New Piggie Pair- And So Many Questions!

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lglithero

lglithero

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Hi, I am new to owning piggies- I have just adopted a pair at the weekend from Tameside Rabbit and Guinea Pig rescue after much research and contemplation! I have a smooth and a curly haired pig, who are as yet still nameless!

They are lovely but still quite timid, which is to be expected. At the moment I have quite a few worries including -
- The piggies have gone to different levels of the hutch and don't seem to be interacting much. I would have thought they would feel more safe if they were snuggling up? To be honest I am a bit worried that the curly haired pig can't traverse the ramp at all!
- The smooth haired piggy had soft poops yesterday, which has improved today with me reducing his watery veg. However, he has got quite dirty in his fur and paws. I would like to bath him to get rid off the poopy patches but will this be too traumatic for a new pig? Should I just leave him to it for now?
- Should I get the piggies out for some exercise time? They don't like it when I go near them (even with treats!) and the curly haired pig in particular just looks terrified. Am I best leaving it for a couple more days before I attempt this?

Thanks in advance for your help. The forum seems like a really lovely community. I will try and post some pictures when they are a bit more used to me!

Laura :)
 
Hi there! How lovely to have 2 new additions to the family - are they boys or girls or both?

I'm no expert but with regards to the ramp, some piggies do have trouble knowing how to use it at first. See this thread for tips http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/need-help-with-the-ramp.116560/#post-1578902

In terms of bathing, I wouldnt even dare try with my two yet, they barely like being held. I have wiped their feet and bums with baby wipes just to get the dirt off for now. And I would say leave them for a few days to get used to their cage before trying to hold them. There are some useful threads under "new and wannabe guinea pig owners corner" regarding settling shy guinea pigs :)
 
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Hi and welcome!

Give your piggies time to settle in; that can take a few days. Not all piggies twig how to use a ramp straight away. That can also take some days. Not all piggy pairs are necessarily snuggly with each other; this doesn;t mean that they don't get along or are good friends!
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/

I would recommend to give your soiled piggy a quick bum bath/paw wipe with some lukewarm water rather than a full bath. Once he (or she?) has settled in more, he may profit from having his hair cut short on the bum and on the sides. In a hot summer, a shorthair cut can be a real relief - don;t worry, by autumn, the hair will have grown back! :)

As to diet, you may find this thread here helpful: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...or-a-balanced-general-guinea-pig-diet.116460/
 
Hi lovely people! I realised that I never got the chance to thank you for helping me and answering my questions, so thank you very much.

After 3.5 weeks the pigs are settling in really well. Two boys, I have named them Pyp and Grenn (one of those names that was intended to be temporary but somehow stuck!)
IMG_4132.webp

They are still fairly timid when I let them roam about on the floor but they love their dinner time, all the veg and particularly their greens so I think I am making good progress. They are both putting on weight like champs, Pyp who was fairly small has grown such a lot. They both had their first bum bath the other day - Pyp enjoyed it but Grenn who has the dirtiest bum ever absolutely hated it, so I might have to use different tactics with him in the future- maybe a fur trim is in order?

The thread about the ramp was so useful. All it took was for me to create a kind of fleece 'curtain' to help Grenn get over his fear of heights and now he flies up and down there! Usually to get away from me when I'm spot cleaning- but I don't mind! The pigs seem to get along well now and I often catch them hanging out together- but have occasional moments when they relentlessly chase each other round rumbling and humping. They are both as guilty as each other in this so I hope they can figure out who is boss soon!

Anyway thanks again for your help Frankie and wiebke! x
 
I'm sorry - I can only see one piggy and a big ball of fluff - where is the other pig? :D

They are both absolutely gorgeous and I am so pleased that they are settling in well!
 
What a lovely pair! If they are both doing it, they are likely just being boars and playing with each other. They will certainly know who is top boar and who isn't, but the dominance is not always as obvious.
 
They are gorgeous!

I would suggest a trim to make it easier to keep his bottom clean. I have a texel girl, Lola, and always trim around the bottom. In the summer, when it's really hot, I actually trim all her body as all that crazy hair must be warm.
 
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