed and euthanased, so this is definitely worth considering.

On a more positive note, losing a guinea pig is a huge learning curve for children who have not experienced this before.  I have been informed many a time, that when the family lost their guinea pig they went through the whole ritual.  Ceremony, burial, prayers and tears, then later. when a more serious matter arose, i.e. Granny passes away, the children appeared more able to cope with their loss.

These are two of our rescues.  The one on the right is 5 year old black & cream, Toffee.  She has been with us a while now.  She has an incurable kidney problem and the future is not looking very bright.  On the left is the 4 year old brown castrated boy companion D'arcy looking very concerned.

Pet Bereavement Helpline - Tel 0800 096 6606 or you can email on pbsmail@bluecross.org.uk

For any queries on the care of a guinea pig please contact us at aprillodgeguinea@aol.com

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