How to Look After Your Sick Guinea Pig

Has your guinea pig gotten sick and you are left feeling helpless?

Worry no more as you will no longer feel helpless with this article.

Steps

1. 1
   Take your guinea pig to the vet. Find out exactly what is wrong with your guinea pig and ask how you can help her.
2. 2
   If you have more than one guinea pig, buy or have a separate cage and put your sick guinea pig in it as you do not want the sickness to spread to your other guinea pigs.
3. 3
   Do something that your guinea pig is happy with. For example, if she loves going outside, then take her outside and let her eat some non-fertilized grass.
4. 4
   If the sick guinea pig has come in contact with anything, do not put your other guinea pigs if you have any near it.
5. 5
   Make sure your guinea pig is eating and drinking. If she is not, this is fatal.
6. 6
   Buy a small kitchen scale for your guinea pig. Weigh her daily and record the date, weight, and guinea pig's name. It is handy if you have a normal weight amount that you can use to compare from.
7. 7
   Buy a folder for your guinea pig. Write her name on the front. Use this folder to store vet records, care sheets, and other important things.
8. 8
   Check her poops. They should be hard-ish and round and brown.
9. 9
   Consider her age. A guinea pig is considered a senior after she hits the age of 6.

How to Be a Good Guinea Pig Owner

Do you have (a) guinea pig/s at your house. Do you want to be the best guinea pig owner you can be? If so keep reading.

Steps

1. 1
   Make sure the pig's pen is always neat and tidy. This is important so your guinea pig doesn't have to be on a dirty pen. Part of being a responsible owner is making sure your guinea pig has a tidy and clean pen. Every day, be sure to clean up the pen and modify it.
2. 2
   Get a guide book for help. When you read a guidebook, you will know what to do when taking care of your guinea pig.
3. 3
   Get your guinea pig a run. You can buy one or you could make one by making a wire fence. Put toys and tubes in the run and never leave them out they by themselves and also have a guinea pig water in they to.
4. 4
   Remember to feed your guinea pig every morning. For one guinea pig have 1 cup of greens. Feed them grain or pellets every to days.
5. 5 Spend time with your guinea pig. Spending time with your guinea pig will show that you care about him/her. Play with your guinea pig, speak to him/her, hold him/her, etc.
7. 6
   Know the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated. You want to be treated with kindness, so you should treat your guinea pig the same way. Never yell at him/her, or say mean things to him/her. Being mean to your guinea pig will only result in him/her being mean back to you.
   
   

Warnings

• Don't let your guinea pig jump from high places or drop them.

How to Care for Chinchillas

Chinchillas are adorable, gentle animals and need quite a bit of care. If they are handled from birth, they will be tame and docile. They make great pets but are delicate so should be handled gently.
Steps
   

