# Hand raising baby guinea pig - need answers fast **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063 "2008-10-29T10:53:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/1 "2008-10-29T10:53:12Z")
4 day old bubba guinea pig abandoned by his mother (mum was attacking it). Was quite dehydrated when I found it. My vet suggested I have a go at raising it. I am providing some grass and vegies + offering an eye dropper filled with kitten milk (per vets instructions) + water. I am open for any advice and information. Like how often shoulfd I offer the milk? He/she is very very cute. If it survives the night there will be pictures (maybe video of piggie slorping down the eyedropper squeeeeeeee) Tahnks in advance. MRW ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/2 "2008-10-29T12:07:14Z")
i’m not certain of the frequency of the feedings, but I can tell you to make sure that you keep the baby warm. They can catch a chill quite easily. ---
**Author:** ![Morgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Morgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgis)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/3 "2008-10-29T14:17:45Z")
I once unknowingly bought a pregnant guinea pig from the pet store. She got very very fat and then gave birth to three adorable babies. Guinea pig babies are born much larger and more developed than other rodents (open eyes, fully furred, and able to run around in a few hours), so I think yours stands a pretty good chance. My little ones were eating pellets, timothy hay, and veggies by the end of their first week. They still nursed some, so I would keep giving it milk for a couple weeks as well as solid foods and then wean it gradually off of the milk. I’m not sure how often to feed the milk, but I would think at least 3-4 times a day. Good luck with your little piggy! Can’t wait to see pics. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![simply\_cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@simply\_cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simply_cats)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/4 "2008-10-29T14:31:59Z")
I loved my guinea pigs 🙂 I, too, am looking forward to pictures 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/5 "2008-10-29T15:03:32Z")
In addition to the milk, you could get some guinea pig pellets and mash them up with water and cooked squash and administer those in an eyedropper. This would be a good supplement, since the kitten milk won’t exactly match the dietary needs of a cavy anyway. Milk or the pellet mash should be given every two hours or so and once the baby figures out what’s going on you’ll probably have him/her weeking and demanding it. Use a warm cloth or cotton ball to rub at the baby’s bottom after feeding to encourage elimination. Keep the baby warm, loved, and with solid food options in addition to the hand feeding. So far, it sounds like you’re doing great. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/6 "2008-10-29T15:35:05Z")
> [@CaerieD](#): > > Use a warm cloth or cotton ball to rub at the baby’s bottom after feeding to encourage elimination. Not to express doubt about this suggestion, but in my experience guinea pigs, young and old, need no encouragement to take a dump. Any old stimulus will do (air, light, sound, touch etc.). Good luck with the piglet. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/7 "2008-10-29T15:55:29Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Not to express doubt about this suggestion, but in my experience guinea pigs, young and old, need no encouragement to take a dump. Any old stimulus will do (air, light, sound, touch etc.). Let my clarify that the advice given there is in case of the piggy _not_ pooping everywhere all on his/her own. Once they’re a few days old, they’re fine handling these things, but since **madrabbitwoman** said this one was only four days old it is a consideration to take into account. It’s quite likely the piggy is already handling it just fine, but if he/she’s been neglected by mom ensuring that feces and urine are passing without problems is an important issue. As soon as the pig starts eliminating on his/her own (which has either already happened or will happen within days; they’re pretty independent by a week old), I’m sure the OP can figure this out from there. ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/8 "2008-10-29T17:10:08Z")
I highly recommend this website for guinea pig info: [http://www.guinealynx.info/](http://www.guinealynx.info/). They have a great forum with knowledgable guinea pig owners who are happy to help with your questions. Good luck with the baby. A popcorning baby guinea pig is one of the cutest things in the world. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/9 "2008-10-29T18:27:28Z")
Guinea pigs are just about the quickest animals to be able to be self-sufficient after being born. They are born fully furred and open their eyes and walk right away. In the four litters produced by my pigs, they were all eating greens about 24 hours after birth (although still nursing for \>2 weeks). If he/she eats greens, stick to high-nutrient ones such as spinach or dandelion greens. Good luck; baby pigs are unbelievably cute! ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/10 "2008-10-29T20:28:11Z")
> [@CaerieD](#): > > In addition to the milk, you could get some guinea pig pellets and mash them up with water and cooked squash and administer those in an eyedropper. This would be a good supplement, since the kitten milk won’t exactly match the dietary needs of a cavy anyway. Milk or the pellet mash should be given every two hours or so and once the baby figures out what’s going on you’ll probably have him/her weeking and demanding it. > > Use a warm cloth or cotton ball to rub at the baby’s bottom after feeding to encourage elimination. > > Keep the baby warm, loved, and with solid food options in addition to the hand feeding. So far, it sounds like you’re doing great. 😃 Feeding through the night was every two hours. Just start drifting off to sleep… weeek week week weeek etc… Insert food repeat two hours later. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/11 "2008-10-29T20:31:41Z")
Ooohhh! this is about raising a baby guinea pig by hand… It isn’t about a very talented little guinea pig that can wave hello.:smack: I really, really thought it was …:smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/12 "2008-10-29T20:37:35Z")
> [@madrabbitwoman](#): > > Feeding through the night was every two hours. Just start drifting off to sleep… weeek week week weeek etc… Insert food repeat two hours later. Yep, sounds like the baby’s figured it out. May God have mercy on your soul. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/13 "2008-10-29T20:46:02Z")
I had the same experience as **Morgis** - small mum, one larger, one much smaller babe … the littlest one got a hand from me eating cold porridge from a saucer from day one or two, he lived 5 years. For elimination why not stroke a bit from belly to tail, it helps when they’re clogged up. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/14 "2008-10-29T20:51:21Z")
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/madrabbitwoman/2984304759/in/photostream/](http://www.flickr.com/photos/madrabbitwoman/2984304759/in/photostream/) If you squint the pictures look really cute (my camera is dying). ---
**Author:** ![Morgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Morgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgis)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-raising-baby-guinea-pig-need-answers-fast/470063/15 "2008-10-30T15:53:05Z")
Aww, what a little cutie! It sounds like he has you well-trained already. 😃