i just received as a gift a guinea pig (about 4 weeks old; male)
i have him for one day now
he is very frighten of me now but i'm sure he will get used to me
i had 5 guinea pigs 4 years ago and i know how to take care of them
and i know guinea pigs like to live in groups
i'm just worried this one will get depressed now that he is all alone (separated from his brother ans sis.)
what can i do to avoid depression?
ps: don't suggest another guinea pig, my mom already freaked out about this one
thank you so much
they can live by themselves you just have to keep them company, give him space though until he warms up to you but then you could get him a stuffed toy and put it in the cage thats what i did with mine and he curled up to it at night and drug it everywjere he wanted it to go.
Guinea pigs can become depressed enough to the point where they would starve themselves if the owner doesnt force feed/water them. If they are lonely (guinea pigs should be handled about one hour a day by you or a family member or they should have a guinea pig friend) or something has changed (piggies are VERY picky, if you change the food dish they can get depressed). If two piggies are together and something happens to one the other piggy with get depressed.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
The best way to tell if he is sick or not is to take him to a certified small animals vet as soon as you can.
I hope you piggy gets better!
You do not want anyone to suggest another guinea pig but if you have had guinea pigs before you know that it is cruel to have one by itself. They get very lonely and can become depressed if they have to live alone. I am sure your mum will not notice if you get another one and there is very little difference between one and two guinea pigs.
Don't take this offensively, I'm actually quite curious ... If your mom is freaking out at you getting another guinea pig, how did you once have 5 guinea pigs ..?
As long as you interact with him daily, he should be fine. Make sure he has toys and that you hold him once or twice a day so that he doesn't get bored.
Hope this helps!!
Spend time with him, a LOT of time
Re-home him to someone that will keep him with other guinea pigs like he should be.
Guinea pigs should always be kept in pairs or groups (same sex or altered) indoors, in a cage with at least 7.5sq ft (10sq ft for males) on one level and daily floor time/handling, to be happy and healthy.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm They should have unlimited access to fresh water (no Vit C drops) and grass hay available at all times, 1/8-1/4 cup of plain guinea pig pellets (no coloured bits, nuts, seeds, or dried veggies) and 1 cup of fresh veggies per pig daily.
http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html Check out these awesome guinea pig websites!
http://www.guineapigcages.com/ http://www.guinealynx.info/sitemap.html http://www.cavyspirit.com/care.htm
What I did with my first guinea pig (before we knew we had gotten her pregnant), was hold her for hours everyday! She loved that! She constantly was popcorning, and when we opened her cage she would make a few laps around the kitchen, blooping and chutting as she went. She was completely fine! If you have a single guinea pig, make sure you keep him company! And another guinea pig probably wouldn't be the smartest idea since he is mature, and introducing a new male would create tension and fights . But think of it this way:) you're guinea pig might be happier alone! Even though they are social animals, my sow, LuLu who had the babies is always agitated now that she lives with one of her daughters.
