Help! My Baby Pig wont Move :(

[GizmoandGary]

my new baby pig i brougt home to be a friend of my other new pig who is 2 months old...hasnt moved out of the corner. Sits hunched and very still. He was not like this at the pet store. I'm sad if he scared or depressed or maybe the other pig hurt him in some way...when we brought the baby home our other one was trying to mate and squeaking loudly than purring. My older pig by a month or so...was so excited to have a friend i could tell and he got more friendly towards us..when it was just him he was very skiddious. If i take the new baby out to hold him he is a bit more active but once in cage he goes right to the corner. I'm getting so sad over seeing him not happy. What can i do?

 

[Mo & Stubbins & Vani]

Hi!
Please refer to this link for now: Help New Guinea Pig Won't Eat, Drink, Or Move
I am on the way with more info!

 

[Mo & Stubbins & Vani]

If you can access the link, @Wiebke covers most of what you need to know.
What exactly do you mean by hunched? Is he puffed up? Being fluffed up can indicate a medical problem/pain (not always, though).
When you bonded the piggies was there any sort of fight? Rumble strutting (purring) is dominant behavior.
Your new piggy may need more time to acclimate. How many hides do you have for your piggies? Is your cage closed on top? If so, you may want to cover a portion of the cage with some sort of covering to make him feel more secure.
I hope this advice helps. I am sure that more experienced members will be here shortly.

 

[GizmoandGary]

He's in a smaller wire cage meant for guinea pigs with the other guinea pig I have a blanket over the top to sleep in the front open. At the pet store he was active and eating and running around. My older by a month guinea pig get a lot of squeaking a lot of purring loudly. Almost like he's keeping him in the corner I have seen and pick out a few times and eat some hay I have Timothy Hay and there's pellets and some dried bananas and a couple of chew sticks. He's basically of puffed-up in the corner almost is staring blankly right at me or his back in the corner. I noticed he turns stiff in the corner when dogs run in room but they are up high enough they badge see eachother. He is very frail and doesnt move a muscle just stares when we reach in to get him.its only after hes out and we hold him.and maybe pet and five him.a treat he nibbles it and is more active wanting to explore but the minute we set him back in cage he goes to corner...puffs up and just stares not moving a bit. Ive seen him nibble on things just to quickly stop. I'm in tears about it. I made a quick homemade cage with his own little chews food hay etc...and i made a little hideout for the night. What do i do and what do you think is happening. I'm so sad I'm doing him wrong by taking him home. And we got him from Petco. Both of them. Thank u for anymore help and advice. Attached is a pic of Gary...ill have a pic of our first one Gizmo next.

 

[GizmoandGary]

Hi!
Please refer to this link for now: Help New Guinea Pig Won't Eat, Drink, Or Move
I am on the way with more info!

tnext.
Thank you. I am in tears about this.

 

[LMPigs]

Did you read the guides linked in the other thread? Its not uncommon for a new guinea pig to be pretty shy for the first times. I would make sure that he has plenty of hidey places (with two entrances / exits, so he cannot get chased or cornered by the other guinea) and hay nearby. We did not see ours eat at all when we first got them but we knew they were because we saw their poop!

It might be helpful to know more about how your two guineas were introduced. Did you introduce the guinea pigs on neutral territory or did you put the second one into the cage with the first one. How did they behave together at first?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Have you checked the sexes of both the piggies?
How did you introduce them to each other - did you follow the correct bonding procedure?
How long have you had him?
If you don’t think he is very well, then he needs to see a vet.

The mounting and purring (is called rumblestrutting) is not fighting, it is a normal dominance behaviour. If is how they create their hierarchy.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information

 

[GizmoandGary]

Did you read the guides linked in the other thread? Its not uncommon for a new guinea pig to be pretty shy for the first times. I would make sure that he has plenty of hidey places (with two entrances / exits, so he cannot get chased or cornered by the other guinea) and hay nearby. We did not see ours eat at all when we first got them but we knew they were because we saw their poop!

It might be helpful to know more about how your two guineas were introduced. Did you introduce the guinea pigs on neutral territory or did you put the second one into the cage with the first one. How did they behave together at first?

