# Guinea pig problem



## ewelsh (Jan 26, 2011)

My two special boys Boris and Dylan are brothers 4yrs old now, a year ago Dylan went blind, cost me a small fortune with pet eye specialist and it was just a case of bad luck, not from infection or any thing like that thank goodness. Dylan has adjusted very well and is still the boss over Boris............ I have a 3 story hutch built for them and Dylan can go up and down for food very well, the bedroom is on the top and food at the bottom, this way he still gets exercise. I put the bowls etc in the same place every day so he doesn't bump into things.. In their hutch I use paper first then sawdust and then hay... nice and snug... They have Berties food fresh every day, 3 water bottles, 2 packets of parsley everymorning, an apple in the afternoon with hay and a carrot for bed time.
My problem is he does tend to stand in his wee wee area... I do clean the whole thing out weekly and put extra hay in his wee wee area, but this is the 4th time it has happened Dylan has what the vet called a wee sore on his foot................... all I have to do is bathe his foot and keep changing the bedding which is fine by me, but can anyone come up with any other tips... It even happens in the summer when he's in his outdoor run, he will wee and stand there in it.......... I move him on and he goes back to it every time......... poor Dylan........
Boris is fine by the way so I promise you its not a dirty hutch, I am very fussy over my boys x


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

Personally I would be concerned using sawdust for guinea pigs. It can be very fine and dusty so can cause respiratory problems for them if they snuffle around in it.

I don't really no what to say about the weeing thing, and to be quite honest i'm surprised that one of mine doesn't have the same problem. He likes to pee and then scoot his bum around in the wet patch - but he's a pure white long-haired piggy so gets a very grubby behind. Can you clean out the wet patch everyday so he's not standing in wet bedding for long periods of time. 

He may like to stand there as he recognises the area by the strong smell maybe? Helps him no exactly where he is in the cage is he can't rely on his sight.


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## ewelsh (Jan 26, 2011)

swatton42 said:


> Personally I would be concerned using sawdust for guinea pigs. It can be very fine and dusty so can cause respiratory problems for them if they snuffle around in it.
> 
> I don't really no what to say about the weeing thing, and to be quite honest i'm surprised that one of mine doesn't have the same problem. He likes to pee and then scoot his bum around in the wet patch - but he's a pure white long-haired piggy so gets a very grubby behind. Can you clean out the wet patch everyday so he's not standing in wet bedding for long periods of time.
> 
> He may like to stand there as he recognises the area by the strong smell maybe? Helps him no exactly where he is in the cage is he can't rely on his sight.


Thank you swatton,
As I thought, just up the cleaning, he poo's one side and wee's the other side so maybe your right he knows where he is by the scent....
I have read about some problems with sawdust and I expected some reply over this, to be honest I don't want to make any changes now as the slightest change upset's Dylan and they have beed happy with it to date... I do put lots of hay over the top so the feet aren't on it, and it never seems distrubed.
If I even changed from curly parsley to flat parsely he stamps around and sulks then I have a messy behind............ bit of a spoilt baby.
Thank you for replying anyway.


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

Haha at least some of my pigs are just fussy over food, not about bedding. I think sometimes they think i'm a big meanie cuz I give them something they don't all like to eat.


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## Plebob (Apr 11, 2011)

Have you thought about using something completely different? i use vetbed which i shake daily and sweep up poos and change the newspaper underneath. As the urine soaks through, the piggies stay dry and snuggly. The only downside is washing it makes a mess in the washing machine, but it is only once a week ( to wash 2 pieces) and then i always do a white wash next otherwise all my darks are covered in piggy hairs!


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## ewelsh (Jan 26, 2011)

Plebob said:


> Have you thought about using something completely different? i use vetbed which i shake daily and sweep up poos and change the newspaper underneath. As the urine soaks through, the piggies stay dry and snuggly. The only downside is washing it makes a mess in the washing machine, but it is only once a week ( to wash 2 pieces) and then i always do a white wash next otherwise all my darks are covered in piggy hairs!


Thank you Plebob, vetbed sounds interesting......... I'll look into that thank you. I don't care about my washing machin so thats not a problem.:thumbup1:


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## ewelsh (Jan 26, 2011)

swatton42 said:


> Haha at least some of my pigs are just fussy over food, not about bedding. I think sometimes they think i'm a big meanie cuz I give them something they don't all like to eat.


Aren't they funny little things... so many people have said I spoil my boys and I am over the top, my husband thinks I treat them better than him... possible! I even only order from tescos as they only like their parsley. In the summer I keep part of the fruit garden only for dandilion leaves just for my boys.......... 
The way I see it, they are mine and they deserve the best possible happy little lives... to add to the mix I am allergic to them and they set my asthma off, but I wouldn't change them for the world...


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

Im asthmatic too, but luckily animal hair and things don't seem to set it off. Cold weather is my big problem...hmm...roll in christmas and winter!


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## ewelsh (Jan 26, 2011)

swatton42 said:


> Im asthmatic too, but luckily animal hair and things don't seem to set it off. Cold weather is my big problem...hmm...roll in christmas and winter!


Oh cold weather! that must be hard on you, and you can't get away from it can you.... I have loads of animals 3 dogs 2 cats old rabbit, horses, but for some reason the piggies set me off, I break out in a rash, my eyes water and then my chest gets tight, I'm ok after a few puffs and wash down, but so frustrating... 
How do you cope as winter is long... what medication are you on? I'm curious as my asthma started a few years ago............ I'm on symbicort 8 times a day, montellucast and ventolin... is there something better? as I do dislike all this medication


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

My asthma isn't hugely bad, I use ventalin as and when, and sabutamol when it is really bad...the brown 1 with the aerochamber


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## ewelsh (Jan 26, 2011)

swatton42 said:


> My asthma isn't hugely bad, I use ventalin as and when, and sabutamol when it is really bad...the brown 1 with the aerochamber


Yes I've had Salbutamol, wasn't enough for me sadly........... I just thought there may be something better than the mixture I'm on.......

Thanks anyway:thumbup1:


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

I can't remember the name of it but alot of people I used to visit used the purple round inhaler that was more like a powder than a puffer if that makes sense?...


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