Aw Rodney, what a handsome little fella!
Don't feel too bad, you did a damned good job with the knowledge you had at the time!
It all started with Gordy...
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Jaycey
- Supporter in 2014
I've never met a piggy as bright orange as Rodney was. I think he might have glowed in the dark, he was that bright!
I did try my very best with all of my guineas, and had so many different guinea pig books, including Peter Gurney's. Luckily it was only another year or so until I discovered Guinea Lynx!
I did try my very best with all of my guineas, and had so many different guinea pig books, including Peter Gurney's. Luckily it was only another year or so until I discovered Guinea Lynx!
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Jaycey
- Supporter in 2014
Tyson
Tyson was a lovely little Abyssian guy, white and brown, with little flecks of black in his hair. I named him Tyson, because he had such raggedy ears, it looked like Mike Tyson had taken a few nibbles off them.
Tyson was the first of my guinea pigs that had to go through surgery, and unfortunately he had to do it twice. After Rodney moved out Tyson decided he was going to be boss pig, and so took over a top rumbler and humper. I didn’t really want to separate him out as Gip was very close to him and so, after taking advice from the vet and the numerous guinea pig books I owned I decided to get him castrated. I was so edgy all day long, worrying about how he was doing, and if he’d come home to me. Sending a guinea pig if for surgery is such a stressful time, but is unfortunately necessary. I was waiting all day for the call, and eventually it came. He was fine, phew! I went to collect him and other than a few hours of drowsiness he came around fine, and healed really well.
Unfortunately the castration didn’t seem to help. He continued to be a rumbly, humpy guy. After Magpie moved out, he seemed to calm down a little and he and Gip had quite a happy little life for a while.
One morning in September 2004 I opened the shed up and found poor Tyson with a hugely swollen right eye. It had literally appeared overnight. We dashed off to the vet, where he was diagnosed as having an ulcer, and was given some sort of eye drops and Baytril. After a day or so I wasn’t happy still, as poor Tyson couldn’t even shut his eye, so we went back to the vets. The only option we were given was for him to have it removed. I had no choice but to go ahead. He was taken in for surgery and we played the waiting game again. He did really well, and recovered alot quicker from the anaesthetic.
Gip had been missing him, and the vet said there was no reason to keep him separate so he went straight back into living with Gip. I was a little worried about him managing with one eye, but he did really well. There were a few incidents of bumping into things but in no time he was racing around the kitchen floor like an expert.
The 28th of November 2004 was quite a busy day for me. It was the day that I first posted on Guinea Lynx:
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... highlight=
I commented on a topic about eye ulcers, and mentioned how well Tyson was doing after his operation. It was very strange because that was the night that he died. I didn’t take him to the vet to find out the cause, but I believe it may have been an infection behind his eye. But, that’s just a guess, as he was eating and pooping fine.
Here are a few photo’s of the handsome little guy. I had a few photo’s of him after his eye removal but I can’t find them.
He was such a handsome little guy, and his name was so appropriate. He was very much a fighter, managing to survive two surgeries. I learnt a lot from him, especially about surgery and recovery times.
Tyson was a lovely little Abyssian guy, white and brown, with little flecks of black in his hair. I named him Tyson, because he had such raggedy ears, it looked like Mike Tyson had taken a few nibbles off them.
Tyson was the first of my guinea pigs that had to go through surgery, and unfortunately he had to do it twice. After Rodney moved out Tyson decided he was going to be boss pig, and so took over a top rumbler and humper. I didn’t really want to separate him out as Gip was very close to him and so, after taking advice from the vet and the numerous guinea pig books I owned I decided to get him castrated. I was so edgy all day long, worrying about how he was doing, and if he’d come home to me. Sending a guinea pig if for surgery is such a stressful time, but is unfortunately necessary. I was waiting all day for the call, and eventually it came. He was fine, phew! I went to collect him and other than a few hours of drowsiness he came around fine, and healed really well.
Unfortunately the castration didn’t seem to help. He continued to be a rumbly, humpy guy. After Magpie moved out, he seemed to calm down a little and he and Gip had quite a happy little life for a while.
One morning in September 2004 I opened the shed up and found poor Tyson with a hugely swollen right eye. It had literally appeared overnight. We dashed off to the vet, where he was diagnosed as having an ulcer, and was given some sort of eye drops and Baytril. After a day or so I wasn’t happy still, as poor Tyson couldn’t even shut his eye, so we went back to the vets. The only option we were given was for him to have it removed. I had no choice but to go ahead. He was taken in for surgery and we played the waiting game again. He did really well, and recovered alot quicker from the anaesthetic.
Gip had been missing him, and the vet said there was no reason to keep him separate so he went straight back into living with Gip. I was a little worried about him managing with one eye, but he did really well. There were a few incidents of bumping into things but in no time he was racing around the kitchen floor like an expert.