I just introduced the new pig as directed by staff at Petco...i put him in the cage with our first pig. The older one immediately began squeaking loudly like he does when he hears the hay bag...and than tried mating which i stopped and than the new baby just started freezing up into the corner...than lots of purring from the old one and sort of walking around him a lot. Baby, Gary, has been in corner frozen ever since...hes only active when we take him out. I nust couldnt stand the frozen sad face so last night i made a little cage of his own with fresh everything and a cover and a hideout. I heard him nibbling a bit on a chew stick and did see poops in his little cage this morning. My first pig seemed so excited and happy and came out of his shell when the new one arrived and i had worried about pur first pig maybe he needed company. He did and even now is more open to us but always runs when we try picking him up out of cage. Also our first pig, gizmo 2 months old or so...will not chee on any chew type toys except the chewable bowl we got him for his pellets. I just dont know if moving him out was good or not but he was with gizmo for a night and 2 days and i though t he might need a break lol what are ypur thoughts?

 

[GizmoandGary]

Have you checked the sexes of both the piggies?
How did you introduce them to each other - did you follow the correct bonding procedure?
How long have you had him?
If you don’t think he is very well, then he needs to see a vet.

The mounting and purring (is called rumblestrutting) is not fighting, it is a normal dominance behaviour. If is how they create their hierarchy.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information

i put the new pig right in gizmos cage. Weve only had gizmo about a month and a half now and wanted to vet him a friend. I just did as directed by staff at petco. I feel terrible he changed to depressed right away and i think hes well because when we take him out he vets active and wants to explore.

 

[LMPigs]

Hello again.

I am not very experienced in introducing new pigs but it sounds as though they didn't get a chance to do their initial introduction /bonding / heirarchy setting behaviour in the correct way.

Have you read the guides referenced in the other thread and indicted by Piggies & Buns above? You definitely should take a look because there is lots of useful information and it will definitely help you to understand piggy behaviour better.

You also need to check the sex of both pigs before putting them together. There is also a guide for how to do that on the forum. It's important because pet shops quite often mis-identify the gender and the last thing you want on your hands is an unexpected pregnancy.

Once you have read up on all the information available you will be much better prepared to take a second go at bonding your two pigs. Don't hesitate to ask more questions if there is anything I clear as there are real experts on the forum who can really help.

 

[Siikibam]

You need to do the introductions on neutral ground and not just put the baby in with Gizmo. You will have to set up an area with a pile of hay and put them both in. Watch them for the day and if they seem okay together then you can put them in the cage. Make sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned so it doesn’t smell of Gizmo. Also put in some hides that only Gary can get into.

Dominance and sorting the hierarchy can go on for up to two weeks after they’ve moved into the cage together. Do not separate unless you see signs of bullying. Humping, mounting and chasing (and teeth chattering) are all mild dominance behaviours.

The first thing I would do before all that, is to double check that Gary is indeed a boar. I’ll link some threads for you to have a read. Do that before you try the introduction again.
Illustrated Sexing Guide
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Bonds In Trouble

Please also make sure that their cage is big enough. The minimum size is a 150x60cm cage (2x5 c&c). 180x60 is better if you can fit it in. Two of everything - hides, bowls, bottles, hay areas etc.

 

[GizmoandGary]

He just passed away and idk what happened. I tried teling them he was not well. No ers to take him and i went to check on him and he was laying down twitching...i raised to vet er in middle of riots 2 blocks from my home. They wouldnt even look at him. I'm so sad. I'm angry w petco for not giving me better guidance how to introduce the new baby to my other pig. I called them too yesterday saying please what do i do hes still not well...they said they could provide vet on Monday. I said what do i do til than please tell me i don't want him to die...i kept then separate got him his own cage and a hideaway he stayed in corner. I checked on him a bit later and he was laying by his front door of cage twitching. I'm so angry. Please help me what to do next. Do i bury him.

 

[GizmoandGary]

You need to do the introductions on neutral ground and not just put the baby in with Gizmo. You will have to set up an area with a pile of hay and put them both in. Watch them for the day and if they seem okay together then you can put them in the cage. Make sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned so it doesn’t smell of Gizmo. Also put in some hides that only Gary can get into.

Dominance and sorting the hierarchy can go on for up to two weeks after they’ve moved into the cage together. Do not separate unless you see signs of bullying. Humping, mounting and chasing (and teeth chattering) are all mild dominance behaviours.

