when my guineapigs family died i dont know what is gonna happen to gini

Question
QUESTION: pls help me i dont know what is going on with my guineapig i dont hear him much squeeking now.i dont know why my other 3 guineapigs died as i know it died because of heat stoke and gini (the left guineapig) i think he is kinda lonely so i bring him to my room and out his cage to my room so i can see him everytime there is a problem. how can i make him feel happy and healthy  and i notice him that he breaths really fast and doest'nt  eat much vege and pellet i dont know what is happening to him pls help me (''_)

ANSWER: Hi Ramona,

Did your other three guinea pigs die of heat stroke? If so, Gini's fast and/or laboured breathing could be for the same reason. If Gini's cage is inside, you need to make sure that it is not near a window, that there is air conditioning or fans in the room, and that Gini has plenty of fresh, cold water in his bottle to drink. If it is outside and it is summer, try to put it in a shady spot, and always make sure there's a cool shadey hidey-hole in a guinea pig's run. Additionally, guinea pigs with pale-coloured ears will need to wear sun-cream when they are in their run.

Guinea pigs feel very similar emotions to humans, so Gini will be very sad right now, and will be grieving for his lost relatives. Although lots of cuddles, toys, and his favourite foods will help Gini, the best way to perk him up and ensure that he goes on to live a happy life will be to get another guinea pig for him to live with. If Gini is a young piggy (three years or under) then I strongly advise you to do this. I recently lost one of my boys, and his poor brother was so sad and lonely; but I managed to successfully introduce him to a baby male, and now they're firm friends! So if you make the decision to do this, let me know, and I can advise on what sort of new piggy to get, and how to introduce them.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best wishes,
Jenny.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: wow!thanks but i have a few more questions....
is it good or bad for gini to drink an infant milk for babies?i've been giving him a milk every night because he is so skinny he may look fat because of his thick fur but when i touch his back i can touch his bone in his back and i can even touch his pelvis..i cant bring him to the vet because the vet is very far away from home and my sis said it will be very expensive if i will put gini in a check up..and i also try  to feed him with smashed pellet with infant milk and he likes it is it good for him?
my other question is if i will buy another guineapig should it be a male or a female or a female and male ?thank you now i am not worry any more but i will still keep my eye on him
pls answer....

god bless ;}

Answer
Hi Ramona,

I'm not sure, but I don't think baby milk is good for guinea pigs. The milk that guinea pigs drink from their own mothers is very low in lactose, so anything you give your piggy should also be. Guinea pigs are not completely lactose intolerant, but they cannot handle very much of it. If you can find a big pharmacy, you should be able to get some low-lactose milk there.

Is it just since his relatives died that Gini has seemed skinny? If so, vary the food you offer him; if he's depressed, something will eventually catch his eye. Try fresh parsley; it's full of natural goodness for piggies and has also been a real favourite of many of the piggies I've had over the years. Make sure he has plenty of hay to help him to digest his food.

If you think that Gini's skinniness may not just be part of the grieving process, I strongly urge you to take him to see a vet. Sudden weight loss is a sign of many serious illnesses in guinea pigs, and so should not be ignored. If you find a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet their consultation fee will be much lower, and a specially trained vet is much more likely to successfully diagnose a guinea pig than an ordinary vet. It is usually just the medicines that vets prescribe that are costly, but if your piggy needs them it is important that you get them for him. Gini relies on you to take care of him. Search the internet for "Peter Gurney" and you will find his health pages; these might have some at-home remedies for you to try.

If you want Gini to have a cagemate, as he is a male, the new guinea pig will need to be a male too. He will need to be young though, or the two will fight for dominance. Around 6 weeks of age is perfect. If you decide to introduce a baby male to Gini please let me know and I can help you; it can sometimes be tricky but if you follow a few simple steps it should work and the two will become friends!

Please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything else; and Happy Easter!

Jenny.