this is sick.

[Johnn]

my frined went out toher 3 gunea pigs today and one of them was dead and the other 2 ate its face its ears and its feet and one of the alive ones is now loosing hair?

 

[watchdogps]

Quote:
That's not sick, that's just what happens. If one is losing hair, the other was probably sick and they ate it after it dies. Likely a dietary deficiency. He needs to consult a vet.

 

[Johnn]

my friend is actually a she

 

[sourland]

In guinea pigs, the loss of hair is very indicative of vitamin C deficiency. Dark leafy green vegetable matter needs to be added to their diet.

 

[dainerra]

agreed with the posters above. Definitely a vitamin deficiency and that will lead them to eat each other as well, esp if one of them already died.

What kind of a diet are they on? Pellets also need to be kept out of sunlight because that will degrade the vitamins that are in the food. leafy green veggies and good hay must be provided daily as well.

 

[Johnn]

they are fed on normal guinea pig food like the ones with bitc of stuff in, and she gives them carrots every other day or every day

 

[Johnn]

oh and they get hay

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
the food with the colored bits? if so, that's pretty crappy food, to be honest. get a food that says it contains "stabilized Vit C" and keep it stored in a cool dark place. Light will break down the vitamins in the food faster. Also, buy only the amount you will feed before the expiration date to insure that the vitamins are at the correct levels.
carrots are ok as a special treat since they can also have a lot of natural sugars in them, but dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard and turnip greens, etc) should be given every day (about 1 cup) along with TIMOTHY or grass hay as a constant supply. Alfalfa hay is only for young or pregnant guinea pigs - it's high in calcium which can cause kidney issues.


some good guinea pig veggies:
Parsley, romaine lettuce (rather than iceberg, which has less nutritional value and may result in loose stools if given in excess), a small piece of carrot, tomato, green or red pepper, spinach, and cantaloupe are popular choices. And clean, pesticide-free grass, clover, dandelion greens, corn husks and silk

Avoid mixes or treats with nuts, seeds, dried fruit and dyed pieces.
Do not feed dairy and meat products (cavies are herbivores)
Avoid seeds in husks (like sunflower seeds), which can be a choking hazard.
Do not feed rabbit pellets (they do not contain Vitamin C and some may even include antibiotics toxic to cavies).
Avoid or use sparingly, cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, bok choy, broccoli), as they may cause gas in your pet.
Do not use mineral wheels. Never use Tang (which contains dyes, refined sugars, and very little vitamin C) in drinking water.
Avoid commercial treats marketed for cavies (like yoghurt drops) which can even be detrimental to their health. Consuming these empty calories (many contain fat, sugars and even excess calcium) can result in decreased consumption of the basic foods they really need.

 

[Johnn]

Thanks that is really helpful because she thaught it had caught a disease from eating it and started crying and she also baught some mite spray to put around the hutch incase it was them but i will tell her all this and hopefully this is the problem

 

[dainerra]

well, they can get mites and fleas, like any other animal. And they can get stressed and scratch/pull hair out. They can also pull hair out of each other.
But, if they aren't getting a correct diet, that can do the same as well as be the CAUSE of bad behaviors.
The best way to be sure is to take them to the vet and have them checked out. Of course, that would be best if you have a vet who is used to more exotic pets vs just a "dog and cat" vet

They also sell vitamin c drops that you give the GP orally. Don't waste money on the drops that you add to water as it's inexact and it breaks down quickly. they also sell little tablets that you can give as snacks, but I'm not sure how well those work