[Gpdd] Announcement: new member Darlene

[Darlene Watts]

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Hi Everyone,
 
My name is Darlene.  I joined the digest a few weeks ago.  This is my first post.   
 
I have 13 guinea pigs.  3 are rescues.  I have had guinea pigs now for 5 years.  I've raised rats and rabbits and even hamsters.  I have always had a houseful of pets.  I've rescued some wild animal babies.  I  have hand reared two baby guinea pigs that are doing very well at 3 months old.  
 
One rescue I currently have that is still on the mend is Midnight.  She is an all black shiney piggy.  I aquired her from a "Free to good home" add in our local newspaper.  There are never free guinea pigs here, so I thought there must be something wrong.  When I got to the house to see the guinea pig, I was shocked at her condition.  She was housed on cedar chips, the water bottle was full of mold and her little bottom had a mountain of feces on it.  I took her home and gave her a bath.  Her bottom was so infected.  The infection rotted all the skin off and she was just raw and swollen.  She went to the vets the very next morning and the doctor put her on Baytril.  It's been a month now and I can see a marked improvement in her.  She is starting to walk around her cage more and even lift herself up to the side of the cage.  Her bottom is finally starting to really heal.  She has needed daily baths with a antibacterial shampoo, and constant cleaning of the towels she had to be bed
 on.  
 
She is such a joy.  She now enjoys her baths and snuggles in the towels when I am done.  She sleeps upstairs in the bedroom next to a mattress that I have on the floor.  (she gets special care! LOL)  She will wheek in the middle of the night and look at me with the biggest sweetest eyes.  She then puts her head down has if to tell me to pat her.  I have to oblige.  LOL  She will run next to my arm and nose my hand to pet her also.  She is the sweetest pig I've ever owned.  
 
I enjoy this group so far in all the post I have read and look forward to further post.
 
Darlene