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Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Small pets

my Guinea pig has had a baby

46 replies

FrameyMcFrame · 17/02/2013 18:51

And now she is trying to have another one but it's not coming out so DP and DD have just taken them up to the emergency vets. We thought we had two girl Guinea pigs...

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FrameyMcFrame · 17/02/2013 19:17

Oh no she died at the vets :(
Vet said she had a stroke. Now we don't know what to do with the baby. DD is heartbroken.

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FrameyMcFrame · 17/02/2013 19:18

Vet is not sure if it will survive without the Mum

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FrameyMcFrame · 17/02/2013 21:09

Baby has come back. The vet thinks that he/she has been alive for about 3 days but just hiding in the little house with the Mum.

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Curlybrunette · 17/02/2013 21:28

Oh no Framey I'm so sorry :-(((

I have no advice wrt babies but wanted to send a hug for you all. Really hope he baby is ok, lots of food, warmth, I'm thinking alfalfa, not sure why think I may have read it somewhere?

Keep us updated
x

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 17/02/2013 23:01

Framey that is so sad. Poor guinea , and your DD having to see this.
Did the vet give any advice - like a milk substitute to feed the piglet?

One advantage of baby pigs over most other rodenty types, is that they are born furred, teethed and open eyed. And they can eat when they are literally days old.
If you haven't got milk, try sloppy pellets mash and a small feeding syringe .
Or even a small spoon.
Tiny chopped up vegetables.(Even puree some veg maybe)

Alfafa hay is good for pg pigs but is quite high in calcium.

Did the vet manage to get any fluids into the baby pig? Give it a head start?

Very .
Good Luck.

fortifiedwithtea · 18/02/2013 00:34

As I'm posting at silly o'clock you've probably not awake. But I have been doing some reading on Rodents with Attitude forum and the advice is offer goats milk or banana complan every 2 hours including through the night. Let baby lap off a spoon don't syringe feed, it could go into the lungs. You will also have to wipe its bum with a damp cloth to encourage it to poop.

This is such a sad situation to be in .
Good luck.

FrameyMcFrame · 18/02/2013 10:22

Hi thanks for the messages.
The vet gave us this paste and a syringe and we have managed to get the little one to take a tiny bit. Didn't realise that the syringe could be dangerous, vet didn't know much, he was looking up what to do while we were there. He said it wad the first guinea pig orphan he had looked after.
He also told us to keep the baby away from the Dad pig but I have put them in together and watched them carefully and Dad has taken on a mothering approach. The baby is following him around everywhere and they are snuggling up together so it seems counter intuitive to separate them.
Just worried that baby doesn't know how to drink from the water bottle.
Re what to feed her/him, I also read you could give kitten replacement milk but then read that wasn't a good idea somewhere else. The stuff the vet gave us is called Exel fibrevore recovery paste.
Thanks

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FrameyMcFrame · 18/02/2013 10:24

I'll have a look on the rodents with attitude website, thanks

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MrsSpencerReid · 18/02/2013 10:29

I clicked on this thinking yay! Babies! And now I'm crying in Tesco cafe!! Damn pregnancy hormones, go little one!!! Keeping my fingers crossed for you both

MsBrown · 18/02/2013 10:31

Hi Framey.

I bought two female guinea pigs several years ago from a 'well known pet store' (i was totally naive to it all at this point).

Little did i know that one of the guinea pigs was pregnant when i'd bought her!

I came in from work one day and there was a tiny little baby running around the cage after her mummy.

No mess whatsoever.

Baby suckled on mummy for around a month, as well as eating veg along with its mum and 'aunty'.

I eventually had to rehome all three guinea pigs, but i'm in touch with their new owner and they're all fit and healthy and no more babies.

www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?1778-What-s-the-best-substitute-for-mother-s-milk

According to this link, baby can survive without mum. Just make sure its getting AlfAlfa hay. The greener the better. Baby piggies are so cute. Sorry for your loss.

