Female Guinea Pig ~3 years old with PTSD (chewing issue)?

Post Reply
User avatar
Rynn21

Post   » Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:08 am


I got a female guinea pig off of Craigslist over two years ago as a companion for a rescue guinea pig. The trouble, I believe, starts with the fact this CL guinea pig was housed with a rabbit and no other guinea pig. The first month I had her with her friend, she chewed a giant hole in the tarp of the midwest bottom. They got transferred over to a c&c and over the months I have figured out that the CL one is the cause for a lot of destructive rips and holes in fleece and fleece hides...I had to put a brick over the corner she was chewing to stop it. Now she has moved over to the other corner...I am exhausted from having to sew every single week (and I cannot sew well). Has anyone else had this kind of issue? She has unlimited hay and all the chews she could want. She is always a nervous wreck and gets upset at anything and everything compared to any of our other current thirteen. I do know she gets really hormonal when she's in heat and harasses her friend for two solid days, and I have found a small missing hair spot on her friend's face. Any suggestions would be appreciated cause I'm about ready to switch them over to a different kind of bedding or change up bonds (we're an in-home rescue). Fleece isn't cheap and I'm at my wits end.

User avatar
PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:52 am


How is her weight? Has she been checked out by a vet? My most destructive guinea pigs have been ones in pain. I would worry that she's not feeling well.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Nov 16, 2022 8:36 am


Guessing if she is really hormonal and part of this is the drive to chew, it is possible a spay (ovarian cysts) might help.
https://www.guinealynx.info/ovarian_cysts.html

Unsure how to stop the behavior. I imagine changing to a different type of bedding could help but understand why you like fleece.

I do know that some people's setup uses two layers of fleece sewn together on 3 sides with a piece of coroplast slipped between, stretching it tight and not as easy to grab.

User avatar
Rynn21

Post   » Wed Nov 16, 2022 2:21 pm


Her weight is stable. Healthy chunk. She's acted this way from the beginning, but another female with hormonal issues acted off since the start.
A cyst sounds like a likely possibility and I'll look into it.

I currently have another intake going in for a spay due to spraying we noticed and she has an unknown mass on her uterus.
I will take this girl in to Dr. Nenn (LAGPR) for an ultrasound the next time she's there, which won't be till at earliest next year. I managed to get in to see her at her last visit in October for the other intake.

Post Reply