# my guinea pig



## jaimea2008 (Mar 18, 2008)

i have two guinea pigs one that is blind and about 5/6 years old and the other is about 2 this year.

I need advice on how to care form my oldest guinea pig. he is called elliot. he is abasinan tortleshell and white. he is blind in both eyes. he has a pussy lump on his back. he has 4 toes on both of this back feet (they shud have 3 toes). I got him about when he was about 1 1/2 years old. i got him to be a compaion for my rabbit, who is now died. He has been losing weight. first time i weighted him he was 2lb then when down to 1lb 12oz and now he is back up to 1lb 15oz. i weight him regular as well has the other guinea pig. Elliot lives with oscar and a neatherland dwarf. they get on really well with each other. 

I just want so advice on how to look after him as he cant see where he is going. If you have any ideas please bring them forward.

Thanks for your time and help.


----------



## guineapigqueen (Jan 12, 2008)

5/6yr old is very good going for a Guinea, my oldest is 6yrs old.

Elliot is an Abyssinian(sorry had to correct the spelling). I would keep an eye on the pussy lump on his back it sounds like an abcess and I personally would not advice keeping him in with a Rabbit but I know people do. If the abcess is open like you described then I would keep cleaning it out and he really needs to go to the vets for some Baytril Antibiotics to help the abcess heal and fight any secondary infection.

Where does Elliot live? If he is outside and exposed to the eliments make sure he has plenty of hay to eat and bed it and possibly cover over the hutch because pigs dont do well with cold weather no matter the age. 

My guineas(I have 18 of them) get dry food on a morning (Supa Guinea Excel or Chudleys Rabbit Royale, this is suitable for Guineas) and fresh food on a night, consisting of Spring greens, apple, carrots, celery, broccoli, cabbage, parsley, kale, pepper etc etc. They get about a cup full each. 

Regarding the blindness my friend has 4/5 pigs that are blind or have become blind and were unwanted pets and they get around just fine. Make sure there are no sharp objects he could hurt himself on and his other sences should be highened with the loss of his sight. Any more help gimme a shout.

Emma x


----------



## cavy_gal (Jan 2, 2008)

My eldest, Pepper, was born on Easter Sunday 1997 and died October 31st 2003, he was from a breeder and had NO health problems at all (well, I don't really know how he died but he didn't have any lumps, bumps, respiratory problems), so considering your one is around 6 yrs old, blind and has an abscess, he's a little fighter! 

My little male rat has had abscesses, one that we had "popped" at the vet and one that popped by itself here. DO NOT attempt to pop it yourself! What you can do for him is bathe him in warm, salt water (just a few pinches of salt, not too much!) the water should be warm enough, (like you would wash your hands in) so that it doesn't sting or scold him. Keep him in there for about 5/10 minutes just washing over the area, don't press on it but just to keep it clean. If he doesn't agree to the bath (trust me, a guinea-pig is easier to bath than a rat ) then you can use cotton wool which is very soft and won't scratch.

Do that about 2/3 times a week and if you want to, you could take him to the vet to have it checked out.

Like the other poster asked, where is he kept? Because outside he could also catch it on something in his hutch, plus the rabbit could "groom" him and make it pop. I have no problem with rabbits and guinea-pigs being housed together provided they do get on and are well behaved with each other, but because your little one has this abscess, I would get it cleared up and out the way, or just keep a really close eye on it, checking every day, because you just never know.

Good luck, all the same!


----------