1. 1
   Provide a suitable cage. Chinchillas should be kept in cages. Since they are extremely active, the larger the cage, the better.
   • Chinchillas love to jump, so multiple levels are advisable.
   • Ensure the cage has a solid bottom as a chinchilla can get their feet caught in wire floors, and cause serious harm to themselves trying to get free.
   • Ensure the cage bars are close enough together that the chinchilla can't stick his head through them. If his head fits through the bars, his whole body will fit through them and he will escape. He may seem too big, but don't be fooled. It is all the fur.
   • If you choose a wire cage, ensure that there are no bits of wire poking out that your chinchilla could cut himself on.
2. 
   2
   Provide healthy bedding. Never use cedar or pine shavings as bedding, as the phenols are very strong and cause serious respiratory, skin, coat and liver problems. They are also poisonous to chinchillas if they try to eat them. Try to only use kiln dried shavings or Carefresh.
   • If desired, provide a nesting box for your chinchilla. This should measure at least 50 cm (20 in) in length and 25 cm (10 in) width and height. The nesting box should be placed on the floor, not on any shelves because the chinchilla might throw it down.
3. 
   3
   Lift your chinchilla properly. Lift your pet like a kitten. Slide your hand under the chinchilla's belly and place your other hand on top of the chinchilla. Use the hand under the chin to support its hind legs and bum so it feels secure. Don't hold the chinchillatoo tightly but do remember that they can be squirmy, so you need to hold them firmly. It is very important you don't squeeze, especially around the upper torso because they have what is known as a "floating ribcage" and you can cause severe internal injuries to him or her by doing this.
4. 
   4
   Provide proper food.
   • Your chinchilla should always have a supply of good quality timothy hay or second cut local (you can feed them small amounts of alfalfa, but not too much because it could cause foaming at the mouth). Keep it in a hay rack or hanging wire basket to help keep it clean.
   • If providing Chinchilla pellets, don't buy the kind with little treats in it.
   • Feed them treats infrequently as it can cause digestive problems. Never give fruit or vegetables (dried or fresh). Never give nuts or other treats that are not safe. Safe treats include: unsweetened cherrios (~3 a week), unsweetened shredded wheaties (just a pinch), dried rosehips (~3 a week), safe wood chew sticks.
5. 
   5
   Replace the drinking water daily. Remember to sterilize the water bottle when changing the water. The algae that grows in their water can cause liver problems, severe diarrhea, or kill them. Use either bottled or filtered water - never use tap. Chinchillas can not handle naturally occurring bacteria (like giardia) in the water like humans, dogs, cats, etc. can. This can be a fatal illness.
6. 
   6
   Remove soiled hay and bedding from the cage daily.
7. 
   7
   Wash the cage with hot water. It is generally suggested that you use no soap or chemicals, but if you mix a tiny amount of bleach with the hot water and swish it around the cage's plastic pan and then clean it thoroughly with hot water and then let it air dry, it is a good way to kill most of the bacteria that can harm your chinchilla.
8. 
   8
   Give your chinchilla a dust bath for 10-15 minutes anywhere from daily to twice a week. Too much will cause dryness. but too little will cause their coats to build up oils which can cause a disfiguring and deadly fungus to grow on their skin.
9. 
   9
   Provide exercise. Chinchillas are very active animals and should have an opportunity to exercise every day.
   • Provide an exercise wheel. The wheel must have a solid surface, and not be made of wire or mesh that can ensnare their feet. Never use the giant hamster balls (death balls) petstores try to sell you.
   • If you let your pet out of the cage for supervised play time, it should be in a small room and the room should be chinchilla proof. Chinchillas can jump several feet in the air, and can squeeze through tiny spaces. They will also gnaw on wires, furniture, and anything they can get their teeth on. .
10. 
    10
    Give them something to chew on for dental health. Chinchillas' teeth can grow up to 12 inches a year. Purchase a special block of wood or pumice stone for your chinchilla to chew on.
    • Provide your chinchilla with branches that can be climbed and gnawed on. Ensure that these branches are not cut from trees that have recently been sprayed with chemicals, or that are poisonous such as yew, laburnum and fresh pine. Recommended trees are sycamore and manzanita, they provide straight wood that is quite resistant to the chinchilla's sharp teeth. Apple tree branches are another good alternative that can be found quite easily.
11. 
    11
    Keep them cool. Chinchillas overheat easily. They cannot survive temperatures over 75F or below 50F. Keep their cage in a cool room with lots of air flow. Make sure their cage is not in a spot the sunlight can directly land on them, because it can cause them to be overheated. Do not allow them to be in high humidity either.
12. 
    12
    Give your chinchilla dust. Water can harm the chinchilla's fur. Instead, give them a dust bath. The "dust" bath is made of formulating dusting powder made of volcanic ash or activated clay. The dust baths help the chinchilla get rid of excess grease in their hair. The dust should look and feel like dust, not sand. The sand baths that some stores sell are too abrasive on their fur. Look for items such as blue cloud or blue sparkle.

