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
Question yesterday my guinea pig died suddenly. I came home to find her dead, she hadn't been ill or done anything different that day. She was only 9 months old. when i found her she had sort of buried her self under the ramp and i noticed her bottom was wet and had a little diarrhea on it which she hadn't had diarrhea the day before, what do you think it was? and what should i do with my other guinea pig who shared a cage with her, will she get ill? and should i get another guinea pig to keep her company?
Answer Hi Mary,
I'm very sorry for your loss. Sadly guinea pigs go downhill very quickly when they are unwell, so if nobody was home when she got poorly she wouldn't have stood a chance. They also hide their illnesses as a defence mechanism (so as not to show weakness in the wild) so sadly, a sudden death is a common occurance. Please don't blame yourself, but please understand that it is almost impossible for me to guess at why she died.
It would be best to get a new guinea pig to keep your other one company as soon as possible - she will be very sad after the death of her cagemate. But do take her to a vet to make sure she is healthy first.