The 28th of November 2004 was quite a busy day for me. It was the day that I first posted on Guinea Lynx:
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... highlight=
I commented on a topic about eye ulcers, and mentioned how well Tyson was doing after his operation. It was very strange because that was the night that he died. I didn’t take him to the vet to find out the cause, but I believe it may have been an infection behind his eye. But, that’s just a guess, as he was eating and pooping fine.
Here are a few photo’s of the handsome little guy. I had a few photo’s of him after his eye removal but I can’t find them.
He was such a handsome little guy, and his name was so appropriate. He was very much a fighter, managing to survive two surgeries. I learnt a lot from him, especially about surgery and recovery times.
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Jaycey
- Supporter in 2014
Magpie
Magpie was the first guinea pig that I didn’t name myself. When I bought him the breeder said he looked like a magpie because he was black and white, and the name kind of stuck. Unfortunately being like a magpie also brought bad luck, to himself.
Magpie was a wonderful little piggy, so different in personality to the other three. He was very adventurous, nosey and very friendly. He would be the leader of the group when they all would piggy train around the run looking for food. (Gip was always on the other end!)
Magpie’s bad luck started when he got bitten by Rodney. It took such a long time to heal, it literally took months. He had a few doses of antibiotics to help any sign of infection, and I separated him from Tyson and Gip so I could look after him easier, and to monitor his food intake.
It was a few days before we lost Tyson when I noticed that one of his front feet was quite swollen. Although I wasn’t very knowledgeable, I knew from reading Peter Gurney books that it looked like bumblefoot.
I created a thread for him on Guinea Lynx
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... sc&start=0
The vet I was using at the time wasn’t guinea pig knowledgeable at all so other that prescribing Baytril I never really got anywhere with them.
As well as suffering from Bumblefoot Magpie also stopped eating, and eventually lost the use of his hind left leg. It stuck out, and he wouldn’t bend it any longer, even though it did bend if you moved it. He was getting daily soaks for his bumblefoot and aggressive handfeeding.
Despite all of his illnesses Magpie still seemed to be the happiest piggy around. He’d love having floor time and would continue to race around, even when his hind leg wouldn’t work. He loved it so much, we were contemplating having his leg removed when he recovered from the not eating and bumblefoot as we were afraid he’d hurt it, or break it.
I do think that he must have been a sickly piggy from the day I bought him, as he was ill alot of his life. I think that it might have been due to ill breeding by the breeder.
Magpie died on 21st Jan 2005, shortly before what would have been his 4th anniversary of the day I got him. Although I was deeply upset, and missed his happy, funny antics, I believed it was for the best. He never showed signs of suffering, but it couldn’t have been very nice being ill, especially during his bumblefoot episode.
He’s a few photo’s of Magpie, being devil pig:
On this one, you can see a little bit of his cheekiness come through
Such a spunky little character!
Magpie was the first guinea pig that I didn’t name myself. When I bought him the breeder said he looked like a magpie because he was black and white, and the name kind of stuck. Unfortunately being like a magpie also brought bad luck, to himself.
Magpie was a wonderful little piggy, so different in personality to the other three. He was very adventurous, nosey and very friendly. He would be the leader of the group when they all would piggy train around the run looking for food. (Gip was always on the other end!)
Magpie’s bad luck started when he got bitten by Rodney. It took such a long time to heal, it literally took months. He had a few doses of antibiotics to help any sign of infection, and I separated him from Tyson and Gip so I could look after him easier, and to monitor his food intake.
It was a few days before we lost Tyson when I noticed that one of his front feet was quite swollen. Although I wasn’t very knowledgeable, I knew from reading Peter Gurney books that it looked like bumblefoot.
I created a thread for him on Guinea Lynx
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... sc&start=0
The vet I was using at the time wasn’t guinea pig knowledgeable at all so other that prescribing Baytril I never really got anywhere with them.
As well as suffering from Bumblefoot Magpie also stopped eating, and eventually lost the use of his hind left leg. It stuck out, and he wouldn’t bend it any longer, even though it did bend if you moved it. He was getting daily soaks for his bumblefoot and aggressive handfeeding.
Despite all of his illnesses Magpie still seemed to be the happiest piggy around. He’d love having floor time and would continue to race around, even when his hind leg wouldn’t work. He loved it so much, we were contemplating having his leg removed when he recovered from the not eating and bumblefoot as we were afraid he’d hurt it, or break it.
I do think that he must have been a sickly piggy from the day I bought him, as he was ill alot of his life. I think that it might have been due to ill breeding by the breeder.
Magpie died on 21st Jan 2005, shortly before what would have been his 4th anniversary of the day I got him. Although I was deeply upset, and missed his happy, funny antics, I believed it was for the best. He never showed signs of suffering, but it couldn’t have been very nice being ill, especially during his bumblefoot episode.
He’s a few photo’s of Magpie, being devil pig:
On this one, you can see a little bit of his cheekiness come through
Such a spunky little character!
