MyGuineaPigPals
Teenage Guinea Pig
hey everyone,
So I have been searching for a friend for nemmy for over a year now, I have spoken to several rescues and sadly nothing ever came of it so never got him a boar date despite asking and asking, (and also rescues preaching on social media about single males not being kept alone yet ignoring my messages to help find me a friend for nemmy when they have singles males available, anyway that's a separate frustration)
So I have reluctantly resulted in turning to my local independent pet shop. It has been a difficult decision with back up plans and what ifs and lots of reading and advice gathering.
But best case scenario, it works and nemmy had a friend again - and worst case scenario they fall out and become neighbours with a divide in smaller cages but still have each other company through the bars, which is how Nemmy and colossus lived after they fell out but hated not being able to see each other.
So my local shop (who normally refuses to sell single pigs) had a single male boar in their latest breed which they said they would be willing to sell me on his own. I spoke to them in depth about Nemmy and the breed and personalities. The pet shop had managed to put the baby male in with their older breeding males (he wasn't on display for sale yet as its only a small place) as he was still young and they seemed to have got on fine so after going away and thinking about it I decided to go back and get him.
Nemmy is a big pig and a boss and I am hoping the little'un will be impressionable enough to understand Nemmys hierarchy early on haha!
So I bought him home, set up the nursing cage cleaned it and although I was going to let the baby have a few nights to settle in the shop suggested I try meeting them straight away and commit to it rather than several dates, so I popped them both in the nursing cage together to see what happened. I figured I would give them an hour, Nemmy normally gets fed up fairly quickly when he doesn't like another pig I remember from all his behaviours with Colossus before they were divided, and also when he has play time with Arthur and Oblivion.
First Hour Well after a lot of rumble strutting, lots of noise and an hour later it actually seemed to have gone well. Nemmy is a teeth chatterer but there has been no signs of it this time. The baby has been making lots of unsure noises but has kept to his corner where nemmy has banished him and keeping his nose low, he seems to tell nemmy when to back off if he needs to and nemmy has actually listened.
2 hours later Nemmy has finally managed to pin the baby down to hump him a few times and although baby doesn't like it he's not fighting back.
3 hours later: They are both laying down theres been some yawning, not sure if it was tiredness or dominance though. but they have chosen a corner each and seem ok with being together, there is the old small rematch and chase but other than that all seems surprisingly well.
4 hours later: still the same, I put some extra veggies in the cage gave them both a quick nose tickle and gave them a fleece blanket each to lay on, they decided I was scary and even huddled together in the corner (a common enemy always does the trick even if its only briefly)
So at this point I set up the webcam in the cage to keep an eye on them and left them for the night!
This morning everything is the same they seem pretty content with each other I can't believe it! now I know it can still go wrong at any time especially as little'un gets older but I'm so happy Nemmy has had his first night with a friend in over a year
baby seems more confident today too and moving around the cage so later I might deep clean Nemmy's 2x5 C & C and put them both in together as the nursing cage isn't quite big enough!
So on that note I would like to introduce to you all baby Fitch!
and some webcam shots of them together
I will update further as things go along but right now I am so proud of nemmy for being a good big brother and not a meany like he normally is
So I have been searching for a friend for nemmy for over a year now, I have spoken to several rescues and sadly nothing ever came of it so never got him a boar date despite asking and asking, (and also rescues preaching on social media about single males not being kept alone yet ignoring my messages to help find me a friend for nemmy when they have singles males available, anyway that's a separate frustration)
So I have reluctantly resulted in turning to my local independent pet shop. It has been a difficult decision with back up plans and what ifs and lots of reading and advice gathering.
But best case scenario, it works and nemmy had a friend again - and worst case scenario they fall out and become neighbours with a divide in smaller cages but still have each other company through the bars, which is how Nemmy and colossus lived after they fell out but hated not being able to see each other.
So my local shop (who normally refuses to sell single pigs) had a single male boar in their latest breed which they said they would be willing to sell me on his own. I spoke to them in depth about Nemmy and the breed and personalities. The pet shop had managed to put the baby male in with their older breeding males (he wasn't on display for sale yet as its only a small place) as he was still young and they seemed to have got on fine so after going away and thinking about it I decided to go back and get him.
Nemmy is a big pig and a boss and I am hoping the little'un will be impressionable enough to understand Nemmys hierarchy early on haha!
So I bought him home, set up the nursing cage cleaned it and although I was going to let the baby have a few nights to settle in the shop suggested I try meeting them straight away and commit to it rather than several dates, so I popped them both in the nursing cage together to see what happened. I figured I would give them an hour, Nemmy normally gets fed up fairly quickly when he doesn't like another pig I remember from all his behaviours with Colossus before they were divided, and also when he has play time with Arthur and Oblivion.
First Hour Well after a lot of rumble strutting, lots of noise and an hour later it actually seemed to have gone well. Nemmy is a teeth chatterer but there has been no signs of it this time. The baby has been making lots of unsure noises but has kept to his corner where nemmy has banished him and keeping his nose low, he seems to tell nemmy when to back off if he needs to and nemmy has actually listened.
2 hours later Nemmy has finally managed to pin the baby down to hump him a few times and although baby doesn't like it he's not fighting back.
3 hours later: They are both laying down theres been some yawning, not sure if it was tiredness or dominance though. but they have chosen a corner each and seem ok with being together, there is the old small rematch and chase but other than that all seems surprisingly well.
4 hours later: still the same, I put some extra veggies in the cage gave them both a quick nose tickle and gave them a fleece blanket each to lay on, they decided I was scary and even huddled together in the corner (a common enemy always does the trick even if its only briefly)
So at this point I set up the webcam in the cage to keep an eye on them and left them for the night!
This morning everything is the same they seem pretty content with each other I can't believe it! now I know it can still go wrong at any time especially as little'un gets older but I'm so happy Nemmy has had his first night with a friend in over a year
baby seems more confident today too and moving around the cage so later I might deep clean Nemmy's 2x5 C & C and put them both in together as the nursing cage isn't quite big enough! So on that note I would like to introduce to you all baby Fitch!
and some webcam shots of them together
I will update further as things go along but right now I am so proud of nemmy for being a good big brother and not a meany like he normally is
love fitch for a name too