Tips

• You can buy Chin-Coolers to put in a chinchillas cage to cool them down.
• Be sure not to give a lot of treats.
• Don't try to hold or get up close with your chinchilla right away because they are shy animals and it can be stressful for them whenever they are in a unfamiliar place.
• Make sure your chinchilla does not bark or then they are telling you to back off.
• If you are using a nest box, place it on the floor, not a shelf, as the chinchilla may knock it off.
• Be sure not to use plastic! As you may know chinchillas will chew on everything and anything, plastic is a huge toxin to chinchillas, never use plastic unless you can't avoid it.
• Chinchillas are usually very friendly but shouldn't be over-handled.
• Their excrement smell badly, so be sure to clean out the cage and change the bedding regularly.
• Always purchase your chinchilla from a reputable breeder. Most breeders will allow you to return your pet if you find you are unable to care for it properly.

Warnings

• Keep plastic away from chinchilla cages; ingesting plastic can cause sickness and/or death.
• You can train a chinchilla, but you may stress them out if you try to teach them a trick too quickly.
• Chinchillas have defenses such as losing fur, biting, and spraying urine. Make sure to be gentle with them to avoid scaring them.
• Do not get chinchillas wet. Their fur does not dry out like a normal animal, causing it to get moldy.
• Never feed chinchillas human food.
• Chinchillas are trainable, and should have less than 2 small treats a day. They can be trained, but be very gentle.
• If you are planning to build your own cage, plan every detail, failure to do so could be fatal for your chinchilla
• Chinchillas are quiet and are nocturnal.
• Chinchillas are low maintenance pets!
• Chinchillas are not good for children, because of their rather reserved nature and delicate body.

• Things You'll Need

• Chinchilla or Two
• Large cage
• Chinchilla food (w/o treats added)
• You can also supply dry, uncooked, unflavored oatmeal (not quick oats - real oats!) to mix in with the dry food for a treat or if your critter is having tummy trouble, Chinchillas love it!!! :)[not too much, just a pinch]
• Chinchilla dust bath (unscented)
• Timothy hay
• Chew toy
• Wheel (solid base to run on - no wire)
• Water bottle and food dish
• Bedding
• Wooden,cardboard,or/and soft material houses (clean and new cardboard and untreated wood)
• A place to have your chinchilla get exercise
• Love and attention

How to Help Your Guinea Pig Live a Long Life

Here's some tips to keeping your guinea pig healthy and living a long life!

1. 
   1
   Find a vet. Many vets will see guinea pigs, but finding one that specializes in guinea pigs will help your guinea pig out in the long run. A guinea pig and exotic specialized vet may be able to detect illnesses more efficiently than a regular vet. Find a guinea pig savvy exotics veterinarian using one of these lists; http://www.guinealynx.info/vetlist.html or http://www.aracnet.com/cgi-usr/seagull/vetfinder.cgi
3. 2
   Provide at least 10 square feet of living space for two guinea pigs, this can prevent imp action in males, fighting between guinea pigs, and reduces the risks of bloat, obesity, and gas buildup by providing adequate room to exercise. If you find that your guinea pigs are fighting, then separate them with something like a wire shelf, which allows them to see and smell each other, but prevents them from fighting.
4. 
   3
   Do not allow females to become pregnant. Pregnancy and especially birthing is hard on females and one in five females that is bred will die as a result of complications during pregnancy or birth, or as a result of toxemia after birth.
5. 
   4
   Keep guinea pigs in same sex or already spayed/neutered pairs. Guinea pigs are social animals and are happy living with compatible guinea pigs of either the same sex or spayed/neutered. Living in pairs also encourages exercise which promotes good blood flow and greatly reduces the risk of obesity which takes a toll on the joints, impaction, and bloat or gas buildup.
6. 
   5
   Buy Oxbow or Kleenmama's Hayloft guinea pig food (timothy based for guinea pigs six months and older, and alfalfa based for guinea pigs under six months). Look for a food enhanced with Vitamin C, as Guinea pigs can't make it themselves.
7. 
   6
   Keep your pet in a comfortable temperature range. Guinea pigs can't stand high temperatures, drops or increases.
8. 
   7
   Change bedding regularly. The more your guinea pig is living in it's own feces, the worse their health is going to be.
9. 
   8
   Wash your hands before and after you play with your guinea pig. This will decrease the amount of germs transmitted between you and your guinea pig.
10. 
    9
    Provide fresh, preferably organic, well washed (you can use a commercial vegetable wash or water and vinegar mix, rinse well after) leafy greens. These include green leaf lettuce, escarole, red leaf lettuce, cilantro, and curly endive.
11. 
    10
    Constantly check for any injuries. Older guinea pigs sometimes have a problem under their feet. If this happens, see a vet and get softer bedding or spread out a soft cloth for it. Observe your guinea pig actions. If anything seems wrong, take it to the vet. Don't take too long or a small infection can turn bigger

