Raven_LG
New Born Pup
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2016
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 55
Hi Guys,
Wondering if anyone can help with a couple of queries I have about our piggies.
Firstly, we have a pair of un-neutered boars approx a year old. We (myself and boyfriend) got them from a family, they were a gift for a teenage girl and she said she didn't have time to care for them properly. They were well fed, and clean, she just didn't have time to handle them, socialise with them etc. We had them checked by a vet a few weeks after we brought them home and they had a clean bill of health.
When we first had them out of their cage, it was clear they hadn't been handled much and would sit frozen on our laps, shaking with fear. After a few weeks they came around and would start eating from our hands and squeaking, even exploring and climbing up onto our shoulders. Their cage is in a very social area of our house, and we aim to handle them approx 10/15 mins a day. However, lately they have really not wanted to be held, to the point of struggling out of our hands trying to get back in their cage. They always run away when we try to pick them up, this has always happened so I can't tell by that behaviour and can't see any other changes in them. I've read if they are uncomfortable being handled it might be a sign of mites, however there is no increased scratching or itching and some days they will sit nicely so i'm sure it isn't this. Does anyone have any ideas why suddenly they would not want to be held any more? I'm beginning to miss my cuddles.
2nd thing is their weight. We have been tracking their weight, and when we got them they were a healthy weight, on the light side, but nothing much to worry about. They are fed fresh veggies in the morning before we go to work, and when we are having tea around 6pm. They have a supply of fresh hay, which is changed daily and pellets. They share food bowls and never squabble over food or show dominance over the food bowls. We noticed they were putting on weight, and thought perhaps we were feeding too much veggies, so cut back on that, still twice a day just less at each sitting. However, we have one lighter pig (Mojo, who is also the dominant one) and Bumble, the heavier one. We really wanted Bumble to loose a bit of weight, as he is on the verge of being a little porky pig, however it was Mojo who lost the weight and Bumble gained. Does anyone have any ideas how we can help the right pig loose weight while maintaining the other pig? We can't really separate at feeding times, and as I say they don't fight over food etc. We're just worried that one will get too skinny and one will get too chubby!
Thanks in advance for any help
Wondering if anyone can help with a couple of queries I have about our piggies.
Firstly, we have a pair of un-neutered boars approx a year old. We (myself and boyfriend) got them from a family, they were a gift for a teenage girl and she said she didn't have time to care for them properly. They were well fed, and clean, she just didn't have time to handle them, socialise with them etc. We had them checked by a vet a few weeks after we brought them home and they had a clean bill of health.
When we first had them out of their cage, it was clear they hadn't been handled much and would sit frozen on our laps, shaking with fear. After a few weeks they came around and would start eating from our hands and squeaking, even exploring and climbing up onto our shoulders. Their cage is in a very social area of our house, and we aim to handle them approx 10/15 mins a day. However, lately they have really not wanted to be held, to the point of struggling out of our hands trying to get back in their cage. They always run away when we try to pick them up, this has always happened so I can't tell by that behaviour and can't see any other changes in them. I've read if they are uncomfortable being handled it might be a sign of mites, however there is no increased scratching or itching and some days they will sit nicely so i'm sure it isn't this. Does anyone have any ideas why suddenly they would not want to be held any more? I'm beginning to miss my cuddles.
2nd thing is their weight. We have been tracking their weight, and when we got them they were a healthy weight, on the light side, but nothing much to worry about. They are fed fresh veggies in the morning before we go to work, and when we are having tea around 6pm. They have a supply of fresh hay, which is changed daily and pellets. They share food bowls and never squabble over food or show dominance over the food bowls. We noticed they were putting on weight, and thought perhaps we were feeding too much veggies, so cut back on that, still twice a day just less at each sitting. However, we have one lighter pig (Mojo, who is also the dominant one) and Bumble, the heavier one. We really wanted Bumble to loose a bit of weight, as he is on the verge of being a little porky pig, however it was Mojo who lost the weight and Bumble gained. Does anyone have any ideas how we can help the right pig loose weight while maintaining the other pig? We can't really separate at feeding times, and as I say they don't fight over food etc. We're just worried that one will get too skinny and one will get too chubby!
Thanks in advance for any help