Concerned about adopting bonded and unfixed boy/girl guinea pig duo
Hello all! I hope you can give me some good advice. The local animal shelter has a boy and girl guinea pig pair that was left outside in the cold before the shelter found it. So we have no history on these guinea pigs. The animal control officer brought the pair to a vet (who does not specialize in small animal care) for a check-up. The vet found a testicular tumor. Otherwise, they seem to be okay so far. They’ve been in the shelter now for a week. The pair seem bonded. I’m very concerned about a few things ...
1. Could they have developed a respiratory infection from being exposed to the cold when left outside of the shelter?
2. Could the female already be pregnant?
I’ve called several small animal vets and there are high fees to determine if the female may already be pregnant and to have the boy neutered. I also know it’s ideal to have two of the same sex. And I know it’s not great to break a bonded pair.
I feel like there are a lot of red flags in this situation. And we are potential first-time pet owners.
My options seem to be, take them both, pray she’s not pregnant, and have the boy fixed (to which there are risks, I understand). Or take just one and break the pair, which might cause depression. Perhaps I should just walk away? The shelter is talking with the spca this morning to see if they can neuter the boy to help keep the pair together. They will call me back today, and I’ll need to have made an informed decision. I’m hoping this community can give me some good advice.
Thank you!
1. Could they have developed a respiratory infection from being exposed to the cold when left outside of the shelter?
2. Could the female already be pregnant?
I’ve called several small animal vets and there are high fees to determine if the female may already be pregnant and to have the boy neutered. I also know it’s ideal to have two of the same sex. And I know it’s not great to break a bonded pair.
I feel like there are a lot of red flags in this situation. And we are potential first-time pet owners.
My options seem to be, take them both, pray she’s not pregnant, and have the boy fixed (to which there are risks, I understand). Or take just one and break the pair, which might cause depression. Perhaps I should just walk away? The shelter is talking with the spca this morning to see if they can neuter the boy to help keep the pair together. They will call me back today, and I’ll need to have made an informed decision. I’m hoping this community can give me some good advice.
Thank you!
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- And got the T-shirt
First off, you don't want a small animal vet. They're trained in the care of dogs and cats, not exotic pets. You need a good exotic vet, and if you decide to have the male neutered, you want an exotic vet with experience in that surgery.
Second, the female may well be pregnant. But neither you nor the vet would be able to tell until she's about 5-6 weeks along. You don't need a vet to tell you whether she's pregnant -- it will be apparent, one way or the other, soon enough. Here's a post I wrote for another forum -- be sure to read the links back to the medical topics on this forum: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/th ... ong-is-she.
If you take them both and have him neutered, he'll still have to be separated from her for four weeks. Guinea pig "swimmers" are very hardy, and he can impregnate her for that length of time.
They may or may not have respiratory infections, but if they do, it won't be because of the cold. It will be because they got exposed to the bacteria/virus/fungus somewhere along the line.
I wouldn't hesitate to take them. I'd put them in adjacent cages, or a split cage, with a lid on HER side. A determined male can push up the lid on his own cage, but he can't lift the lid on another cage. And he'll be VERY determined when she goes into heat. Just know that when you put them back together, you'll have to do full reintroductions. See https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html for how to go about it.
Good luck! And keep us posted on what you decide.
Second, the female may well be pregnant. But neither you nor the vet would be able to tell until she's about 5-6 weeks along. You don't need a vet to tell you whether she's pregnant -- it will be apparent, one way or the other, soon enough. Here's a post I wrote for another forum -- be sure to read the links back to the medical topics on this forum: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/th ... ong-is-she.
If you take them both and have him neutered, he'll still have to be separated from her for four weeks. Guinea pig "swimmers" are very hardy, and he can impregnate her for that length of time.
They may or may not have respiratory infections, but if they do, it won't be because of the cold. It will be because they got exposed to the bacteria/virus/fungus somewhere along the line.
I wouldn't hesitate to take them. I'd put them in adjacent cages, or a split cage, with a lid on HER side. A determined male can push up the lid on his own cage, but he can't lift the lid on another cage. And he'll be VERY determined when she goes into heat. Just know that when you put them back together, you'll have to do full reintroductions. See https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html for how to go about it.
Good luck! And keep us posted on what you decide.
Ditto bpatters. We had a male that we thought was a female and he impregnated our other two females. We had him neutered and kept him separated from the girls until a month after his surgery, about the time the babies were almost ready to be separated (the male babies need to be separated from the girls and their mothers at 21 days old). The neutered male was a good daddy and was a good comfort to the male babies who had to be separated.
We rehomed the male babies and the neutered male dad lives with the females happily now.
However, you need to make sure the vet has experience neutering guinea pigs, because it is a complicated procedure that has risk even for an experienced vet.
We rehomed the male babies and the neutered male dad lives with the females happily now.
However, you need to make sure the vet has experience neutering guinea pigs, because it is a complicated procedure that has risk even for an experienced vet.
Phia, please let us know what you decided! Hoping you took the pair and he can be neutered. As for babies, well, there is an upside. You can have all the fun of babies, w/out the "guilt" of bringing them into the world. When I was young and dumb, I raised G.Pigs. It was a lot of fun then. Well, except the time I woke up on morning to a whole new herd of babies! I had NOT put a male in w/the girls. They lived in a divided cage. I separated the girls out and gave them which ever babies....they didn't seem to mind. Cage was too small to house all of them, so I had to separate them. Later, I caught the male who was the bad boy. He was going over the divider, doing his thing and then going back. Smart little guy!
