Orphaned baby guinea pig

Question
My female guinea pig died today at the vets.  She left a 15 day old baby.  Can the baby survive without his mum.  What do I need to do to keep him healthy?

Thanks.

Answer
Hi Carol,

    First let me say that I am terribly sorry for your loss =(
    Yes, the baby can survive without his mother but it may take a little help from you.  As baby guinea pigs usually are finished nursing by four weeks old, it is now up to you to either find a sow who is also mothering nursing babies or hand rear them.  If there is no sow available, you can feed your baby by gently feeding him formula with an eyedropper  - keep in mind that too much force can drown the baby, and do not shove the tool down his throat.  A tuberculin syringe (without the needle) can be obtained by the vet and will also work very well.

    I have read in a book by a very prestigious guinea pig owner that mixing lukewarm Unilact with a few drops of corn syrup is the author's favorite.  She also mentions that other breeders frequently use:

- 1 tablespoon of evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons of warm water
- 1 tablespoon of corn syrup
- a dash of Tang or pediatric viatmin C

Another Formula:

a mixture of tepid milk, v-8 vegetable juice, a drop of 2/3 milk and 1/3 juice when first given, with the amount of juice increased daily until the cavy is receiving two-thirds milk and 1/3 juice

    They all may sound odd, but the three are supposedly very dependable.  The third one seems complicated, so I would go with the 1st or 2nd one - its up to you.

    It is suggested that .25cc - .5cc is given one every 2-3 hours during the day and evening, but you do not have to wake during the night.  (cc's are the measurement on the syringe)

    Thank you for your question, I hope I have been of help to you.  If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.  Good luck with your piggie =)

                                                 - Nicole

p.s. the book to which I was referring was "AN OWNER'S GUIDE TO CHOOSING, RAISING, BREEDING, AND SHOWING" by Harriett Rubins