The first thing I would do before all that, is to double check that Gary is indeed a boar. I’ll link some threads for you to have a read. Do that before you try the introduction again.
Illustrated Sexing Guide
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Bonds In Trouble

Please also make sure that their cage is big enough. The minimum size is a 150x60cm cage (2x5 c&c). 180x60 is better if you can fit it in. Two of everything - hides, bowls, bottles, hay areas etc.

Could gizmo have injured him in some way the first night he was in cage with him? I will say when i first put him in he was normal eating walking around than gizmo.started purring etc. Ever since he was in corner. Ive been asking for so much advice. I separated them but he was still very quiet. I noticed he was having very loose stools thats when i called petco. I didnt know what to do.

 

[GizmoandGary]

You need to do the introductions on neutral ground and not just put the baby in with Gizmo. You will have to set up an area with a pile of hay and put them both in. Watch them for the day and if they seem okay together then you can put them in the cage. Make sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned so it doesn’t smell of Gizmo. Also put in some hides that only Gary can get into.

Dominance and sorting the hierarchy can go on for up to two weeks after they’ve moved into the cage together. Do not separate unless you see signs of bullying. Humping, mounting and chasing (and teeth chattering) are all mild dominance behaviours.

The first thing I would do before all that, is to double check that Gary is indeed a boar. I’ll link some threads for you to have a read. Do that before you try the introduction again.
Illustrated Sexing Guide
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Bonds In Trouble

Please also make sure that their cage is big enough. The minimum size is a 150x60cm cage (2x5 c&c). 180x60 is better if you can fit it in. Two of everything - hides, bowls, bottles, hay areas etc.

petco didnt guide me at all on introduction. In fact i asked a couple times if these two for sure would be ok together..they never once mentioned these ways of introduction. I'm so sad and mad they caused this and my family is taking it pretty hard.

 

[Buddy the pig]

my new baby pig i brougt home to be a friend of my other new pig who is 2 months old...hasnt moved out of the corner. Sits hunched and very still. He was not like this at the pet store. I'm sad if he scared or depressed or maybe the other pig hurt him in some way...when we brought the baby home our other one was trying to mate and squeaking loudly than purring. My older pig by a month or so...was so excited to have a friend i could tell and he got more friendly towards us..when it was just him he was very skiddious. If i take the new baby out to hold him he is a bit more active but once in cage he goes right to the corner. I'm getting so sad over seeing him not happy. What can i do?

When I first got my guinea pig he was very nervous and didn’t like to come out he will get used to you with time

 

[Siikibam]

petco didnt guide me at all on introduction. In fact i asked a couple times if these two for sure would be ok together..they never once mentioned these ways of introduction. I'm so sad and mad they caused this and my family is taking it pretty hard.

Most of their guinea pigs are just put together (regardless of sex in some cases), not considering if they will get on. So I doubt they’d know anything about introductions.

And no one can tell you whether two randomly chosen piggies will get on, not even the experienced ones. The only way to know is to try them together.

Unfortunately that is the experience you get when you buy from a pet shop. Be thankful that you don’t have a pregnant piggy, that’s very common and has happened to a lot of members on here.

On that note, did you double check the sex of the new baby?

 

[Siikibam]

Could gizmo have injured him in some way the first night he was in cage with him? I will say when i first put him in he was normal eating walking around than gizmo.started purring etc. Ever since he was in corner. Ive been asking for so much advice. I separated them but he was still very quiet. I noticed he was having very loose stools thats when i called petco. I didnt know what to do.

When you say loose, were they soft or diarrhoea? If runny then he needs to see a vet as soon as possible.

 

[Siikibam]

He just passed away and idk what happened. I tried teling them he was not well. No ers to take him and i went to check on him and he was laying down twitching...i raised to vet er in middle of riots 2 blocks from my home. They wouldnt even look at him. I'm so sad. I'm angry w petco for not giving me better guidance how to introduce the new baby to my other pig. I called them too yesterday saying please what do i do hes still not well...they said they could provide vet on Monday. I said what do i do til than please tell me i don't want him to die...i kept then separate got him his own cage and a hideaway he stayed in corner. I checked on him a bit later and he was laying by his front door of cage twitching. I'm so angry. Please help me what to do next. Do i bury him.

I’m so sorry for your loss! I’m afraid we can’t tell you what went wrong. But it is highly likely he was already ill when he came to you. You can bury him if you want. Maybe buy a flower that you can plant on top of his grave to remember him.

