need some advice about my piggies :)

[thatsbec]

Hi there everyone, my name is Bec and i currently have 3 sows.
Their names are Mittens, Bows and Socks.
I'll give you a bit of a run down on the situation and go to my questions from there

Originally i had a sow named Buttons (who died in march due to a heart defect) and Mittens. Both formed a close bond very quickly and when Buttons died Mittens seemed quite lonely so i went on a hunt for a new guinea pig to be a new friend for her. Instead of going to pet stores i looked in the papers and saw an ad for a baby guinea pig that needed a home, i went and picked her up the next day and named her Socks (it looked like she had little white socks on)

I brought Socks home and introduced her to Mittens...who unfortunately didn't take too kindly to this new little piggie. She made noises i'd never heard before, one sounded a bit like a hiss. I watched them very closely for half of the day, and Mittens would headbut Socks in the side and chase her around. Eventually i had to seperate them, Mittens was obviously not liking this new addition and Socks was quite distressed.

In the end Mittens fell in love with my sisters dwarf rabbit Hunny Bunny. I've read that rabbits and guinea pigs shouldn't usually be housed together, but Mittens and Hunny Bunny formed a very close relationship and when we seperated them, they pined for each other. Hunny Bunny protects Mittens and they play and talk to each other all day long.

Now i had this little guinea pig (Socks) by herself. I wanted to find a friend for Socks but was a bit worried after what had happened with Mittens. A few days after Mittens and Socks were seperated for good, my Nana saw an ad in the paper for a female guinea pig, i rang the number and a man answered and i asked about the guinea pig, he said they didn't want the guinea pig, so i asked if i could come and get it. It was a long way away but my Nana (god bless her) drove me all the way and we arrived at a farm of some sorts...anyone know the story of Ma and Pa kettles farm? that's pretty much what it was like, very dirty, bit like a junk yard, lots of animals in small cages, etc. We were shown to where the guinea pig was, outside in a small cage surrounded by grass that was up to my knees...
The guinea pig we found there was about 6 weeks old, a tan colour with redish patches and red eyes. The woman who owned her was leaving for the UK the next day, so we took the guinea pig and named her Bows.

(we also rang the RSPCA about the other animals)

So now we have Bows and Socks who are good friends, and Mittens and Hunny Bunny

My questions though are: Bows and Socks are still quite skiddish around people (bows more so). I'm home nearly all day as i am quite ill most of the time, and i try and spend as much time as possible with them (but also want them to have time by themselves, *** that's when they play with each other, etc) I handle them each day, but if they look too distressed i leave them alone...but do you think they will bond with me eventually?

Also Socks seems to be the boss out of her and Bows and Socks isn't shy to come out of her house when its feeding time (whereas bows stays in her house until she's absolutely sure we've left). Socks will eat all her food and then start eating out of Bows food bowl and I'm worried that Bows wont get enough to eat...i'll move sock out of the way but as soon as we turn our backs she's back in the bowl of food. Should i seperate them at meal times? Or will this resolve itself in time?

I also wonder if Socks is possibly bullying Bows because we'll hear very hitch pitched squeals and lots of running, but by the time we run to where they are, they're back in their houses...

If anyone has any advice for me that would be greatly appreciated, and sorry for the long story! i didn't mean for it to be so long, i just wanted you to know how it all came about

xx

 

[cuddles]

Hiya in my experience if you introduce them slowly over a period of time then they will accept others

 

[MintyAndGarry (TEAS)]

Hi...welcome to the forum!

I've got four boys, two of which are bold as brass and the other two (Minty and Garry) sound similar to Bows and Socks.

They were 12 weeks old when I got them and they were ever so skittish around people. Over time (I've had them just over 10 months now) they have become more used to me and other people being around them. Minty is the bold one of the two and he is quite happy to laze anywhere in the cage and will wait around to see if you've brought him anything when you come in to say hello. Garry, on the other hand, is a shy piggy (although he's my best cuddler!). He spends much of his time in the pigloo and will scuttle back in there if he's out when you come into the room. Lately, he's developed a theory that laying by the hayrack makes him invisible so if you're quiet and move slowly, he'll lay there while you walk past. He looks over his shoulder while you do it, but it's still progress!

