Xabi's Health

Okay, I'm turning into that crazy guinea pig lady constantly posting about her guinea pigs as if they were children, buuuuuuut, this is big news!

Since the day we got him, Xabi is a little "off". His head is slightly tilted, his ears seem more dirty than the other two, one eye is slightly closed and dull looking, he also kind of has a "wheezy" sound when he runs around, when he eats his food falls out of his mouth, and his teeth look just slightly uneven.

My theory was that he had an elongated root problem. Well, we took him to the vet and she thought the same, but wanted to keep checking. Turns out, Mr. Alonso Kazoo has a nerve deficiency in the entire left side of his face! Poor little guy doesn't have any motor control on that side.

 Hence, his head is tilted, because he can only see out of one eye, so he rotates one side of his head to look at you. His ear is more dirty because he can't feel it get itchy or gunky, so he doesn't clean it. His one eye is slightly closed and dull looking because he can't see out of it, he has a wheezy sound because he probably can only breath out of one nostril, he can only feel one side of his face when he eats and that is why food falls out, and because he probably tends to chew on the side he can feel, his teeth are uneven.

All symptoms of one problem! Unfortunately, of course, there is nothing we can do. Everything else about him is fine. This is just a disability he has. The vet said it might be genetic or he had an accident.

That's the update! And now a picture of the cute widdle piggy.

Xabi likes to jump up into the hay rack. 

New Obsession

Lately I have spent a lot of hours looking at how to care for Guinea Pigs! We recently found out that although the pet rent ($25 per month, per pet)/pet deposit ($125)/pet fee ($100) applies to cats and dogs, there is no rent/deposit/or fee for guinea pigs!

I have looked up proper care for guinea pigs and am excited because apparently wood shavings aren't the best option for guinea pigs. I am glad because that is one of the things we were thinking was a downside. For one, I think I am allergic. For two, it makes a mess. And for three, it is sort of a waste. Whereas the new way is to have a "C&C" cage. "Cube & Coroplast" cage. Cube, meaning just the wire sides, and coroplast, which is plastic cardboard, essentially. It is was small campaign signs are made out of.

Anyway, then instead of shavings, people put down just a fleece blanket. That way you just take out the blanket and wash it with the rest of your laundry. Apparently guinea pigs have respiratory problems with shavings, also.

I've also been looking at diets, and what foods you should give them daily and what foods you should give them sparingly. It's been a lot of fun, actually. My favorite kind of guinea pigs are the ones with smooth coats. I think this is because my guinea pig Gus was a smooth coat. Also, I loved my grandma's guinea pig, Brownie (smooth coat). I've also found helpful hints on how to help tame your guinea pig.