hi there

Question
hi, my 3  new guineapigs, Pebbles, scruffy and pheobe are only just settling in. they live indoors, and have got a variety of food to choose from, including a carrot, couliflour leaves and there guineapig food, that has added vitimin c. ive never seen or heard them drink or eat the guineapig food. they eat the leaves and carrots given to them, and if i pick one up and put the water battle in its mouth they drink, as there babies, do they know what the water bottle is, or how to use it. the about 6 weeks old, and there all female. Is there a way to get them to learn how to drink. Another problem is that they don't like people, they will run away at anything. two are sisters so they like each other but there is a absinnian crossed with long hair, thats not related and i've seen them scrapping a little. is there anything wrong with them or are they fine and is normal for babies. thankyou. email me  

Answer
Hi Victoria,
Congratualtions, I'm sure those baby guinea's are adorable!
You're doing good by offering them veggies and pellets. Remember that guinea pigs need unlimited timothy hay(until they are one year old, it's good to give them a small handful of alfalfa hay daily also) and they need fresh, leafy, green fruits like red and green leaf lettuce(but not iceberg lettuce) cilantro, cucmbers, parsley, celery, bell peppers, romaine lettuce,daily, and fruits like apples, banana's, pears, mangos, and oranges can be fed in small amounts 2-4 times a week. Try not to give them to many carrots, they have a lot of vitamin a in them, which is not good for guinea pigs to have too much of. It's best not to give them more than a small piece of carrot once or twice a week.
Make sure they know exactly where the water bottle is, and also that they can easily reach it. Guinea pigs will only drink clean, fresh water so make sure you change their water at least once a day. They may not be drinking very much because they're just getting used to their new home, and if they still aren't drinking well in another day or two, you can e-mail me again and I'll see if I can help you more.
And yes, it's completely normal for new guinea pigs to be nervous and skiddish for up to a few months even while they're getting used to a new home and a new owner. Just be as gentle as you can with them, and talk to them and hold them often, but not for more than ten minutes or so, so that they don't get stressed. You can get them used to your voice by talking to them whenever you're around them, and when you feed them. It takes patience, but soon they'll be a lot less shy.
It's also totally normal for guinea pigs to squabble and go back and forth with each other. They are just working out dominance issues, and as long as they don't draw blood, just let them work it out. All guinea pigs do this, and don't worry about it, unless, as I said, one of them becomes hurt or bleeds.
A website that may be helpful to you as you learn more about guinea pigs, and what to feed them and how to care for them and get them to trust you etc., is called guinealynx.com it's a great website with a lot of helpful information.
Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!
                                                             A.Jones