Minty is always chewing on something - veg, pellets or hay and I sometime wonder if Garry is getting enough food. But he's a healthy weight and has a glossy coat so I'm satisfied he is. He will come out and eat at night and when it's quiet - I'm sure Bows is the same. How much food are you giving them per day? Maybe you could offer her treats at laptime? If you are worried that she isn't eating as much as she should, then I'd advise you to weigh both piggies just to make sure they are both gaining weight as they are growing.

 

[thatsbec]

Hi...welcome to the forum!

I've got four boys, two of which are bold as brass and the other two (Minty and Garry) sound similar to Bows and Socks.

They were 12 weeks old when I got them and they were ever so skittish around people. Over time (I've had them just over 10 months now) they have become more used to me and other people being around them. Minty is the bold one of the two and he is quite happy to laze anywhere in the cage and will wait around to see if you've brought him anything when you come in to say hello. Garry, on the other hand, is a shy piggy (although he's my best cuddler!). He spends much of his time in the pigloo and will scuttle back in there if he's out when you come into the room. Lately, he's developed a theory that laying by the hayrack makes him invisible so if you're quiet and move slowly, he'll lay there while you walk past. He looks over his shoulder while you do it, but it's still progress!

Minty is always chewing on something - veg, pellets or hay and I sometime wonder if Garry is getting enough food. But he's a healthy weight and has a glossy coat so I'm satisfied he is. He will come out and eat at night and when it's quiet - I'm sure Bows is the same. How much food are you giving them per day? Maybe you could offer her treats at laptime? If you are worried that she isn't eating as much as she should, then I'd advise you to weigh both piggies just to make sure they are both gaining weight as they are growing.

Cuddles, thank you for your advice, but i think its a bit late to introduce them slowly to each other now, as they have been together for 8 months, but i really appreciate you answering my thread

MintyAndGarry - thank you so much for your advice too
your two piggies, Minty and Garry do sound like Bows and Socks
I got Socks when she was about 4 weeks old, she was very tiny and i got Bows when she was about 6 weeks ago (so she's 2 weeks older that Socks).
I've had them both now for around 8 months.

Minty sounds very much like Socks..she too is quite happy to lay in the hay in the open area of the cage rather than in the igloo all the time like Bows does. She'll put her front feet in her food bowl and squeal very loudly to let us know she's hungry, and when we walk past she's gets up to see if we have anything for her, or just passing through p

Bows sounds like Garry, she too spends a lot of time in the igloo, and is very shy,but lately when its 'feeding time' she pokes her head out to see whats going on, but if she's in the open area of her cage, she'll run back into her igloo if we come and say hello, etc.

Every now and again between their meals, i'll get a big peice of spinach (bows favourite) and give it to both of them, but i try and use it to coax Bows out, and usually she comes halfway out, grabs the leaf and then shuffles backwards back into the igloo. haha, its very cute

You're piggies sounds absolutley gorgeous! how old are your other 2 piggies and what are their names?

I think you are right in saying that Bows comes out at night, because i can hear them from my room, talking to each other and running around.
Also my Nana (i live with her and she adores the piggies) thinks that she is eating when we're not there.

I feed them twice a day (and sometimes a 3rd time if they are really hungry and demanding something) In the morning, first thing they are fed, and they have a bowl each, and i put in each bowl - 2 peices of carrot, a handful of baby spinach, a peice of corn, 2 beans, a few leaves of mint, a sprig or two of parsley, a peice of apple and some cabbage.
I also fill up their pellet bowl, and they eat that throughout the day and put some fresh hay in their hay rack which they chomp often

Then around midday, they squeak and squeal and demand some food, so we give them a bit of spinach

Then at nightime between 5pm-6pm they get another full bowl of food, this time they get - 2 peices of carrot, handful of baby spinach, cabbage, a few leaves of mint and a sprig of parsley and maybe a bean or two as a treat.

They old get apple and corn once a day, because they're sweet foods.

They are a good weight, Socks weighs 200 grams more than Bows, but their coats are nice and shiny and their teeth are good and their overall health.
I have a wonderful vet that specialises in small animals such as Guinea Pigs and Rabbits, etc and i have them checked every 8 weeks or earlier if need be (I took Bows a few weeks ago because i thought she was sick and she was, she had a chest infection). So i'm happy with that.

I'll try offering them treats at laptime... I guess it'll take time. I think i'm just worried that they're not going to bond with me like my other 2 piggies did.
They both seem to love my Nana, she spends a lot of time talking to them and stroking them under the chin, etc. They really seem to like that.

