In our last friday video you could see baby guinea pigs being fed. We've copied the comment from the Piggyfriends' caretaker (who is very wise and knowledgeable) because it deserves a wider audience.
"I've hand reared guinea babes, born to mothers who came here pregnant and in such poor condition that they did not have milk for their little ones. Baby guineas cannot co-ordinate suckling and breathing so using a syringe is potentially fatal as they can inhale the milk into their lungs. An eye dropper gives you a little more control but as babes are capable of picking up food from day one, I have soaked some wholemeal bread with their milk and they have taken it from a flat dish. I used evaporated milk diluted 1 part to 3 with water.
You can also use a tiny spoon, angled towards the piggies' mouth, being prepared to move it up if too much is near the mouth. This is OK for one piggy, maybe a runt, but for a litter, I like the bread and milk approach as they can all get stuck in together. Mum can join in too to help with bonding process."
We also tracked down more information:
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Guinea Lynx: the medical reference site for guinea pigs. Note that they
don't recommend milk for baby pigs.
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Peter Gurney (guinea pig lover extraordinaire) provides excellent advise in his online
book 'the A to Z of Guinea Pigs' under the R from
Runts. He also adresses the milk controversy.
As always, we are not vets and if you are worried please consult with a cavy-savy vet.
P.s. Thank you Penny ;-)