I think the best thing you can do for Gizmo is get him to a rescue where they can(hopefully depending on if they offer it) date him with boars to see who he likes. Once you feel ready, then please email rescues letting them know you’re looking for a companion. Don’t ignore ones that are far away.

Take your time but also remember that Gizmo needs company. He is likely fine as he didn’t live with Gary for very long.

 

[GizmoandGary]

I'm so so sad...how do i contact someone to help find him a friend?

 

[LMPigs]

Sorry to hear that you lost baby Gary.

As mentioned above, since I understand you only had him for a very short period of time, it seems like he was probably unwell when you got him and there is likely nothing you could have done. It worth knowing for the future that gut health is very important to guinea pigs so if you notice something like loose stools then you should ideally consult a veterinarian (or while you're waiting for that, you can ask for advice on here).

It terms of practicalities, you could bury Gary if you would like to and have space (you will need to prepare the grave in a way that prevents any local wildlife from digging him up again) or you could consult your vet about how to dispose of the body.

Given how quickly Gary died it's possible that you may be entitled to a refund from the pet store where you got him.

When it comes to getting a new companion for Gizmo you should first do a double check to make sure he actually is a male!

Then I would read up on guinea pig bonding and behaviours (many helpful guides here) before deciding how to proceed. Assuming he's definitely a boy your options would be to either get another male companion for him or to get him neutered in which case you would have the option of finding a female companion as well. Either way, the best idea - if possible - is to try to find a local rescue who can work with you to find a character compatible piggie.

I'm sorry you've had such a difficult intro to guinea pig keeping. It's great though that you are trying your best and I'm sure you will have many happy times to come with Gizmo and his future friend.

 

[LMPigs]

I'm so so sad...how do i contact someone to help find him a friend?

What part of the world are you in?

 

[GizmoandGary]

Thank you. My heart is aching but i am gonna try again after more research. Not too long tho i think for gizmo.

 

[GizmoandGary]

What part of the world are you in?

I'm in fargo nd usa

 

[Siikibam]

You can try finding some rescues in your area. I’ll put a link below for rescues in the US.

 

[Siikibam]

Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations
Don’t be put off if they’re a bit far away. Send them an email letting them know you’re looking for a friend for your boar, and his age etc. Then wait and see if they get back to you.

 

[LMPigs]

If there's nothing that you can reasonably get to in Siikibam's link above, you can also also ask at your local humane society, and there are a few other links to try on this Guinea Lynx page: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations

If you try googling "animal shelter" and "Fargo" or "North Dakota" and you find a local one it may be worth giving them a call even if they say they only take cats and dogs as they may be aware of other small animal rescues or shelters in your region that aren't coming up on a search.

However, as a word of caution, do note that in many countries/states (not sure whether this is the case in North Dakota) anyone can call themselves a rescue or animal shelter. Its therefore worth doing some of your own research on how reputable the organisation is if you find them on google, and asking questions around their policies and procedures (including quarantine).

A final non GP related piece of advice if you don't mind: since its past 3am - get some sleep!

 

[LMPigs]

One more potentially useful link: Adopt, Support or Start a Rescue, Report Abuse, Petfinder - Guinea Lynx Forums

by the way, Guinea Lynx is a great source of information generally, and also US based, so you might find it helpful to bookmark their site.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I’m so sorry you have lost your little piggie, sending you hugs at this sad time x
Sleep tight little Gary x

 

[GizmoandGary]

You can try finding some rescues in your area. I’ll put a link below for rescues in the US.

Thank you. I made gizmo a homemade bigger cage. But i think he is still a bit confused maybe where his pal went? I try to hold him he runs...but hes always been that way...but when u do get him he squirms a lot to get away. He never tried to really get away before. I got him a hut and he hides in there all the time rarely but Comes out just to peek for food or if I'm holding some dandelion leaves hell eat directly from my hand but if i move a muscle he runs back in hut. Also last 4 days i keep hearing a noise from his cage and haven't pinpointed it yet. It could be a sneeze or little cough....cant figure it out. It kinda sounded like when he bites and pulls peices off his timothy hut but thats a bit different.and he also wont venture out of his cage into the play area i have for him. He truly needs a buddy.

 

[GizmoandGary]

Heres Gizmo. this is his old cage. Very small packed w Timothy. He say least came out of hut to say hi if i had food. Guys new cage w out the play area he won't even come out of hut unless I'm not near. Why? I sent a pic of old and new cages. New cage not completely done so i monitor but he never comes out.