new adult guinea pig:

Question
One day ago i adopted an adult guinea from a breeder. She wasnt getting along with her siblings. I am using flannel bedding and timothy hay in her hut. When we took her out for floor time today afyer an hour she had watery eyes and sneezed once. She seems very agitated. Her teeth were chattering and making a scared noise. I thought it could be from playing an app that made guinea pig noises. This evening when i picked her up her eyes were blinking more than usual and again she was very tense. Should i be worried? Is it someting in my home or hers making her sick so fast?

Answer

Adams spray and dip   I doubt you're doing anything to cause her to sneeze. Guinea pigs sneeze now and then just as we humans do. It doesn't mean illness. I suspect she is stressed from her new environment and surroundings.  I would recommend you just leave her alone for about 5 days and let her adjust to her new home.

Teeth chattering is a sign of aggression and an impending fight if there's another pig with her. It also means a serious bite if you reach for her. This could also mean she's irritated from an infestation of mites or lice.

Ask the breeder you got her from if she's been treated for mites and lice and if so, when. Often times breeders with large caviaries neglect this and they spread quickly throughout the herd. The good news is that it's an easy fix and should be done anyway.

The mites are microscopic so you will not be able to see them. Lice can be seen with the naked eye but if you don't know what you're looking for you may not recognize them. They are very tiny, like pieces of thread. If your pig has black hair anywhere you can see them more easily on the dark hair. They move very slowly and you might see what you think might be lint, but if you are very still you'll see them move. When you run your finger backwards through the hair they will move away from the light.

An animal that has been left untreated will be miserable enough that they get very aggressive. The good news is that both lice and mites are species specific and will not get on you, your dog, your cat or anything other than another guinea pig.

Get some Adams dip or spray at your pet store. I prefer the dip as it soaks the hair and skin completely making it more effective. Short haired pigs do okay with the spray but you have to really soak them.

Mix the dip in your bathroom sink using warm water.  Just follow the instructions on the label. You want about three inches of water. Sit the pig in the water and pour it over the entire body, making sure to protect the eyes and ears.

The trick to success is do NOT use a towel or hair dryer on the pig. Put her in a box with a towel on the bottom and let her drip dry. This is very important. Keep her out of a draft while she's drying. The dip actually has a nice fragrance and is made of Pyrethrums which is not an insecticide so is safe on guinea pigs.

I've attached a picture so you'll know what you're looking for. I've tried other brands but none work as well as Adams. You use very little at a time so it's not expensive.  She should be treated every three months.  In a big caviary they should be treated every six weeks. We don't really know where these things come from, they just show up. It's like fleas and dogs. It's up to the owner to keep them at bay.

Hopefully this will change her attitude and she'll be the pet you're hoping for.