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Jaycey
- Supporter in 2014
Gip
It took me the longest to name Gip, and for a while I thought Gip was such a terrible name for a guinea pig. But in the end I thought it was perfect for him. He was such a meek, scared little guy. From day one it was obvious that he wasn’t a fan of humans, and would always be behind Tyson. If you managed to sneak up without him noticing, he’d soon dash behind Tyson
“Tyson, help me”
He was different to the other three in every way imaginable. Not only was he alot more timid, he was built completely differently. The most he ever weighed was 1000g, but he never felt thin of boney.
Funny shape guy! He had a bit of a sharky fin going on aswell:
Can you imagine any piggy looking more frightened than this:
Not only was he a scaredy cat, he was the biggest girls blouse in the world!
When I was still unsure about trimming their nails myself I used to take them all to the vet to have them done. The others were done not a problem, but Gip was a different story. I remember one particular day, there was only myself, and a lady with a dog in the waiting room. I was empty handed as the vet nurse had taken Gip out to the back of the surgery so another nurse could help. Suddenly an almighty scream started “WHHEEEEEEEEEEEK” “What is that?!” exclaimed the dog lady. “Erm, it’s a guinea pig” I replied. “What’s happening to him? Is he having surgery without anaesthetic or something?”. My answer, “No, he’s erm, he’s having his toenails trimmed”. “Oh” said the dog lady.
Even when I became brave enough to trim their nails myself I only had to touch his feet and he would start screaming. Nail trims were very stressful.
When Tyson went over the rainbow bridge I was very concerned for Gip, as Tyson was his rock. He followed him everywhere, and was always near his side. Now Gip was alone. I did get another two guinea pigs, but Gip didn’t take to them.
Here’s a picture. Does anyone recognise the two new additions?
However, I needn’t have worried. Gip totally transformed into a different pig. He was never as brave or as cocky as Gordy or Magpie, but he became alot friendlier. He wouldn’t dash away from me, and I could have him out on my knee, or even sitting in his bed, and he would happily sit and eat. I have no idea what happened, but it was such a wonderful thing. I loved sitting and watching him sit on his little sofa happily lounging or eating a carrot.
How different is he here to his scaredy photo's earlier!
If you all don’t mind I’d like to end Gip’s story here, on a happy note, and happy photo. I don’t think I can handle going through his final story, I feel physically sick now just thinking about it. All I can say is that I was heavily to blame and I will never forgive myself. His final tale is here if you would like to read it.
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... 61&start=0
He was such a funny little guy, and I was so glad that I saw his personality shine, even if it was for a brief time.
My next tale might include a few faces that some people may recognise!
It took me the longest to name Gip, and for a while I thought Gip was such a terrible name for a guinea pig. But in the end I thought it was perfect for him. He was such a meek, scared little guy. From day one it was obvious that he wasn’t a fan of humans, and would always be behind Tyson. If you managed to sneak up without him noticing, he’d soon dash behind Tyson
“Tyson, help me”
He was different to the other three in every way imaginable. Not only was he alot more timid, he was built completely differently. The most he ever weighed was 1000g, but he never felt thin of boney.
Funny shape guy! He had a bit of a sharky fin going on aswell:
Can you imagine any piggy looking more frightened than this:
Not only was he a scaredy cat, he was the biggest girls blouse in the world!
When I was still unsure about trimming their nails myself I used to take them all to the vet to have them done. The others were done not a problem, but Gip was a different story. I remember one particular day, there was only myself, and a lady with a dog in the waiting room. I was empty handed as the vet nurse had taken Gip out to the back of the surgery so another nurse could help. Suddenly an almighty scream started “WHHEEEEEEEEEEEK” “What is that?!” exclaimed the dog lady. “Erm, it’s a guinea pig” I replied. “What’s happening to him? Is he having surgery without anaesthetic or something?”. My answer, “No, he’s erm, he’s having his toenails trimmed”. “Oh” said the dog lady.
Even when I became brave enough to trim their nails myself I only had to touch his feet and he would start screaming. Nail trims were very stressful.
When Tyson went over the rainbow bridge I was very concerned for Gip, as Tyson was his rock. He followed him everywhere, and was always near his side. Now Gip was alone. I did get another two guinea pigs, but Gip didn’t take to them.
Here’s a picture. Does anyone recognise the two new additions?
However, I needn’t have worried. Gip totally transformed into a different pig. He was never as brave or as cocky as Gordy or Magpie, but he became alot friendlier. He wouldn’t dash away from me, and I could have him out on my knee, or even sitting in his bed, and he would happily sit and eat. I have no idea what happened, but it was such a wonderful thing. I loved sitting and watching him sit on his little sofa happily lounging or eating a carrot.
How different is he here to his scaredy photo's earlier!
If you all don’t mind I’d like to end Gip’s story here, on a happy note, and happy photo. I don’t think I can handle going through his final story, I feel physically sick now just thinking about it. All I can say is that I was heavily to blame and I will never forgive myself. His final tale is here if you would like to read it.
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... 61&start=0
He was such a funny little guy, and I was so glad that I saw his personality shine, even if it was for a brief time.
My next tale might include a few faces that some people may recognise!
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