Do I or don’t I get two piggies? Advice needed!

Wiebke said:
Please do not use plastic bedding as your piggies will sit in their urine and become quickly very yucky, matted and sore; followed by serious problems like bumblefoot (foot infection).
You need absorbent bedding. Newspaper is not absorbent and neither is plastic. Use a drip dish underneath a bottle.
Take the time to read through out bedding overview of all the options available: Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
All About Drinking And Bottles
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This is a really great idea thank you!
 
My guinea pigs haven’t drunk any water since last night? I’m a bit concerned :( I’ve put a pot of water in the hutch but last time I did that they emptied it everywhere, but they did drink from it but I don’t know why they won’t drink from the bottle? I don’t want them to get dehydrated in this heat :(
 
Laura_Deakin said:
My guinea pigs haven’t drunk any water since last night? I’m a bit concerned :( I’ve put a pot of water in the hutch but last time I did that they emptied it everywhere, but they did drink from it but I don’t know why they won’t drink from the bottle? I don’t want them to get dehydrated in this heat :(
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How much veg have you been feeding?

Please be aware that guinea pigs do not sweat or pant but regulate their body temperature via the air flow in their ears. They are not so much at risk from dehydration (they do not need much more fluid) but overheating.

You do NOT need to feed more veg and water, but you need to keep your water as cool and fresh as possible (change at least twice daily) and you need to keep your piggies indoors, out of any hot air coming in through open windows or any direct sunshine and as cool and stable as possible.

The temptation to overfeed watery veg and fruit in hot weather!
 
Wiebke said:
How much veg have you been feeding?

Please be aware that guinea pigs do not sweat or pant but regulate their body temperature via the air flow in their ears. They are not so much at risk from dehydration (they do not need much more fluid) but overheating.

You do NOT need to feed more veg and water, but you need to keep your water as cool and fresh as possible (change at least twice daily) and you need to keep your piggies indoors, out of any hot air coming in through open windows or any direct sunshine and as cool and stable as possible.

The temptation to overfeed watery veg and fruit in hot weather!
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I gave them some mange tout yesterday early afternoon, then gave them the lettuce blueberries and cucumber at 6ish for their dinner, and just now given them romain lettuce, strawberries and cucumber for their breakfast. My pigs are under a pergola so very well sheltered from rain and sunlight, it’s quite cool under there
 
Laura_Deakin said:
I gave them some mange tout yesterday early afternoon, then gave them the lettuce blueberries and cucumber at 6ish for their dinner, and just now given them romain lettuce, strawberries and cucumber for their breakfast. My pigs are under a pergola so very well sheltered from rain and sunlight, it’s quite cool under there
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Please bring them indoors during the hottest hours tomorrow. We have been inundated with piggies with heat stroke and reports of dead and dying piggies. It is better to be safe and sorry. if your piggies are not drinking, it is either because they are simply not thirsty, the water is too hot/tasting off or the nozzle is blocked.
 
Anyone got any advice as to how to get them to go upstairs in their hutch? I’ve tried putting a tunnel on the ladder to make them feel safer but they go up it half way and run back down again, I’ve tried putting a carrot up there as well but they won’t.. I need to get them upstairs so I can lift them out the hutch into their run without the risk of them running off into the bushes (which would happen if I tried catching them from the bottom floor) any ideas anyone?
 
I encourage mine to go into a tunnel hidey and just lift them out. Velvet got the idea quite quickly and now when she sees another piggy being lifted out she automatically goes on one herself and waits.
 
My piggies have been quite quiet this afternoon, I wondered if they were having a sleep.. I’m worried they’re depressed or bored, i tried putting them in the run but they don’t move from inside their DIY house I made them, it’s their safe place, any advice?
 
Laura_Deakin said:
My piggies have been quite quiet this afternoon, I wondered if they were having a sleep.. I’m worried they’re depressed or bored, i tried putting them in the run but they don’t move from inside their DIY house I made them, it’s their safe place, any advice?
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Just give them time as it is all new for them :)
 
Claire W said:
Just give them time as it is all new for them :)
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Okay lol I’m probably just overthinking it thanks. Also only my Oreo seems to be eating, caramel isn’t eating as much and I don’t know if she’s ok or just not hungry, she was this morning.. and she ate a bit of grass earlier in the run but she hasn’t since and it’s been nearly five hours :( I’m worrying so much over the pair of them, I need to calm it haha
 
Laura_Deakin said:
Okay lol I’m probably just overthinking it thanks. Also only my Oreo seems to be eating, caramel isn’t eating as much and I don’t know if she’s ok or just not hungry, she was this morning.. and she ate a bit of grass earlier in the run but she hasn’t since and it’s been nearly five hours :( I’m worrying so much over the pair of them, I need to calm it haha
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It's perfectly understandable :) is she still eating hay? My piggies aren't eating as much in this heat but they're still eating hay which should make up 80% of their diet :)
 
