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RABBITS
Rabbits and guinea pigs
should never be housed together. Though there are times when no harm will come
to a guinea pig from this kind of cohabitation it is more often the case that
the guinea pig is injured by the rabbit either by it trying to mate with it,
this includes female rabbits, or they are kicked by the rabbit’s habit of
kicking out with its powerful back legs.
REX
The Americans have a much
more appropriate name for this breed of guinea, which is a Teddy. Their short
crinkly coats are just like a child’s teddy bear’s coat. They have
become one of the favourite breeds over the past few years and I have about ten
in my own stock.
ROAN
This is a smooth coated
breed which has the same kind of coat as a Roan breed of horse. The hair
of the coat can be of various colours but are equally mixed with white hairs.
RUNTS
Many runts, under-weight
baby guinea pigs (the average weight is 2.8oz or 80g), can manage on their own.
Indeed there are some that seem to have an extra zest for survival and despite
their diminished stature they manage to barge their way through the clamour to
get at their mother’s milk. However, there are many that need a little
help from their friends, which means their owners. This means supplementary
feeding and doing everything for the babies that their mother does. There are
many differing opinions about the kind of milk to give baby guinea pigs and
whichever is chosen, the golden rule it to check to see if there is any sign of
loose droppings an hour or so after feeding and if there is, to stop and switch
from the product that is being used. The product I use is the made up baby milk
formulated for human beings. It is usually sold in small cartoons so wastage is
avoided. This kind of milk can be purchased in most chemists.
The never-to-be-broken
golden rule is to never syringe feed a very young baby. There is far more
danger of milk finding its way down into the lungs if a syringe is used because
the babies tend to suck very hard and they seem to be able to suck more milk
out of a syringe, and at a higher rate, than from their mother’s teats.
Use a tea spoon, which should be put to the baby’s mouth while it is
standing on a towel and always be ready to angle back each time the baby lunges
forward too eagerly, which can lead to the nose going into the mix. Milk in the
nostrils can also find its way into the lungs.
The milk should be warmed
up very slightly, for the mother’s milk obviously comes out at body
temperature. I usually put the milk in an eggcup, which I pop in the microwave
oven for about six seconds. If you have no microwave then standing the
container with the milk in a cup with some hot water for a minute or so will be
effective.
I find that feeding little
and often is the preferred routine for most runts. If,
after a couple of days the runts are not picking at their dry feed or nibbling
at their hay, it is important to lace the milk with some roughage in the shape
of some ground down bread crumbs, and one friend of mine used crushed
Farley’s Rusks with excellent results.
No matter how careful you
are, sometimes some milk can get into the lungs; it can even happen to babies
who are sucking normally from their mother. The good news is that if instant
action is taken, the problem can be very effectively dealt with, and the even
better news is that as soon as the milk gets down there a distinct click which
will be heard each time the baby takes a breath. I find the best way of up
ending the baby is to hold it, head down against my left shoulder with my right
hand. It will very quickly get quite stressed and begin to struggle and it
usually isn’t very long before it starts coughing and spluttering, which
is the object of the exercise for it will be coughing up the milk.
It will be noticed that
mother guinea pigs, and most animals that are nursing their young will, from
time to time, vigorously lick the baby’s genital area. This is to
stimulate them to defecate and this duty must be performed by owners! However,
fear not, a cotton bud dipped in warm water is a very effective substitute for
the guinea pig tongue! It only needs to be done two or three times a day and
not at each feeding.
Single runts should always
be left with their mothers, sisters and brothers if they are not too weak, as
the company of their kin is an important stimulation. In large litters, it is
not at all unusual to have two runts and in these cases I always take them out
and house them separately. With a companion to snuggle up to and, as they get
stronger, play with, they tend to thrive very well.
As soon as you are
confident that the runts are strong enough to cope with the rough and tumble of
litter life, put them back in with their mother. I have yet to see a mother
reject a baby that has been fostered to an owner for a week or so.