Insight on adopting/fostering an 'aggressive' male

He's been doing great all week. He hasn't tried to bite me and generally acts like any other boar. He is afraid of hands and being picked up, but that's not unusual for my pigs. I've even been able to cut his nails! The rescue said it was a 2 person job, but he let me do it. He will also let me carry him around for a bit after I pick him up. Good job on the rescue for teaching him that humans aren't all bad!

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Thatā€™s so good! Goes to show a lot of patience and slow pace can really do it šŸ™‚

PS Piggy lips threadā€¦
 
You and the rescue have done a brilliant job. I donā€™t know of many piggies that actually like being ā€œcaughtā€ ,when you pick them up but if he is happy being carried around and having his nails cut then this is a remarkable transformation, well done!
 
Such a wonderful story, and what a lucky chap to have found you!
 
Some updates. He did end up biting me! He doesnā€™t like being touched on his front feet or armpits. Maybe it was a flaw when I was able to cut his nails before. He will turn his head and nip if I am touching somewhere up front while I hold him.

I am wondering if maybe something is hurting him in the areas I touch? Or maybe it was just piggie ptsd from his past.

I tried to give him a fleece tunnel but he was scared out of him mind! Inside the cage and out, he would flee like the tunnel is trying to kill him. I got him a bed and new house instead and he doesnā€™t fear them.
 

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Does he bite hard enough to hurt, or is it just a warning nip?

Our boss pig does give a nip sometimes if he doesn't like what we're doing.

If he is biting hard, that may be because he doesn't trust you to respect his boundaries. Hopefully over time if you are responsive, he will be more gentle and might even get to the point that he stops nipping altogether.
 
Bless him. He obviously has some issues from his past. Itā€™s lovely you have taken him on. Heā€™s a lucky boy. ā¤ļø
 
Aw, he is gorgeous! In time he may come to trust you, Iā€™m sure somewhere in his past heā€™s probably been badly treated and he will take a good while to completely let his guard down. You have done a super job so far with him šŸ˜Š
 
Wonderful that you have him ā€¦.I hope you can find out for sure
 
Turns out he had an old/healed fracture on a back leg which caused arthritis in both legs.

They had to sedate him but that was 10am my time. And it is 1.30pm, he looks unwell and won't eat. They gave him buphrenphrine and midazolam.
 
4boipigs said:
Turns out he had an old/healed fracture on a back leg which caused arthritis in both legs.

They had to sedate him but that was 10am my time. And it is 1.30pm, he looks unwell and won't eat. They gave him buphrenphrine and midazolam.
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HUGS

I sincerely hope that he is picking up and starting to eat soon; otherwise he needs stepping in with feeding support.
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Please make sure that in addition to the necessary long term painkillers he is getting glucosamine, which makes a difference for his mobility. Your vets may be able to recommend suitable US products. Here in the UK a dog joint supplement in fluid form has turned out to be the most successful and easy to give product. Glucosamine is not classed as a medication but as a food supplement.
 
He is still unwell unfortunately. He has eaten some pellets, a bit of veggies, and had a couple moments where he ate hay like he was just fine. Otherwise he is sitting still or sleeping. I started to assist feed a couple hours ago. They stated they did something to reverse one of the meds (I'm guessing the midazolam). My senior dog took buprenophine a couple times and he was completely wrecked until the next day. This is our cavy-savvy vet that we see regularly. I didn't think to ask of any side effects.

The visit was a few hours long and he was very stressed (lots of wheeking).


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That's so sad that everyone was assuming he was a biter but he was actually in pain šŸ’”

I really hope he picks up soon
 
Cheekypigs said:
That's so sad that everyone was assuming he was a biter but he was actually in pain šŸ’”

I really hope he picks up soon
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Unfortunately, it's probably both. He bites so hard and is quick to bite if you touch his front legs, but the x-rays showed nothing wrong there. He was rabid when they tried to clip his front nails, even while he was still under the effects of the sedatives. It's sad that he's just around a year and he's going to have arthritis for the rest of his life.

He has perked up this morning (it is 5.30am where I am). He is eating on his own and finally acting normal. I feel his appetite isn't 100% but it's better than last night.
 
He has eaten a little thru the day and his behavior is normal-ish but he still is not eating like he should. He will come beg for food but he won't finish what I give him. He is spending a lot of time laying down and presumably sleeping (since he has his eyes open). He IS drinking water. When will this wear off? Could the sedative combo done something to harm him?
 
4boipigs said:
He has eaten a little thru the day and his behavior is normal-ish but he still is not eating like he should. He will come beg for food but he won't finish what I give him. He is spending a lot of time laying down and presumably sleeping (since he has his eyes open). He IS drinking water. When will this wear off? Could the sedative combo done something to harm him?
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The sedative won't have done him some harm. It takes a while to work it's way out of his system. Give it a good 24 - 48 hours. Depending on how much he was given it could take that long.
 
Betsy said:
The sedative won't have done him some harm. It takes a while to work it's way out of his system. Give it a good 24 - 48 hours. Depending on how much he was given it could take that long.
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I hope so. He is back to eating hay right now. I will call our vet in the morning if he doesn't improve.
 
The ER had a two hour wait due to both drs being in surgery (at 6am) so we opted to try our vet. Now we are at our vetā€¦I set up a camera and caught him eating and drinking while I was away but I am still too worried because he is not eating enough.
 
The vet says he has some mild gut stasis/decreased gut sounds. Wally has been eating a bit every hour or so on his own since we got home. I've been watching him on my camera while I'm at work. He's to get metoclopromide today and tomorrow, along w/ one day of simethicone. We were given a sample of Science Selective's version of Critical Care - he doens't like it. He doesn't seem to like Apple Banana Critical Care either. He nibbled at the Sherwood Recovery food we have left over (it is in individual packets). He is mildly active and will come when he hears the treat bag.
 
Thatā€™s a relief. Glad heā€™s feeling a bit better
 
Sending loads of healing vibes to Bacon Bits, hope he is fully recovered very soon šŸ¤ž
 
4boipigs said:
Things are looking up! He is eating much more on his own today. We will be cautious next time when it comes to sedation. I donā€™t want to go thru this again.
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Glad heā€™s feeling better. I always try to avoid buprenorphine, and even then Iā€™ve had a vet give it to my piggy without my permission in the back room. Iā€™m not surprised it will have caused mild stasis as in my experience the piggy is very ā€œlights are on but no one is homeā€ for several hours, meaning they canā€™t really eat during this time. I feel like there are much better alternatives to buprenorphine such as tramadol, even though thereā€™s a potential for increased sleeping with tramadol, Iā€™ve never found this to be the case or found this side effect to be anywhere close to the side effects of bupre. Vets just seem to go straight to a bupre injection though! I bet you were so worried!
 
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