[Gpdd] [CARE] Just rescued a pair, new to GPs, what am I doing wrong?

[warmbreath]

You are doing a lot of things right.  Welcome to the GPDD.  It would be very 
superior if they could get a vet exam and be established on a first time and 
continuing anti-parasite regimen. Ann Evans has a the one we use quite a 
lot. See it at http://piggyville.com/index.php?id=9.  It can be administered 
at home. It’s the hay I would increase and you knew that. Greens and veggies 
aren't that high a percentage, more like treats.  I wouldn't add veggies too 
fast, in the field guinea pigs eat hay and green type forage, so a high 
quality pellet and hay forms the largest part of their diet.  Their poos can 
be a guide not too dry not too wet if too many greens and veggies are given. 
One or another veggie can cause gas so add them one at a time.
Many of the best care tips are here; www. guinealynx.info and piggyville 
above.  Send us your piggies names now that you are a piggy mom they and you 
belong to our virtual community.

They handle veggies much as rabbits do,  the most important thing is to 
avoid ones high in calcium and oxalates as they cause stones like spinach 
and swiss chard.   Also avoid fruits and sweet veggies as piggies get 
diabetes and that’s hard to treat. Limit carrots to the size of a baby 
carrot per day, no people food and hi carbs, and like buns don’t cut up 
their food so they can wear down their teeth. I do supplement with 30 to 50 
mg of Vit C on days they don’t have a Vit C food. The best long term 
indicator is that they keep their trim figure and are active.  Also weigh 
them weekly as any illness is usually carefully hidden and weight loss is 
the first symptom

I worry about eating the Aspen. I just use newspaper, paper type bedding and 
hay.  Some people use towels. Very frequent changes are the big thing.  I 
think even Aspen has those phenols associated with wood. But others may have 
better info on that. Most piggies have that bald patch, one behind each ear, 
so no worries there.
Don’t feel so inadequate, that’s your non verbalness speaking lol! Make 
noise around them, play a radio or TV sometimes. But they have each other 
for their verbal development and even if you were verbal you wouldn’t speak 
there language very well. Sounds like rattling the plastic veggie bags, the 
frig door, you coming in all speak volumes to them. best regards, Sandy and 
Sammy