lawz
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi,
I already had 5 piggies-1boar and his ladies (was 6 but had to have one PTS during dental as her teeth were awful, she was a rescue and neglected prior to me).
My piggies (4 in each) in a 5 by 2 by 2 hutch, they are all a bonded group, so even though housed seperately they can all go in run together and never a problem.
I added 3 additions at the weekend, but first i completely stripped hutches and cleaned, washed their fleece cozies etc and replaced in new places within hutch, so that when they were put in hutches was all neutral.
New piggies are sows and approx 5-6 months old, i thought this was best as they would be less submissive within the group. I put the newbies in the run first then added the oldies, and typical piggies were more interested in stuffing their faces!
Henry eventually done the rounds sniffing and rumbling as he went, sniffing both ends of each before moving onto next - no drama at all!
while watching them interact i decided on who was going in with who based on their interactions etc. They were on grass for 15 minutes as newbies hadnt had much access to grass, and then moved run onto patio.
2 girls have settled in well, enough hideys in hutches to not fight over them, and same for others where 1 of newbies was put (Rosie).
Now henry wont leave rosie alone, always by her side with the odd rumble and squeeks from Rosie....the noise has settled down, and what noise there is comes from rosie as she is more shy, she eats plenty of hay and veggies. I put their veggies in a bowl each eve and the original 3 tend to go to bowl and take a bit away to each corner before repeating till all gone, and i put some veggies in corner where Rosie always is so i know she doesnt miss out.
Today 01/09/15 is only the 2nd day, so i know its early days and everyone settles in at new rates...but do you think in time Henry will settle down and Rosie will get confidence? There is 3 water bottles on each hutch too, but i guess I'm just concerned that with henry following rosie that it wont allow her to drink properly
I'm splitting up where i put there hay, so ile put some in rack and some in another part of hutch so i know rosie gets hers until she settles in.
Any advice would be great please, I'm pretty sure all is going ok within the group, and making sure they have plenty of everything.
I already had 5 piggies-1boar and his ladies (was 6 but had to have one PTS during dental as her teeth were awful, she was a rescue and neglected prior to me).
My piggies (4 in each) in a 5 by 2 by 2 hutch, they are all a bonded group, so even though housed seperately they can all go in run together and never a problem.
I added 3 additions at the weekend, but first i completely stripped hutches and cleaned, washed their fleece cozies etc and replaced in new places within hutch, so that when they were put in hutches was all neutral.
New piggies are sows and approx 5-6 months old, i thought this was best as they would be less submissive within the group. I put the newbies in the run first then added the oldies, and typical piggies were more interested in stuffing their faces!
Henry eventually done the rounds sniffing and rumbling as he went, sniffing both ends of each before moving onto next - no drama at all!
while watching them interact i decided on who was going in with who based on their interactions etc. They were on grass for 15 minutes as newbies hadnt had much access to grass, and then moved run onto patio.
2 girls have settled in well, enough hideys in hutches to not fight over them, and same for others where 1 of newbies was put (Rosie).
Now henry wont leave rosie alone, always by her side with the odd rumble and squeeks from Rosie....the noise has settled down, and what noise there is comes from rosie as she is more shy, she eats plenty of hay and veggies. I put their veggies in a bowl each eve and the original 3 tend to go to bowl and take a bit away to each corner before repeating till all gone, and i put some veggies in corner where Rosie always is so i know she doesnt miss out.
Today 01/09/15 is only the 2nd day, so i know its early days and everyone settles in at new rates...but do you think in time Henry will settle down and Rosie will get confidence? There is 3 water bottles on each hutch too, but i guess I'm just concerned that with henry following rosie that it wont allow her to drink properly
I'm splitting up where i put there hay, so ile put some in rack and some in another part of hutch so i know rosie gets hers until she settles in.
Any advice would be great please, I'm pretty sure all is going ok within the group, and making sure they have plenty of everything.
