How can u tell guinea/skinny pig's age?

Sherry1978

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 2:43 pm


I got my skinny pigs from a pet store and of course they don't usually know much about the animals (especially exotics), which is one reason I feel pet stores are just as much "rescue" places as actual rescue shelters.
Anyways, i was wondering how you can tell round about ages of piggies? The only thing I've ever heard was color of nails. If translucent, they are under 6 months and black means adult. But is there a better/more accurate way?

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 3:37 pm


The nails are about the only way to guess a guinea pig's age, but it's not very accurate. Once a pig is much older, their eyes change a little bit, they start losing weight, the hair may thin, etc.

But I'd dispute that you're rescuing a pig when you get one from a pet store. Yes, you're taking that pig out of the store, but to the store, they're just merchandise to be sold. So you buy a pig, and they order another one to take its place to be sold. Pigs that go to stores are bred and raised in horrible conditions, and they're often sold sick, mis-sexed, with parasites, and the baby sows are pregnant. The sows that produce the pups are kept continually pregnant until they're too old, and then they're killed. When they're shipped to the stores, they're in large plastic containers, several animals deep, and there are almost always dead ones in the bottom of the boxes.

So when you buy a pet store pig, you're participating in that whole breeding mill operation. Yes, you saved one pig, but you caused to be bred to replace it, and some poor sow to be continually pregnant producing those pigs.

If you want a good look at the practices, see www.petsmartcruelty.com. Recognize that all big box pet stores operate the same way, and that Rainbow Exotics is still in business.

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Kimera

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:28 pm


We can easily identify only three ages of guinea pigs: babies, adults, and seniors. Young adults have straight nails (their color depends on the color of the skin, not age), and good muscle tone. Seniors have crooked, thickened nails, if the nails were white, might be yellowish. Their whole front paws might be slightly turned in, muscle tone is lessened, so the pigs have sagging bellies and necks, but bony backs. They don't get grey with age, neither do they lose their teeth, but the may have cataracts or osseous metaplasia in their eyes. When they are very old, they usually have problems with walking, either due to arthritis or stroke.

Sherry1978

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:28 pm


Bpatters, i appreciate the guilt, lol, but what you said is actually the reason of why i don't mind buying from a pet store. Anyone can adopt free animals but I'm willing to spend the money to get them out of their horrible conditions at those pet stores. Adoption shelters from everything I've heard, take good care and know more about the animals, where as the employees in pet stores (especially chains) know little to nothing about exotics and they don't get what they need. And they get things they shouldn't. Thry are going to sell snd replace the animals with or without me, that's for sure! Lol....So i feel good knowing that i helped multiple animals 😆

Sherry1978

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:30 pm


Kimera, thanks for your reply. So, how would one tell the difference between a baby and young adult/adult? Mine are definitely not seniors and they run around the house like a tornado coming through lol! I'm just not sure on their age, as in how far from the 6 month age (and off alfalfa) they are.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:08 pm


And condemned others. Don't forget that.

And if you don't buy one, they don't have to order one to replace it.

You can play all the mental gymnastics you want to, but if you buy a pig from a pet store, you're part of the breeding mill chain.

WICharlie

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:20 pm


I'm sorry but your thinking of pet stores is quite ignorant. There are a ton of guinea pigs being surrendered at humane societies and shelters all over the country and not enough homes being offered for them. So when you bought your pig under the guise of "saving" it, a pig actually died (the fancy name is "euthanize") because no one came forward to provide it a home. What actual rescues do is to take in pigs FROM the humane societies and shelters, get them healthy and work to find them a home. And they are not ever offered for free. Free pets are often seen as being worthless by their owners and they are the ones found abandoned in parks and dumpsters or they die when they get sick because their owners don't think they are worth enough to pay for medical care for them.

