Guinea Pigs Dont Like Heights.....

according to some humans that is.

Me and Spooky have no problems with heights.

When me was a baby I nearly gave Mummy a heart attack coz when she turned her back for a few minutes I climbed all the way to the top of the stairs (heeeheee)

Me couldnt get down again and Mummy had to come up and spoil my fun (rescue me)

In our cage we have a mezzanine floor and Spooky is forever jumping up there and then off again, me ventures up occasionally when me is not sleeping.

The problem guinea pigs have with heights is falling, if its a distance we can jump by ourselves (a single step or onto mezzanine floor) we should be ok anything higher than that and injuries can occur.

Humans should make sure we are extra secure when being carried, Mummy always wraps us straight in a blanket to carry us anywhere.

If an accident does occur and we fall/ drop from a height, the humans should watch us very closely and any sign of pain or unusual behaviour we should go straight to the vet (ohh joy)

So remember friends we are guinea pigs and not mountaineers and we should only climb/jump to a height we are happy with!!! (not all the way to the top of the stairs)

If you do get carried away wheeeek loudly until your human rescues you (but never admit to being grateful for rescue)

Me is in Trouble

Mummy has told me off.

Heres what happened.......

Spooky was asleep in the corner under the mezzanine floor, so me went over and nudged him out of bed, then me peed in the corner and went to the other side to sleep.

What me do wrong??

Mites

Now Spooky is feeling again he is helping write this post about mites.

Unlike me, Spooky has actually suffered from mites, they made him lose patches of hair and caused him to have black scabs over his ear and back.

Luckily for Spooky, Daddy spotted the problem at the petshop and then Mummy and Daddy kept pursuing the issue until Spooky got the right treatment.

If you have mites its important for humans to act quickly as mites can be fatal to guinea pigs if not treated properly.

One of the most obvious signs to look out for is excessive scratching, this is because mites bite and make us itch, we can damaged ourselves with the scratching as well. Mummy says Spooky didnt appear to be scratching much at all but he did have hair loss and black scabs.

The treatment for mites is Ivermectin drops, these are placed on the skin around the neck and down the back. (Mummy could only get Ivermectin in the form of Xeno450 which appears to be a brand name and has cured the problem) If one guinea pig has mites we will all need treating just in case.

Ivermectin will need to reapplied 2 weeks after first treatment, this is to allow time for the eggs to hatch, the second dose then kills the second generation, 2 doses is normally enough however it is always wise to be cautious and another dose may be needed.

After leaving the second dose to work, guinea pigs will need a bath to wash any dead bodies (eugh) out of our lovely hair, leaving us clean and pure again.

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/skinp.htm

http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html

Anypig with any more advice or observations, please feel free to comment........the more we know the better wheeeeeeeeeeeeek

New Way To Have Your Hay

When Spooky had diarrhoea Mummy wanted him to have hay but didnt want him to poop all over it and then eat it, so she stuffed toilet roll inners with hay so he could eat it out of them.

We love getting our hay this way, we can pick the inners up and hit each other with them (like gladiators)

We can both start at opposite ends of tubes and see who can eat to the middle first (like silly humans digging channel tunnel)

We can attempt to get both our heads in at one end (not very successfully)

We can drag them round the cage so the other piggy cant get it (heeeheee)

They are so much more fun than a hayrack.

Me does miss having big pile to play in but Mummy says it makes cleaning our fleece easier as well (whats that got to do with anything??)

Me Has Forgiven Mummy...........

Me knows me hasnt sulked for very long over the indignaty of being put in a box (me does have good reason to forgive)

Mummy came home yesterday with lots of treats for us from Pampered Piggies me has a new parsley bell (Oiy Spooky thats MY bell) we have Oxbow hay cakes and we have meadow herb cubes and apple cubes, and a new chube (Spooky got diarhoea in old one YUCK)

We also have samples of new food to try hmmmmmmmmmm

We is gonna be busy munching for a loooooooooong time!!

Prison Break Foiled..........

Humans grrrrrrr

Mummy must have told tales to Daddy coz when she came to clean us out last night instead of our prison circle we went into a big cardboard box that Daddy bought home (from which there was no escape)

Me is sulking now!!!

Prison Break..........

Mummy put the guinea pig prison bars into a circle and put me and Spooky in the circle while she cleaned us out, she thought this would mean she didnt need to keep such a close eye on us (WRONG)

Me found where 2 bits joined and started pushing it, it closed in on me but it did move a little bit so I aimed toward TV and kept going (didnt get very far and Spooky didnt help)

Anyway me now has an escape plan to keep pushing next time Mummy cleans us out.

Heeeheeeheee

G Force Update.......

