About Jenny Atkins Expertise If your guinea pig has stopped eating, is having fits, looks puffed up or listless, is bleeding, has lost weight suddenly or is squeaking in pain then please, do not delay in taking him/her to a vet. Preferably a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet, but don't worry if you can't find one.
If you suspect your guinea pig is pregnant, has mites, is losing hair or you have a question about diet, cages, toys, exercise etc then look at my past answers before you ask your question, as it may save you time.
Otherwise, go ahead and ask me a question! My areas of expertise are in how to choose your guinea pigs, where to get them from and what you need before you bring your new pets home. I can also help with general care and dietary questions, with treating common illnesses (especially skin complaints), pregnancy and baby guinea pigs (though I do not approve of purposeful 'at home' breeding), and how to introduce two males.
I'd recommend The Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide by Myra Mahoney and Piggy Potions by Peter Gurney to all guinea pig owners - these books will tell you everything you need to know to ensure your guinea pigs have happy and healthy lives. I practically memorised these before I was allowed my first guinea pigs as a teenager!
Experience I absolutely love guinea pigs, and I think they make brilliant pets for the right owners. They are incredibly sociable animals and should always be kept in pairs, or a larger group (females only). If you spend lots of time with your guinea pigs, they will become very tame and friendly little creatures. I am very much a pet owner, and provide answers based on my personal experiences with my pet piggies, and what I've learned from books along the way. I'm not a breeder or a vet, so I can't answer questions about breeding, breeds or complicated illnesses. I have kept both boars and sows, and have had my share of unexpected newborns in the early days. I've had a total of 11 guinea pigs over the years - all adorable in their own way - including my current two boars (Almeida and Simba) whose cage has pride of place in my living room. When you have guinea pigs you learn something new about them every day!
Education/Credentials 2:1 Honours Degree in Creative Arts with English
I've had two guinea pigs named Lola and Bonnie for almost 3 months. Lola is pretty laid back and quite, while Bonnie is more talkative and loves to give "kisses." Usually when I take Lola out of her cage she just lays on my tummy while I pet her. Two days ago, when I picked her up after sitting on my lap for a few minutes, she bit me hard enough to leave a bruise. This has never happened before. Usually the only time she even gets close to biting is when she pulls on my shirt or pants to let me know she wants to go back in her cage. She has never even nipped me before. The next day, she bit my friend and left a pretty large bruise. She has also been crying when I try to pick her up and she runs away from me. If i try to pet her while she is in her cage, she tries to bite me. She used to love being held and pet, so this behavior is extremely unusual for her. I haven't noticed any changes in Bonnie's behavior. Their diet and environment have not changed at all. They always have plenty of water and the temperature in my room is usually between 65-75 degrees. Lola is still active and enjoys playing on the floor. I was just wondering if you might have any ideas about what could have caused this change in behavior and what I might do to fix it.
Answer Hi Rachel,
Thanks for the picture – they are both adorable!
There are several possible explanations for Lola’s behaviour, and the first one you need to rule out is pregnancy. Guinea pigs are pregnant for 68-72 days, so if you’ve had them for just under three months, she could be literally about to pop! It is also likely that Bonnie is in fact a boy, especially if you bought them from a pet store and they were mis-sexed, which happens a lot. And so, you’ve got a Mummy and a Daddy on your hands. If Lola is pregnant and Bonnie is a boy, you will need to separate your piggies – at least for now – as he should not be around for the birth or until the babies are weaned. If Bonnie is a girl, though, it will be fine (and actually, better) for them to be kept together.
If you don’t think Lola is pregnant – the symptoms are aggression, not wanting to be held, weight gain, appetite increase, thirst increase and lethargy – then she could be harbouring an illness. Have you noticed anything else unusual? It could also simply be that she is in season, especially as it has only been going on for a few days, and that she’ll be right as rain in a few more.
If you don’t think any of these are the explanation, let me know and I will have another think
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