blind piggy

[Crackle & Pop]

we got a boar from a rescue a couple of months back, he was brought in from a friend of the rescuer who used to breed. we thought he was blind for quite sometime so when we took him to the vet they concluded our original thought that he was blind. he has ruby coloured eyes with a white ring inside. as the rescue knew the mother and father we think it may be to do with inbreeding. basically he was with one of my older boars until the older one bullied him and we had to separate them. most people say that being blind wont affect them but it does for him because he had such a rough start in life. when you go to pick him up he runs away which is ok but when you are holding him if you touch his tummy he goes to attack you. he doesn't intentionally bite you but moves his head really quickly to your finger as though he is. if you dont get the message he wll bit down hard. also he does that if you touch his chin or any of his toes thus meaning we cant cut his toenails. also when we are holding him if we start to stroke him he wheeks like mad? is this bad? he is our special little guy and my family adores hiim to peices but because i do the practical work like looking after and things I'm the one which gets attacked the most, i know hes only doing this because hes scared but it makes me not like him which makes me feel horrible because i know its not his fault. he isnt with a freind right now but a few weeks back we took him to rescue to bond and he didnt get along with them so we think he just needed time to be alone. I'm wondering if getting him a freind will help? its just i dont mind that much and i know hell come around but at the moment he scares me alot and i know it must be scary for him but i dont know how to help.
sorry to ramble on but its bugging me and i just want the best for him 8...8...

 

[sharonS]

I am not an expert in this but he may be feeling vunerable because he is on his own and blind too. Could you maybe contact a local rescue to see if they could boar date your little guy, so that he gets to choose a friend of his own.
It may take him a liitle longer to settle down due to his condition. The more you handle him gently the more he should start to settle down.
You could speak to the Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue, they have had quite a few boars in recently may be they could help.

 

[MerryPip]

we got a boar from a rescue a couple of months back, he was brought in from a friend of the rescuer who used to breed. we thought he was blind for quite sometime so when we took him to the vet they concluded our original thought that he was blind. he has ruby coloured eyes with a white ring inside. as the rescue knew the mother and father we think it may be to do with inbreeding. basically he was with one of my older boars until the older one bullied him and we had to separate them. most people say that being blind wont affect them but it does for him because he had such a rough start in life. when you go to pick him up he runs away which is ok but when you are holding him if you touch his tummy he goes to attack you. he doesn't intentionally bite you but moves his head really quickly to your finger as though he is. if you dont get the message he wll bit down hard. also he does that if you touch his chin or any of his toes thus meaning we cant cut his toenails. also when we are holding him if we start to stroke him he wheeks like mad?
I have a blind/deaf piggy and they can find being handled reall tough. Most often they bite out of anxiety. I know my Hamish doesn't like being caught by surprise so I often pick him up using his cosie tunnel or similar so he is safe and I'm not chasing hiom around or grabbing him around the middle. I know some poeple have taught their pigs to step up onto their hands to avoid the chasing around at picking up time.

Maybe he'd be more settled in a blanket or cuddle cup type thing for laptime? Some pigs just genuinely don't like bits of them being touched though but he sounds very insecure.

is this bad? he is our special little guy and my family adores hiim to peices but because i do the practical work like looking after and things I'm the one which gets attacked the most, i know hes only doing this because hes scared but it makes me not like him which makes me feel horrible because i know its not his fault. he isnt with a freind right now but a few weeks back we took him to rescue to bond and he didnt get along with them so we think he just needed time to be alone. I'm wondering if getting him a freind will help? its just i dont mind that much and i know hell come around but at the moment he scares me alot and i know it must be scary for him but i dont know how to help.
A friend is a great idea if it's the right one. a nice calm friend would be great. My hamish can't do without another pig. I he gets left alone he sitsin teh middle of the floor and screams til someone or his brother comes to find him. It helps their security and makes them feel more confident. They often use them like a guide-pig, following them around...!
sorry to ramble on but its bugging me and i just want the best for him 8...8...

A good rescue will be able to boar date your special little boy and find the right friend for him and his needs. Just take it slow as he will take a lot longer than otherpiggies to learn to trust you. The world's a scary place when you are small and you can't see.

 

[Crackle & Pop]

ok will try and get him a freind, when him and his old freind were together he used to follow round him. yeh with the picking up thing when we open the cage door he usually runs into the egloo and i pick him up so there isnt much running round anyway xx thanks to both of you for the advice x