Is there anything else i should be doing?

Thanks again for your help, i feel a lot better
Bec xoxo

 

[Glynis]

Hi Bec, you sound like you're a very caring mummy xx>>>xx>>>
You could look at the food section and see the do's and don'ts and this will help you with quantities as well, as long as they have the pellets, hay, water and fresh veggies they're happily little munchkins x)x)x)

You might find that these little ones are just naturally skittish.... some seem to be more so than others. Give them time and continue to play with them, i also find sitting on the ground with them and letting them eat grass from you is another good way of them learning to trust you too.
What a horror story you told us about little Bows, it's sad how people are so uncaring for their animals 8...
Any time you have more questions just pop on a thread or do a search and see if somebody else has had this situation

 

[thatsbec]

Aww thankyou Glynis, that's very sweet of you
I love my piggies so much

Okay i will have a look at the food section..do you think i'm feeding them too much?

Yep they always fresh water, hay, pellets and vegies

Yeah i know.. i get really sad when i see how some mistreat their animals, no matter what kind of animal it is Actually there is a progam on televison here in Australia at the moment (not sure where you are) and its about the RSPCA and the rescues they do, etc. But it's so sad all the animals they have to rescue and the stories they tell. Can't even fathom how people can be like that.

I'll try the grass thing you suggested too! thanks very much for your help, really appreciate it

 

[Glynis]

Oh Bec yes i know the show.........i can't watch it most of the time i get way to upset 8...8...
I'm in Victoria
No i don't think you're feeding them too much, as long as they eat more hay and pellets it's fine x)
and hey no problems, that's why were on here, this forum is very friendly and everyone loves to help if they can -c

 

[thatsbec]

Yeah i always seem to cry every time i watch that show.
Oh okay cool, i'm in WA

Oh okay that's good, they always have lots of hay and pellets..actually there is also some other stuff that they sell at City Farmers and it says 'Guinea Pig Mix' , they seem to like it...have you ever seen that stuff?

Yeah, everyone seems very friendly on here, which is great, i'm glad i've finally found a really good Guinea Pig forum

 

[MintyAndGarry (TEAS)]

how old are your other 2 piggies and what are their names?

You've started me off now! I've not been at home for 5 weeks so am missing the boys like mad! Garry also does the shuffling backwards thing - I often put veggies at the door of the pigloo to make sure he gets some and he sticks his head out to grab them!

This is Garry (G-Pig) when I first got him and most recently:

Minty (Moo) as a baby and recently:

They are both now 13 months old.

My other two boys are the most cocky I've ever known. I got Benjamin in February when he was 11 weeks old and he used to live with Garry and Minty until he and Minty started fighting (two dominant piggies). So, he was ousted and spent only a couple of weeks on his own while I looked for a friend for him. He will come to the bars to see what you've brought for him, and chew if you have nothing. It's a habit I'm trying to get him out of. He also likes to climb and sit on the back of your neck. Strange boy. He's my fat piggie - was 2lb 11oz when I last weighed him - he was 8 1/2 months old at the time...

Benjamin (Ben-Ben, Baby Ben, Big Fat Ben) as a baby and now:
(Looking all scared and alone in the adoption section at the petshop)

Dave is now 6 months old and is fast following in Benjamin's foot steps - after all, he's taught him everything he knows! He's been living with us for 4 1/2 months now. He's a comical thing and stands up for himself. Had a few scuffles with Ben recently, but think they've sorted things out. He was taking food from me as soon as I got him home.

Dave (Davey Boy, Little Dave-Dave...) when I first got him and now:

There's going to be a major photo session when I get back - they just don't know it yet!

 

[thatsbec]

awww they are so cute and adorable!

hahahaha Socks does that too! climbs on peoples backs and nestles behind their necks. hilarous!

Garry is so cute, he's black like my Buttons was (r.i.p)
Minty is gorgeous, i love his colouring!
Benjamin - cute! yet another guinea pig i have seen on this forum that looks exactly like my Bows! same coat, colouring, and eyes lol
Aww Dave is so cute, i love the first photo of him

Thank you so much for sharing those pics i'll have to get more pics of my piggies over the next couple of days and show you

 

[*Nibbles&Nugget*]

hi
i think your being a great mummy bec and keep up the good workx>>

 

[thatsbec]

thanks