'new Mum' In Need Of Some Reassurance - Am I Doing This Right?

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Joeykins

Joeykins

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Hi everyone!

It's been 2 weeks since our piggies, Buttercup and Daisy, came to live with us :) they are now 10weeks old, they are wonderful and we adore them, but I'm very new to piggies and am worried whether they are happy :(

They have quite distinct personalities - Buttercup is quite outgoing, is always popping up and wheeking when she hears me and my daughter come in. She is easier to handle, and vocalises a lot when being handled - although it sounds like a mixture between bubbling and whining so I'm not sure whether she is enjoying herself, she is happy to eat when being handled and likes to snuggle up against my neck (or down my top) - I've been lucky and haven't been pee'd or pooped on yet! Buttercup will take food from my hand but won't stay still to be stroked - she is easier to catch!

Daisy is more shy - she is VERY fast and hard to catch, she is quite jittery when being held and I'm trying to handle her a little and often to get her used to it, she doesn't come out and wheek yet, but will take food from my hand (if I'm really patient) - she is the only one of the pair to have found the loft in the cage and likes to hang out up there, usually stretched out in a donut bed or curled up in a little hay box - she doesn't seem to mind sleeping out in the open. Buttercup isn't into the fleecy items so much, and prefers to lie on the vetbed under the loft to sleep. Daisy likes to pee on Buttercups bed, and Buttercup likes to pee in the hay.......

They both bubble and popcorn in the cage, and are eating well and are generally very content when I'm sitting next to their cage and talking to them. I'm just worrying whether I'm doing things 'right!' Call me an anxious new mum lol!

I've ordered a 2x3 c&c cage with a loft to replace their existing cage which I built myself - it'll be a bit of a squeeze for the c&c cage, but they will need the extra room when they are fully grown!

They've had several plays in the indoor run, and one in their outdoor hutch/run today which they enjoyed and are now both passed out asleep!

Here are a couple of piccies!

image.webp Daisy in her hay box bed!

image.webp image.webp Buttercup in the indoor run!

Thanks everyone :) xx
 
Hi Joeykins,

Like you, I am a fairly new mum, and I spend a lot of time on this forum reading through peoples posts to make sure I am doing the right things by my babies. Also like you, I have two girls, one is very confident and outgoing, the other is very submissive and hides. Interestingly, my shy one is easier to catch and seems to enjoy lap-time (when I say enjoy, she doesn't bite/bat my hand away/grumble - but nor does she bubble/purr, but then she is the less vocal of the two). The other, more confident one, is a nightmare to catch but settles once she is out. I did notice a couple of little bubbles from her.

From my (little!) experience, I am taking the no biting/grumbling/pushing me away are little signs that they are tolerating my contact if not liking it. It is my hope that given a few more weeks of repeated contact, they will learn that I really do love them and am not trying to scare/hurt them.

Overall, it sounds like your piggies are settling in wonderfully, otherwise they wouldn't be bubbling and popcorning!
 
Sounds to me like your piggies are settling in just nicely, they all have very different personalities some are bolder than others, sounds like your two are just right for one another, you generally have one dominant sow and another submissive sow and that is good so they know who is boss.
Maybe with Daisy you could pick her up in a cuddle cup until she gets used to being handled, feed her small treats while you have her on your lap and this will build her confidence.
Both are gorgeous guineas I have to say!
 
Thanks for the replies everyone :)

I'm almost a bit scared to handle Daisy as she gets scared and I don't want to traumatise her! I held Buttercup in a cuddle cup for a while, which she tolerated well - she liked to poke her head out and have a look around, and made the cutest noises, I'll have a go with Daisy tomorrow, I'm just worried the experience of being caught etc is scaring her so much that it's taking one step forward and 2 dozen back :(

I just want her to be a happy piggie :)

I'm still trying to work out who is the more dominant out of the two when they are together, they do seem to get on well (they are currently both asleep with their noses touching <3) Buttercup rumbled briefly at Daisy today when Buttercup was resting under the ramp and Daisy stuck her nose under there, I took that as a 'this bed is MINE!' gesture lol - they don't seem to spar or argue much, and they will both nudge each other's arses out of the way if they are blocking each other from something, and they both seem to tolerate pushyness or food-swiping from each other.

Jx
 
I am also a 'new mum' and my piggies have found it a bit hard to get used to being picked up. Now that they're a little older they're becoming boisterous boys that look at me as if to say 'mum I've got places to be!' But yesterday Lenny just plonked himself down on my hand and relaxed for 10 mins lol! I found the secret is just little and often, talking to them quietly and taking the time to just sit there a bit while they go about their business really helped
 
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