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 hi, my pig Speedy has recently became very ill, off his food not feeding, lost loads of wait, gunky eyes. Vet says he has a respritory infection and given him antibiotics. it has been 48hrs now and no improvement. Started giving him water with a syringe, but he still refuses food of any kind. Is there a liquid food that I could give him with the syringe? I'm very, very worried
Answer Hi Shan,
This does sound worrying, but respiratory infections can make guinea pigs very unwell. You can try making your own syringe feed with mushed up food (using a Peter Gurney recipe if you need guidance), or ask your vet to prescribe Oxbow critical care (which is an excellent liquid feed for guinea pigs).
You should take your guinea pig back to the vet even if you make your own food, as it is very likely he has an intolerance to the antibiotics which is why he isn't getting better, and needs a different kind. Use the Guinea Lynx website to research the best ones.