Thank you so much for your advice all! I’m meeting with the animal control officer this morning to learn if he’s found a way to help me neuter the male and make sure the female is not pregnant. I know we may not even be able to tell now if there are babies because it might be early. But the officer is trying to get as much info as he can to help. I’m also meeting the guinea pigs for the first time today. So I’ll share an update today. 🙂
If the female ends up surprising us with babies down the line, what would I do with the babies? It seems these two are having trouble finding a home. It could just be because of the nature of this situation. But it makes me feel nervous that we may have more guinea pigs than we’ll know what to do with.
You might be able to tell I’m still a little nervous about adopting this pair. But I thank you so much for your advice! I’ll give an update later today after I meet them.
If the female ends up surprising us with babies down the line, what would I do with the babies? It seems these two are having trouble finding a home. It could just be because of the nature of this situation. But it makes me feel nervous that we may have more guinea pigs than we’ll know what to do with.
You might be able to tell I’m still a little nervous about adopting this pair. But I thank you so much for your advice! I’ll give an update later today after I meet them.
Okay ... So we visited the animal shelter and found the guinea pigs were in separate cages. They were brought to the CT Humane Society for examinations. Here’s what they found ... The boy has some issues with his boy bits. Special attention needs to be paid at a minimum to keep the area clean. And we know, to keep them together, he should be neutered. But surgery has its risks too. He’s about 8 years old.
The girl, it turns out, might have an ear infection. She tilts her head, and the animal shelter noticed she might’ve been scratching at her ear. So the Humane Society gave her 7 days of Enrofloxacin that she’s just started. She’s about 3 or 4 years old. She doesn’t seem pregnant, but as you’ve all said, heaven only knows since they were caged together for at least a week.
Here’s the part I’m nervous about telling you, but you’ve been so helpful, and that’s all I want to be to the shelter guinea pigs ... I can’t take on both guinea pigs in the situation they’re in. I really want to! But I know my limits. So I offered to take the girl home and foster her for 1-2 weeks to help the shelter, to see if our family had any allergies to guinea pigs, and to see how they both would do if separated. The boy will stay at the shelter until a rescue will come for it. But no rescues are calling back at the moment.
If either guinea pig seems devastated, or shows sign or depression, I have time to rejoin them. But I thought, at the minimum, I’m helping the shelter by caring for one, with the hopes of keeping her if we are not allergic and she is happy. At least she has a home!
So I’ve run out and have bought the basics ... Timothy grass — she had none while at the shelter! That worries me. I’m going to donate some to the shelter for the other guinea pig. We also got her some bedding, pellets, and wood chewing blocks. She has clean water. And I’ve got some fresh green pepper to give her tomorrow. The shelter gave her two baby carrots before we brought her home. We have her meds and will continue administering that.
So! Let me know if it’s awful that I’ve separated them. I can bring her back. I told the kids we’re just fostering. I’m open to getting a second girl companion for her after we know she’s well and not expecting. I know I’ll have to introduce them carefully. And if she does have babies, the shelter told me they would take the babies and find homes for them after they weaning.
All right everyone, what do you think?
The girl, it turns out, might have an ear infection. She tilts her head, and the animal shelter noticed she might’ve been scratching at her ear. So the Humane Society gave her 7 days of Enrofloxacin that she’s just started. She’s about 3 or 4 years old. She doesn’t seem pregnant, but as you’ve all said, heaven only knows since they were caged together for at least a week.
Here’s the part I’m nervous about telling you, but you’ve been so helpful, and that’s all I want to be to the shelter guinea pigs ... I can’t take on both guinea pigs in the situation they’re in. I really want to! But I know my limits. So I offered to take the girl home and foster her for 1-2 weeks to help the shelter, to see if our family had any allergies to guinea pigs, and to see how they both would do if separated. The boy will stay at the shelter until a rescue will come for it. But no rescues are calling back at the moment.
If either guinea pig seems devastated, or shows sign or depression, I have time to rejoin them. But I thought, at the minimum, I’m helping the shelter by caring for one, with the hopes of keeping her if we are not allergic and she is happy. At least she has a home!
So I’ve run out and have bought the basics ... Timothy grass — she had none while at the shelter! That worries me. I’m going to donate some to the shelter for the other guinea pig. We also got her some bedding, pellets, and wood chewing blocks. She has clean water. And I’ve got some fresh green pepper to give her tomorrow. The shelter gave her two baby carrots before we brought her home. We have her meds and will continue administering that.
So! Let me know if it’s awful that I’ve separated them. I can bring her back. I told the kids we’re just fostering. I’m open to getting a second girl companion for her after we know she’s well and not expecting. I know I’ll have to introduce them carefully. And if she does have babies, the shelter told me they would take the babies and find homes for them after they weaning.
All right everyone, what do you think?
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Right now, start weighing her daily. This will help you, a new possible owner, ensure she is getting enough to eat, not having a bad reaction to the antibiotic, and perhaps tell you if she is pregnant (her weight might skyrocket).
Read over:
www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
www.guinealynx.info/antibiotic_advice.html
www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html
Read over:
www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
www.guinealynx.info/antibiotic_advice.html
www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html