vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 3, 2005 4:11:20 GMT
[glow=hotpink,1,000]Do any of your guinea pigs have extra toes? [/glow]
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Post by Bean on Apr 3, 2005 6:42:55 GMT
My little Chas did, on one of her back feet. It didn't cause her any bother so we just left it be.
I know some people have them removed if they look like they might catch on something.
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 3, 2005 8:21:10 GMT
[glow=hotpink,1,000]I've heard guinea pigs having extra toes is caused by imbreeding ><
[/glow]
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Post by Susie on Apr 3, 2005 11:46:13 GMT
I find it really weird how front paws have 4 toes back ones have 3. Its so odd!
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 3, 2005 20:37:04 GMT
[glow=hotpink,1,000]lol! yeah i was thinking about that too! But four on front and three on back's normal. i was just reading about guinea's having extra toes and its caused by imbreeding! thats horrible! [/glow]
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Post by Susie on Apr 3, 2005 23:49:52 GMT
I just wondered if its some kind of weird evolutionary thing where they used to have say 4 toes each paw & evolved to have 3 on the back but some are throw backs. Have seen first hand the horrors of back breeding... and lost my beautiful piglet Elmo likely due to the idiocy of the woman who bred the mother with anything. My rescue friend had a piggy come in pregnant & one of the babys was born dead with 2 heads.
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 4, 2005 1:46:21 GMT
[glow=hotpink,1,000] OMG Susie That is horrible!!!!! >: ([/glow]
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Post by Clover on Apr 4, 2005 6:02:35 GMT
Aww that is awful. Could they have been the start of twins but they didn't seperate properly in the womb. But like you say, inbreeding can cause deformities. You must have been heart broken Susie when you lost little Elmo
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Post by Susie on Apr 4, 2005 6:47:45 GMT
I was... it was a very sad time. It was a little more difficult as I decided (jointly with Louise) to take Elmo for an autopsy incase it might help the remaining 2 living siblings of the 5 piglets. It pretty much drew a blank... but it was so har to take even the shell of my precious man to the vet for that.
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Post by Alix on Apr 4, 2005 21:48:51 GMT
I don't think extra toes in particular can be put down to inbreeding alone. That sort of thing can be caused my anything, even like Suzie said, throwbacks.
Though I'm sure inbreeding causes much more in the workings inside the animal as well as the obvious physical deformities.
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Post by crittermom on Apr 5, 2005 2:27:58 GMT
True. My Ben has a Grade 5 heart murmur as a result of such. The vet says not to expect him to live beyond four years, if that.
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 5, 2005 3:06:49 GMT
I know. But I'm just saying
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Post by Clover on Apr 5, 2005 7:03:59 GMT
It must have been so hard for you Susie having to take Elmo for a autopsy but I totally understand your reasons. I really hope crittermom that Ben lives a long life.
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Post by Susie on Apr 5, 2005 8:52:25 GMT
I too hope Ben can defy the odds. 4 years is not too bad... I believe most rexes only make it to 4 or just after (though I know of 6 year old ones!). Piggys are so special its a cruel blow that they are taken from us in the first place, but to go before their time is really heartbreaking.
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Post by crittermom on Apr 5, 2005 12:34:14 GMT
Yeah Vegan, I know what you were saying. I have a polydactyl cat, I've wondered how such things come about too. Susie, that's so sad about Elmo. I'm very sorry. And thanks for the wishes for Ben. He's a popcorning, happy guy, so I'm hoping that the best diet and care will have a positive effect. You'd never know he has a bad heart by looking at him.
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Post by Alix on Apr 6, 2005 7:40:11 GMT
The Rex over there must be pretty weak, Suzie! My little Rex is 5 and she looks like she could go another few years.
Crittermom, you must be sad knowing your pig may not live that long.. When I did work experience at a shelter there were two pups with heart murmers, one with a first degree murmer, and one with a 4th degree murmer. They put down the little girl with the 4th degree as they had so many dogs at the time they had to look at each dog's potential at being adopted. Unfortunately a truckload too many to give that little pup a chance..
But your pig sounds like he's leading a happy life with you!
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Post by Susie on Apr 6, 2005 14:56:34 GMT
I'm glad to hear that Al. No idea why, I love them (Hugo is my dream pig) though I would love a long hair one day... I hope he is here for a long time!
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Post by kitty on Apr 7, 2005 4:00:02 GMT
Susie, I have a long-haired Peruvian (see my girls photos on Jackie's site or on one of my epistles "Beth's Pigs") but it was getting SOOOO long that I just gave her the world's WORST cut! I think she knows it looks crummy and she's not talking to me now! I just told her that every girl goes through a bad cut or PERM from Mom at least once in a lifetime! My husband's father shaved off his EYEBROW once! I would LOVE to have a Himalayan like Bob- I think some others of you also have one- that's my "dream pig". I think because my favorite kitty was a Siamese.
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Post by Susie on Apr 7, 2005 10:24:58 GMT
Oooh Bordeaux is a stunnerolouring & her hair I like it when people say they like himmys... allot of people are not keen on pink eyes, hence poor Prince waiting 6 months before he found a forever home with me So what was Kitty like? Do you have any pigtures Beth?
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Post by kitty on Apr 8, 2005 3:07:41 GMT
I love the himmys and REALLY want one. I'm sorry I don't have photos of Layla, my siamese, as it's been years since she died. But she was my favorite cat ever -not because she was so beautiful ,but because she was so smart and sweet. Cats, horses and guinea pigs- if I only had to live with them the rest of my life I would be happy..... Your piggie IS a Prince and I would have snatched him up if I'd seen him!
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