It appears me is not the only one to have concerns about the G Force movie those guinea pig loving people at guinealynx are also concerned and have come up with 2 information flyers for the not so well informed humans.

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102639438904&s=818&e=001Br8fPsZUCaGT3c6vc47oCVpWFesrFdw8jJL1hiOxiIGco1rHURLHoJDGlQTV222sGUIEhmTTl6VANr-jkg3gu3uUrKhWtbMeoh4qTcprod_TlgfkcSORLB-IyCd3bANL5hUfQx33V0YzeuXHTF8L2g==

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102639438904&s=818&e=001Br8fPsZUCaFj3uae6sQWQuN7k6MJ85cWXcITPc4CgDUllAE5G4R1bAz8Pd8KBjwAtJwDiXq-gujJWZagAAdT35-BtOQ0l4r5h7nHZ23qXy1mvWKsBSrtsLKzfO0MkZH1S28FNkiwbq4YvTS6-uooBdlLuRhvjMoc

While I am quiet happy being a super hero in my own head and virtually online, the idea of humans believing we can actually do these stunts scares me, so me is making Mummy print the guinealynx information and get it displayed in the local vets and pet shops to advise humans who may want their own super hero guinea pig what that really involves.

Me has no objection to the film in fact me is looking forward to watching and cheering along (dogs + cats have had the limelight way too long), but those simple beings we know as humans need strict supervision and good advise and its our job to make sure they get it!!

Me is NOT a Hurdle

Spooky has got it into his head that when I go to sleep in the middle of the cage what I am really doing is making a hurdle for him to jump (NO Spooky I want to sleep)

It wouldnt be so bad if he could actually jump over me everytime, but no he is not that clever and he keeps landing on me or knocking me as he passes.

Need to sort him out but I am too lazy to move

pffffffttttttt

G Force........

As you probably all know there is a movie coming out soon about an elite team of hero guinea pigs (Hollywood have somehow found out all about me) known as G Force (guinea pig force)

This movie is not out here in the UK yet but we have seen trailers (the cartoon guinea pigs are nowhere near as good as the real thing)

The trailers show guinea pigs travelling around in large plastic balls and while this is fine for cartoon guinea pigs we dont want the humans to get confused and think this is ok for real guinea pigs.

Unlike Hamsters, Guinea Pig spines are not flexible enough for us to be able to run in a ball, putting us in a ball can cause spinal damage.

Humans dont get confused NO BALLS for guinea pigs!!!

Guinea Pig Prison

Having Spooky was supposed to provide me with a useful distraction tool, he was to create mischief drawing attention away from me, so I could escape and get behind the sofa or the TV!!

The humans have cleverly stopped this idea using brightly coloured bars, they section of the end of the living room with no wires to chew (that includes my favourite headphone wires) allowing me access to only one end of the sofa (this only needs one human to watch)

Its a proper guinea pig prison (damn them) grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

But dont worry I do intend to find a way out, Spooky you do something silly while I go around and push all the bars........................

Me Has Eaten The Bag Handle

Well fellow guinea pigs you remember I was successful in my mission to chew the strings off my pop up tunnel??

Last night daddy left its special bag on the floor, so I chewed through one of the handles.

Well what did he expect I am a guinea pig!!

Mummy was Right............

Sort of.......

She said Spooky would grow up to be as big as me and then he would start humping me.

He is nowhere near as big as me and he is trying to hump me!!!!!

Boars Behaving Badly??

Or just Boars will be Boars?

Do your humans watch over you and panic over every small disagreement you may have with your cage mates?? If so this brief guide may help to reassure and let them know when it really is time to panic.

Ear Pulling- this is a form of grooming, normally it doesnt hurt the pig being groomed but accidents can occur, if the groomed guinea pig is ending up with bleeding, sore or ragged ears then you need to stop the grooming. (humans may need to seperate you and your friend) If there is no bleeding then humans should leave you alone to get on with it.

Rumble strutting- this is how us boars show each other who is dominant, there is no aggression shown with this action just a slow wiggling of the hips and bum sometimes accompanied by a rumbling noise. No need for humans to panic.

Humping- another way of showing dominance, be warned we can hump from any direction (heehee) again no aggression, no biting just a quick hump and off again, no need to panic.

Bum sniffing- boars love sniffing bums and following each other around nose to bum, again nothing to worry about but if guinea pig being sniffed starts to get fed up it could be worth removing sniffer to give him a break (me too old to keep running all the time)

Head Butts- we do this when we are fed up with whatever the other guinea pig is doing, we normally butt the backside but we can butt anywhere, no teeth are used and the guinea pig butted is not hurt, its a warning for them to stop what they are doing and behave. No panic.

