Guinea pig with extra toes.

[Halfpenny]

We have agreed to take in a guinea pigs baby girl, who had a few problem.
She and her brother were handed into P@H adoption aged 4 weeks old. Someone saw them and the fact they looked poorly so questioned he staff, apparently a new member of staff admitted them without thinking. They were not eating well and were not eating concentrated food at all ( mix or pellets). As soon as they went up for rehoming she got them and they are now 8 weeks old. She is bonding the young male with her older male and was looking for a home for the girl. They have been kept seperate.
We agreed to take her for a couple of reasons, the dodgy start may affect her in later life and she has been born ( as has her brother) with extra toes on her back feet. She has 4 instead of 3 toes, the 4 toe appears to be boneless but has feeling. It concerns me there may also be less obvious deformities if this is apparent.

Does anybody have experience of this and any idea if we should be aware of any other issues.

[sdf76]

I'm sorry I can't help personally but you could maybe try contacting Alice at Windwhistle Warren? ( or other guinea pig rescues ) as Alice has experience of hundreds of guinea pigs over time and may possibily have come across this problem.
It may not actually be a problem as such if it does not affect her mobilty or cause her pain, though I understand your concerns about the possibility of less apparent underlying problems. Odd that the brother should have the same thing too.
well done for taking her in.
sue

[hurricanhoney]

I don't have any experience but look forward to hearing updates.

[sdf76]

Hi Halfpenny
I don't know if you have already found advice re your piggie with extra toes? but I noticed that Alice is currently looking for a home for a pair of guinea pigs one of whom has toe problems so may be worth contacting her about your extra toed piggie as she may have come across this before? have a look on the facebook section of her site for pics?- her contact details are on there too.
http://www.windwhistlewarren.org.uk/support.html
sue

[Halfpenny]

Thank you, little piggie has arrived, she is a peachy, orange crested pig and we've called her Marigold.
I've looked at the toes and they have feeling but are very mobile, spoken to the vet and once she is bigger we will get them removed. My bigger concern is that she is inbred- brother/ sister- so I hope that is her only health problem. She is gorgeous!
Will post pictures once I can use my computer again.

[Blackberry]

Saw the piccie of FB - she is gorgeous

Have you tried The Guinea Pig Forum for advice? There seem to be a lot of knowledgeable people on there

[Halfpenny]

The guinea pig forum is very slow and I often don't get answers.
I'm not sure if I sound stand offish until people get to know me, but I seem to struggle to get accepted into forums.

[sdf76]

I seem to struggle to get accepted into forums.

not this one
sue

[Toffee4ever]

I acquired a pair of brothers one of whom had an extra toe, no major problems with it , just had problems with the nail which had a tendancy to curl badly.

[sdf76]

How is Marigold these days?
sue