Guinea pigs

[Socks' Mum]

Thanks, that's good. I will leave them as they are. I hope I don't male too many mistakes with them.They are very sweet.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Yes I much prefer Truffle and Jazzy Why do they make more sense?

Truffle has chocolate brown and carmel coloured wavy fur. I decided to change Jazz to Polo as he is mainly white, like a peppermint! I have found out that if I use a fleece hide or snuggle sack I can transfer the guinea pigs in that and avoid chasing them. I need to do lots of reading up about them. And register them with the local vet for a start and then look for a good guinea pig vet.

 

[Maz]

I like Polo as a name I'm sure you'll get plenty of tips from other members on here Just shout. But I guess it's also about you and them getting to know each other which is a personal thing

 

[Doodleham]

Truffle has chocolate brown and carmel coloured wavy fur. I decided to change Jazz to Polo as he is mainly white, like a peppermint! I have found out that if I use a fleece hide or snuggle sack I can transfer the guinea pigs in that and avoid chasing them. I need to do lots of reading up about them. And register them with the local vet for a start and then look for a good guinea pig vet.

There's also a specific guinea pig forum too. "the guinea pig forum" (hope it's ok to suggest this here) they are also lovely people just like on here.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I did a quick clean up before leaving for work. It went very well. Socks had a run in the shower room and was so impressed he went back to his cage after ten minutes. But he did a good deal of wheel running and had a sunflower head treat. The piggies are spick and span and eating their way out of a hay stack!

 

[Socks' Mum]

I wad very organised and then forgot my cardie, but I did bring my umbrella

 

[Maz]

Only forgot to organise yourself As we do! Socks is very lucky to get a bathroom run in the mornings

 

[Socks' Mum]

Socks was good last night, no bar biting, but he was cardboarded in. My guinea pigs squabbles at about 3am and I had to get up and sit with them. After some tactful redistribution of the hay, they settled down and had a nap. I got as far as tickling Truffle's chin gently with a wooden toy and at one stage they were both nibbling on it, one at each end, while I was holding it. I went back to bed and Socks came out for a run on his wheel. There was a little bit more guinea squabbling and then some peace, at 5am

 

[Maz]

Goodness I hope you get chance to catch up on some sleep and have a nap

 

[Socks' Mum]

Thank you! I have to work, but hopefully it's a teenage thing and they will settle in a few months. I need to sort them out with out of cage time too and get a more spacious cage. Fortunately guinea pig cages aren't expensive. They like to stay put (indoors at least) and quite simple barriers will keep them in.

 

[Socks' Mum]

The gin gins had time in the hallway to free roam and they sounded very happy about it. They are eating pellets from the same bowl at times (although they have a bowl each) and seem more relaxed. Plenty of clean fleece to lounge about in comfortably helps to keep them mellow. The vacuum and floor brush are doing daily duties now and you need to learn how to manage hay, but I love hay, so that's alright. A horse bag is on its way! Socks: "gin gins

 

[Maz]

That sounds lovely. I can just imagine them roaming the hallway

 

[Socks' Mum]

Thank you! They run around through their fleece tunnels and patter on the cardboard floor of the cardboard taxi box making little noises. The tunnels have to be open at both ends for safety, but they seem alot more relaxed now and less jealous. If Truffle sees me give Polo a treat he will intimidate Polo until he gets some too, stealing it from Polo if he can. He loves Polo though and they hate to be separated. Polo is very democratic and peace loving. I hope it stays this way, but apparently once through their teens, guinea pigs should start to mellow and the hormone surges should level off.

 

[Socks' Mum]

The piggies had a run in the hallway this morning and then I put them in their cage for the day with a clean puppy fleece blanket and lots of fresh hay. They have fleece beds as well under their bendy bridge hides. I am using blank newspaper off cuts under the hay and then a layer of absorbent cardboard pellets. They have fresh veggies for breakfast first thing in the morning and more veggies in the evening. They are not hugely vocal, but Polo stands with his paws on the base in the doorway and requests breakfast with an imploring look

 

[Socks' Mum]

At daybreak, or 4:30am, the gin gins were rustling around in their cage. When I raised my head to look, they were playing a very sweet sort of tag game, standing up against their bendy bridge hides to look over the top to see which way the other pig had gone. They were doing a great job of dodging around the hides and through them. I tried to video them on my phone, but they stopped playing and started to quarrel, with rumbling and whimpering starting to be heard. When I went back to surfing on my phone, with my attention elsewhere, the game started again and the sounds stopped, just playful chasing with no grumbling. Nowt stranger than folks, eh?

 

[Socks' Mum]

We are getting g a C2C cage soon, the equivalent of a Plaza for guinea pigs, but open top and modular. It will be 6' x 2' and has the option of being L shaped. They should have more freedom to popcorn and zoomie. Also there should be more room to avoid tensions building up when the hormones rise. It can be split into two 3' cages if necessary, for convalescence or if tensions lead to actual fighting, but I hope they won't as it is so nice to have a mini herd in my flat

 

[Socks' Mum]

If two previously compatible boars fight, sometimes people keep them partitioned rather than distancing them. If they have injured each other, then this arrangement has to be permanent, but at least they still have some company, although obviously being together is the best life for them.

 

[Maz]

The Guinea Pigs sound such fun! It must be lovely seeing and hearing them doing their things. I'm sure they will appreciate the upgrade. @Emx93 and @Eriathwen on here both have guinea pigs, so I'm sure they'll offer the odd tip if needed!

 

[Socks' Mum]

Tips most welcome I'm trying to get them less hand shy. They eat from my fingers quite well and like to give them a sniff, but dart away when I move my hand to stroke them.

 

[Emx93]

They do take a while to get used to humans but when they do they're generally very tame some just don't like humans ever (a bit like hamsters) but the more time you spend speaking to them and hand feeding etc the more used to you they will get on Monday it will be Sally and addys 1st adoption day and they were rescues and my most challanging skittish piggies to date but they both now enjoy a cuddle from both big and small humans and one takes meds twice a day so I promise its possible it just takes lots of time and patience