Claire W said:
It's perfectly understandable :) is she still eating hay? My piggies aren't eating as much in this heat but they're still eating hay which should make up 80% of their diet :)
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Oreo is eating the most hay out of the pair of them! Caramel is terrified to even come out her bed so I’m having to put it in the bed. Oreo has just worked out that there’s a ramp that goes downstairs, but caramel is now on her own in the top floor and won’t go out unless Oreo comes up to find her.. don’t want her to get lonely :( maybe I should bring her downstairs myself? I want her to find the ramp but she’s really scared at the moment
 
Just give her some time and she will eventually find the ramp :)
Don't worry, they won't get lonely as they will know that the other piggy is there whether they are both on the same level or not
 
Oreo came up the ramp and found her :) then came huge squeaking noises, they’re so cute!
 
Laura_Deakin said:
Oreo came up the ramp and found her :) then came huge squeaking noises, they’re so cute!
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It’s now night time in the UK and Oreo is downstairs and is STILL eating hahaha, caramel is curled up upstairs in her bed as usual, I don’t want her on her own all night though haha :( I hope Oreo climbs up the ramp and gets into the bed with her!
 
My piggies were exactly the same one braver than the other when they were babies and now they are a lot more confident.
 
It’s because they’ve stuck to each other like glue over the past few days, but maybe that’s because they’ve been scared.. and maybe now they feel more safe to separate? Oreo spent the whole night downstairs in her red tunnel lol
 
I’ve had my two for nearly a week now, they’re gradually getting there with the whole being able to handle being picked up, could I try hand feeding them just yet or is it a little early? Is there anything I can do to tame them at this stage?
 
You can hand feed. I think others say you pick them up a few mins every day and gradually increase. Read the guides on bonding with your piggy, that should help a lot. Enjoy 😊
 
Laura_Deakin said:
I’ve had my two for nearly a week now, they’re gradually getting there with the whole being able to handle being picked up, could I try hand feeding them just yet or is it a little early? Is there anything I can do to tame them at this stage?
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Trying to hand feed is a good idea now

tart off putting some nice veggies to your piggy when they are in their hidey, and walk away, after a few times offer the food in the hidey by holding it - if they take it great - if not just pop it down in the hidey. Keep doing this till they take from your hand hopefully they will take it off you as you hold it in for them... after a while try offering it a little further from the hidey so they edge out and take it from you. Soon you'll have them coming to the bars for food
 
sport_billy said:
Trying to hand feed is a good idea now

tart off putting some nice veggies to your piggy when they are in their hidey, and walk away, after a few times offer the food in the hidey by holding it - if they take it great - if not just pop it down in the hidey. Keep doing this till they take from your hand hopefully they will take it off you as you hold it in for them... after a while try offering it a little further from the hidey so they edge out and take it from you. Soon you'll have them coming to the bars for food
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Yeah they won’t take it from me when I put my hand in their hidey with it, not even with treats! But if I leave it outside their hidey they eat it in their own time :) how much veg do you give your piggies a day? I’m worried I’m not giving them enough but they seem happy to eat their hay as well. I’m giving them around a cup of veggies each per day, maybe a bit less, is this ok? And their pellets too, but I’m trying not to give too many of them because they’ll fill up on those and won’t eat their veggies and hay!
 
Laura_Deakin said:
Rosewood Maze A Log Treat Challenge I bought my piggies this today and hid their apple drop treats in there as well as spinach parsley and broccoli and they love it! You should def get it for yours if you can afford it and have space 😊
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One of our friends had something like that the piggies loved it. Their boys were much better than when we tried our girls with it :))
 
I put food out for both piggies, but my Oreo seems to eat everything and poor caramel doesn’t really get a chance haha, any hints or tips to make sure they both get equal amounts? I don’t want to separate them whilst feeding them as they’re both quite new and young and I don’t want to stress them out!
 
Do you have two bowls? Put same in each bowl and put in their hideys. Sorry I can’t renember if you said they come out to eat or are still hiding out.
 
My caramel is purring when i hold her <3 it’s a really deep content cozy sound and they both vibrate when I hold them! Does this mean they’re relaxsd?
 
It's hard to say. Guinea pig purring, much like human sighing, can mean different things depending on the context. A low and relaxed purr can mean contentment. A longer, higher pitched purr can signal annoyance. A short, apprehensive purr can indicate fear. As you and your piggies get to know each other better it will get easier to distinguish between the three.
 
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PerceptorII said:
It's hard to say. Guinea pig purring, much like human sighing, can mean different things depending on the context. A low and relaxed purr can mean contentment. A longer, higher pitched purr can signal annoyance. A short, apprehensive purr can indicate fear. As you and your piggies get to know each other better it will get easier to distinguish between the three.
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It was low and relaxed :)
 
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