You are right about one thing. The people who sell pigs in pet stores are generally clueless about their needs and don't care about the welfare of the animals. What they make their money on is from the crappy cage that they sold you and any toys/treats/bedding. I don't know how long you have had your new pigs, but if it's been a short time, you may find your new pets are infested with lice or mites, may be harboring an upper respiratory infection, or are NOT the gender that the pet store employees have said. You may even have a male/female pair and find that your female is pregnant (You would be surprised how often this happens to the unsuspecting customer). You may even find that you have two females...who are both already pregnant. So you may have wanted only two pigs but may find yourself with 8 to 12 in 70 days or so. Then you may not be feeling so happy about having "saved" a pet store pig.

As to your question, it is very difficult to determine the age of a pig. They usually reach their final weight within the first 4-6 months if fed a decent diet. A young pig is usually very energetic and has crisp, clean looking nails. Because pigs have individual differences in regard to weight, shape, hair length and personality, it is really impossible to know for sure just going by looks. If the pet store employees had taken any type of responsibility for these pigs, they should have told you EXACTLY when they were born.

I hope you will stick around and read a lot here on this forum to educate yourself. When I say that you are ignorant, it's not to put you down but to point out that you really don't know how pet stores and mass breeding works. You are not alone in that. Many of our members here started out buying their first pigs in a pet store before they know anything about the glut of homeless animals waiting and dying in local shelters.

Sherry1978

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:30 pm


Sorry but you people sre rude jerkoffs!! Except kimera. No my pigs are the correct sexes, hsve been perfectly healthy for the more than "a short time" I've had them and i think i would know if after having them for many months if they have nuts or not lol. I am not even dignifying any of your ignorant comments with a further response. Screw off and you should be ashamed of yourself to be so rude!

Sherry1978

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:33 pm


Oh and mental gymnastics? You couldn't even play mental CHECKERS! Lol

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:42 pm


It's been nice knowing you, Sherry1978. I fear you're not long for this board.

WICharlie

Post   » Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:47 pm


1. I'm guessing you are about 19-20 years old?

2. Many of us have spent years being involved in guinea pig rescue and are trying to EDUCATE you in order to help you and your pigs. We have seen first hand the abuse and neglect that people have put these animals through and many of us have stayed up nights trying to keep a sick pig alive after someone dumped it at a shelter and then we have cried tears after it has died in our arms (and we quickly whisper to it that we have taken it on as our own baby and will remember it). So yeah, no shame here.

3. It is often very difficult for people to tell the difference between male and female pigs, especially when they under a year old. They are sexed wrong ALL THE TIME by all kinds of people which is why people end up with unwanted litters.

4. Read. And learn. And if you haven't done so already, go replace your pet store cage with a C&C cage that you can learn how to make at this website: guineapigcages.com

pinta

Post   » Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:36 pm


Just because your skinnies are running thru the house like a tornado coming thru doesn't mean they are young. Skinnies' metabolism rate is way higher then haired pigs. They scream louder, run faster, eat faster, poop more and bigger as a matter of course. I just took a skinny in for what I thought was a back injury. The damned pig was in heart failure, but being a skinny it didn't occur to her to just lie down and be floppy. No, she had to keep running around at top speed which turned out to be a high speed wobble. She's fine now after lasix injection, oxygen and upping of the heart meds she was already on. And it took her longer to recover from heart failure than my haired pigs. I believe she is 3-3 1/2 years old. Skinnies age faster than haired pigs and have shorter life spans - 3-5 is considered senior rather than 5-7 years.

Weight is a better way to check your pigs age. Weight them weekly. If they keep gaining steadily and quickly they are very young. If they gain steadily but at a gradual rate they are probably between 6 months and1 year. At 6 months, most pigs have reached their skeletal size and then they start putting on weight. Someone correct me if I am off!

If you have a fastidious pig who is into self manicures, the nails will always look young. The frenetic action of skinnies also keeps their nails trimmer as they get more wear and tear.

but I'm willing to spend the money to get them out of their horrible conditions at those pet stores.

No, you are willing to reward a pet store with money encouraging them to buy more animals to replace the ones you bought. Nice try on the justification, though. But it's one we've heard many a time and only encourages "eye rolls" from forum readers.

Much information on this site. Vets even check into our med pages. You would be wise to stick around and grow a thicker skin. Those of us who have been members of this forum from the beginning have skin like callused elephants.

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