Neck Rubbing-we have scent glands in our necks and like to make the other guinea pigs smell like us, so we rub our necks over their heads, no need to panic.

Nips- not bites teeth are used but skin is not broken as long as this is not accompanied by teeth chattering, things should be fine, keep an eye in case of esculation.

Teeth Chattering- this is warning sign that fight could be about to kick off, humans should keep a close eye on this in case somepig ends up getting hurt.

Showing Teeth-big yawns designed to show how big and strong your teeth are (not to be confused with yawning when tired) this again is an aggressive move and could indicate a fight is about to begin.

Biting/Fighting-this is a very bad sign especially if blood is drawn, this really means that we cant be friends anymore and need to live seperately, humans should break this up by throwing towel over the biters before somepig is seriously hurt.

The general belief is that we do this during our hormonal stage which can be from 3-18 months (thats a long time) if we both make it together passed the 18 month mark, we should be happy living together forever. (Mummy has fingers crossed for the next 2 years heeeheee)

Here is a website dedicated to us boars http://www.susieandpigs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/home.htm

I am sure there are lots of things I have forgotten to mention, so feel free to add your comments.

Is this True???

Mummy says I should stop rumblestrutting and humping Spooky as soon he will be as big as me and hump me back eeeeeeeeeeeek

Is this true???? (it cant be no piggy is gonna get as big as me I am a LAPS pig and proud!!)

Spooky = 468g (see nowhere near as big as me)

Me is a Hair Dresser

Since I have been allowed back in with Spooky I have decided his hair needs a bit of work.

At first I started to eat it coz Mummy had managed to get syringe food in his hair, so Mummy and Daddy gave him a wash (Spooky is a big wimp he dont like bath time)

When he came back clean I decided I wanted to make him into a punk so I have kept on trimming his hair. Spooky dont mind its the humans that have a problem with this.

Mummy has been looking on the internet for advise about barbering and even the late great Peter Gurney cant explain why we do it.

The suggestions vary from it being a sign of dominance, boredom ,stress, genetic or not enough hay, me I just want Spooky to be a punk.

If I was eating my own hair this could be a sign of mites and should be checked out.

The advice to humans is leave us guinea pigs alone we will sort it out, if Spooky dont like having his hair cut he will tell me and eating all the hair is no problem for me I poop it out again.

Mummy says if I make Spooky bald she will have to seperate us, I am just making him a punk mummy OK.

Mummy is calling me Sweeney Todd (heeheee the demon barber I like that)

Are any of you hairdressers??

Spooky update;
Weight = +25g = 413g
Eaten= hay, dried pellets and banana

Poops = nearly normal

Me is a Role Model

Daddy decided that as Spooky's poops have firmed up enough for him not to walk poop everywhere and as he was looking so sad and lonely he need a role model ME!! (can you think of anyone better? thought not)

I went back in the cage with Spooky and I think we should change his name to pritt stick as he has been glued to my bum ever since.

Thats when he is not trying to steal the piece of hay that I am in the middle of eating.

He has followed me about all over the cage munching away (dont know why the humans are worried about him not eating) I mean I am hardly getting a look in and when I do chose a piece of hay thats the piece he wants to eat!!

Spooky has gained 16g overnight and his weight is now 388g hurray a step in the right direction.

He had another tiny piece of carrot (wheres mine hmmmpppffftt, oh yes I had to go back to old cage to have a salad heehee) and more banana (he can keep that)

So being with a hero like me is obviously good for him!!!

Keeping Cool (its sooo hot)

Well my little corner of the UK is being hit by a heatwave (the weather people promise it will be cooler for the weekend)
Here are ways to keep cool until then;

My humans are very extravagant and have air conditioners this means at the flick of a switch I have all the cool air I need.

Other ways you can stay cool include filling bottles with water and freezing them, then standing them in front of a normal desk fan, when the fan blows you get extra coolness from the frozen bottles, or wrap the bottle in a towel and have it in your home where you can lean against it and keep cool. (wrapping it in a towel is important otherwise you could end up frozen against it, not nice!!) Outside piggies can have a damp towel placed over the front of hutch, this will need to be kept damp throughout the day.

You could convince your humans to invest in a cooler tile, these work by giving you something cool to sit on  (without getting stuck to it) as they are made of marble they stay cool.

Get your humans to leave the curtains half shut as this helps stop the sun getting in and making your room too hot.

If you are outside in the garden make sure you stick to the shady areas, to keep cool and to prevent getting sunburn on your delicate ears and noses.

Guinea pigs can get very ill with heat exhaustion, the link belows tells your humans what to look out for and how to treat it.

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/heatstroke.htm

Any other hints and information we can share?