TIPS

• Play with them often.
• Never ever ever put poisons like cleaning products near your pigs cage!
• Standards - Remember to feed, water, exercise, interact, and bathe your piggy to bring out the best of them.
• Clean their cage often, they get depressed when it smells!
• Feed them fresh vegetables (Consult Google on what, and what not to feed them)
• Allow piggies lots of run around time for exercise.
• Don't play loud music around your guinea pig.
• Remember not to bring anything too loud near it, e.g. a dog.
• Have two pigs. Instead of one they will be happier with a friend.
• Make sure your Guinea Pig is happy with its life.

WARNING!

• no ice burg lettuce or potato peelings

THINGS YOU'LL NEED

•       A local guinea pig savvy veterinarian
• Oxbow or Kleenmama's Hayloft guinea pig pellets. Also fresh water.
• Guinea Pig shampoo.
• Bedding.
• Dry place inside the household free from drafts and extreme heat/cold
• Cage of at least 7.5 square feet for one guinea pig or a minimum of 10 square feet for two.
• A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.

How to Tell if Your Guinea Pig Is Pregnant

Never intentionally allow you guinea pig to become pregnant - see warnings - and knowing for sure if she's pregnant can be difficult. If you believe that your sow may be pregnant then consult a vet.

1. 1
   Boars. If a female guinea pig has been in the presence of a boar then they will have almost certainly tried to mate and she will carry a high chance of being pregnant.
2. 
   2
   Feeding. A pregnant sow will be begin to drink and eat more. However, do not assume that your guinea pig is pregnant based on just this - all animals eat more if its cold, they're having a growth spurt and for some types of illness.
3. 
   3
   Weight. A sows weight will rise dramatically if she's pregnant. By the end of a guinea pig pregnancy, the sows weight will have doubled.
4. 
   4
   Belly. By pressing the lower belly of the guinea pig sow, you should be able to feel the pups inside her. Throughout the pregnancy, they will grow and the bumps will become more pronounced - by the end you may even be able to see them. Don't continually press or squeeze her stomach as you could injure her.
   • If you feel bumps on a sows abdomen but more off to the side then centre, its more likely that she's has a cyst or cancerous lump. If this is the case, consult a vet immediately.
5. 
   5
   Vet. If you suspect that your guinea pig sow is pregnant then consult a vet. You will not be able to tell for sure until she has had a veterinary consultation with a guinea pig savvy or exotics vet. The vet will be able to give you advice on next steps if she is pregnant.
6. 
   6
   After. If your guinea pig is pregnant then it is extremely important that you care for her in the right way as fatalities as a result in guinea pig pregnancies are abnormally high. To do this see either: http://lovelycutepetsnsk.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-help-pregnant-guinea-pig.html http://lovelycutepetsnsk.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-care-for-pregnant-guinea-pig.html

TIPS

• Always be gentle when picking up the sow.
• Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant. Do not, under any circumstance, give them dairy products.
• Don't stress the guinea pig.
• Be gentle with them because if you touch their bellies to much their baby might die.

WARNING!!

• Miscarriages and stillbirths are common and can have a traumatic affect on the mother.
• Pregnancy, especially after eight months is extremely hard on a female guinea pig. Caring for pups is costly and any rodent that is pregnant carries a one in five chance of dying as a direct result of complications during pregnancy or birth, or toxemia after birth.
• Never intentionally allow your guinea pig to become pregnant if you don't know anything about caring for them, especially if they are older than six months, younger than three months, or have never been pregnant before.
• There are more guinea pigs then people willing to look after them so don't breed guinea pigs for te sake of it - if you want a new guinea pig, try a rescue centre.