Wheekerpedia: B

B is For:

Babies:

Known as Mini Pigs and Pups. Litter sizes range from 1 to 8 babies and average at 3 or 4. The pupslook like miniature versions of adults when born and are eating solids usually within 24 hours.

Barley Grass: A cereal grass that is packed full of nutrients and is quick and easy to grow. Only a little is needed because it is so high in nutrients. See Planet Guinea for more information and to buy online.

Bathing: Guinea pigs have not adjusted to the humid environment in the United Kingdom and research by Vedra Stanley Spatcher at The Cambridge Cavy Trust found that it was beneficial to bath guineas 4-6 weekly. A gentle shampoo such as one of the Gorgeous Guineas range is advisable. These have been trialled on Humans and hundreds of guinea pigs before they were marketed. To see a video on bathing guinea pigs take a look at the Guinea Pig Welfare channel.

Baytril: A broad spectrum antibiotic. Obtainable only via prescription. Dose rate varies according to the problem but is commonly given at 0.4ml twice daily. A probiotic needs to be given 1 hour afterwards to restore any destroyed gut flora. Occasionaly guinea pigs will go off their food when taking Baytril. In order to be effective the dose must be correct and the whole course (minimum of 10 days) needs to be followed.

Bedding: Choosing a good bedding is important as guinea pigs carry their noses and bodies close to the ground. All wood bedding contains oils (natural or essential) and are not recommended for guinea pigs. Claims of certain beddings being ” free from parasites and fungal spores” are somewhat absurd when any bedding/hay is immediately contaminated with fungal spores on opening the bag if there are spores in the environment and similarly with parasites! Claims of “treated” and “untreated” hays and bedding are also false, whilst there are various drying methods the bedding/hay is not “treated” as such. Parasites can probably only survive for a length of time on hay that is damp, despite all the claims regarding bedding no indepth scientific study has ever been made.

Beige Self: 

A solid coloured guinea pig with even colouring and good ‘type’.

Belted: A smooth coated guinea pig that is black with a white ‘belt’ circling its body.

Black and Tan:

A black Self type guinea pig with Tan eye circles and well defined markings round the face, chest and belly.

Black Self:

A solid coloured typey guinea pig with large ears and big eyes. The nose is ’rounded’ as opposed to being ‘triangular’. The undercoat should be as black as the top coat.

Bladder stones/sludge:

Sometimes the result of an incorrectly balanced diet, a guinea pig’s diet must be balanced in Calcium and Phosphorus; often diets are high in Phosphorus (fruits and roots). They can also be hereditary. Removal is necessary or the guinea pig can die a horrible death. Indications that bladderstones may be presentcan be any of the following: squeaking when urinating, blood in the urine, arching the back towards the end of urinating. Read how Marbles overcame multiple bladderstones with extra fluids and Uriflow.

Blindness: Guinea pigs have poor sight anyway and are not overly affected by losing their sight. Those that are blind from birth cope what might seem like remarkably well but guinea pigs do not “do” disabled! Most do not have a problem with things in their cage/pen being moved around, perhapsthe greatest trial for a blind guinea pig is moving into a new pen that is a different shape to their previous one (often the case with Grid Cages), but after a period of adjustment and familiarisation they once again adapt.


Bloat: The guinea pig ballons in size and when the sides are flicked they make a hollow sound similar to that when a balloon is flicked. Immediate treatment is required but first it should be determined what type of bloat guinea has, therefore a vet should be consulted and at once.

Buff: A ginger coloured, dark eyed guinea pig.

Bumblefoot: Cracked skin on the bottom of the foot which is often swollen. Infection often gets in making the condition worse. Some cases have been healed completely with the use of Gorgeous Guineas Perfect Paws and F and M ointment.

Pictures copyright of owner, donated to Guinea Pig Welfare.