FrameyMcFrame · 18/02/2013 10:33

Also the baby is trying to eat fresh grass that I cut from the garden. Daddy pig loves that so hope it's ok for the baby too.

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FrameyMcFrame · 18/02/2013 10:35

Right, alfalfa hay. Will pets at home have that? I will go up after lunch.

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MsBrown · 18/02/2013 10:50

www.petsathome.com/shop/timothy-hay-1.8kg-by-alfalfa-king-36642

This is the one i fed my newborn guinea pig for the first month. Bit expensive though. The staff at Pets at Home told me they just feed their newborn guinea pigs normal hay, same as the adults.

But without mum's milk, i'd be extra careful and opt for the green stuff for the first few weeks at least.

alemci · 18/02/2013 11:05

Hope the baby is ok. sorry about the mum - really sad. I think the advice here sounds very good. I have syringed fed older guineau pigs. you could try the spoon - probably obvious but just keep everything clean.

good that the dad is looking after the baby

have had 3 baby gps too and they became independent quite quickly but mum was still there.

fortifiedwithtea · 18/02/2013 11:22

Paste feeds will be fine. They come in special click dispencing syringes so you cann't overdose. I haven't used Excel but I have used fibreplax after my piggies have had surgery-- so I assume it's a simpler thing. It's liquid feeding that is dangerous.

Get baby sexed as soon as possible. You don't want dad impregnanting baby. As long as dad is being fatherly and not aggressive let them stay together. Baby will learn what foods are good from another piggie.

I got 2 sows approx 4 months from a pet shop. At first the only veg they would eat was carrot . But when they saw what Old Boy was eating they tried new things . Now they are up for trying something new remembers Old Boy shuffling off muttering about new fangled veg. Old Boy did not take kindly to Lambs Lettuce .

damppatchnot · 18/02/2013 11:28

Don't let the baby have too much grass as it can cause bloat

I have an orphan at the moment and she is being fed with a bottle with cat milk for newborns

It's the best thing to give the baby and it will suck the teat so the flow won't flood the lungs

It can eat hay and veg but will need milk for 3 weeks

Hope all ok

FrameyMcFrame · 18/02/2013 11:44

I will ask about the kitten milk and the bottle at pets at home when I go.

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MsBrown · 18/02/2013 11:57

Framey, if your local Pets at Home is anything like mine, the staff won't have a clue!

Your best bet for advice is probably independent pet stores, if you have any near you. They'll at least know what they're talking about.

GinGuzzler · 18/02/2013 12:04

Oh how sad... Glad the dad is protecting it though, without being gross the mammy pigs eat any afterbirth which is why there would be no mess MsBrown I bred guinea pigs years ago we never had an orphan baby but we did have several runts over the years and we found dandilion leaves never caused bloat and yes to kitten milk either out a bottle or a small syringe. Hope it goes well xx

BonkeyBeadyMollocks · 18/02/2013 14:26

Oh :(

Try and find the phone number of a guinea savvy vet and call them- they will at least know what they are talking about. P@H will more than likely have no idea. :(

BonkeyBeadyMollocks · 18/02/2013 14:28

Oh :(

Try and find the phone number of a guinea savvy vet and call them- they will at least know what they are talking about. P@H will more than likely have no idea. :(

FrameyMcFrame · 18/02/2013 17:16

Right, well I spoke to the lady at local guinea pig rescue. She said not to syringe feed unless the little one goes downhill, causes pneumonia too often. She also suggested alfalfa hay plus grated veg like peppers carrots and spinach. I've done that and got the alfalfa stuff and little one is tucking in!
I think he/she is going to be ok, fingers crossed.
Thanks for all the help and advice

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KRITIQ · 18/02/2013 20:25

I'm so sorry to hear about what happened, but it sounds like the bub is holding his/her own. Best of luck!

MrsSpencerReid · 18/02/2013 22:25

Go baby!! Does s/he have a name?

FrameyMcFrame · 19/02/2013 08:43

DD has called her/him Midnight :)
I've taken some photos but I don't know how to put them on MN...

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