? fitting guinea pig

Question
i got a guinea pig for my son four weeks ago, she is about 3-4 mths old. i got another one last week who is 9 wks, also a girl. the first one looks well and is eating but started jumping and head going to side. i have seen children fit and she looked like she was fitting to me, it was very upsetting to watch as lasted on and off for about 5-6 mins.she has a few small ones over the following hours, what should i do ?

Answer
Hi Elaine,

The best thing to do will be to take her to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet. She could simply have mites (an advanced case and prolonged scratching can lead to fitting) or she might have a more serious underlying condition. Guinea pigs suffer from very similar illnesses to humans (hence their past use in medical labs), so it is also possible that she could be epileptic. It is important to find a specialist vet, or one at a general surgery who is particularly interested in small animals. Not only is their consultation fee often lower, they are specifically trained in successfully diagnosing guinea pigs.

It is also a possibilty that what you have noticed is a behaviour known as "popping corn" but if it resembles a fitting child or the piggy lay on her back at any point, then fitting is more likely. Guinea pigs "pop corn" when they are very happy; after interacting with another guinea pig, or if you introduce a new toy to their cage that they love. The jumping is erratic and can be quite worrying when you first see it, but it is actually a good thing, and if you have just got your piggy a new friend she'll be feeling very happy. Guinea pigs can usually be distracted (by something great; like food!) whilst popping corn, so give it a try. It would not be possible to intervene during a fit.

If you have any other questions ... just ask.

Good luck and best wishes,

Jenny.