I collected my piggies on Friday and, as expected, the piggies have spent their time in their bedroom area and appear nervous. They pop out for food and are eating a mix of lots of hay, pellets and fresh food (so far cabbage, cauli leaves and red peppers) my concern is thei water bottles don’t appear to be going down much and they e gnawed the corner of their bedroom (I’ve now placed gnawing toys in their bedroom area as they’re not venturing out much yet) Does the gnawing and the lack of fluid seem normal for them first settling in? They’re peeing and pooping ok.
Normal ‘settling in’ behaviour?
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Merab
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Some guinea pigs will use a water bottle for their liquid intake while others seem to get enough from veggies.
Settling in takes time and do much depends on what they had before.
If they are eating, pooping and weeing then they’re fine.
The shyness takes time and I found when Phoebe joined the family it took nearly 6 months before she was fully settled and confident.
She can still be skittish if there’s people around she doesn’t know.
Patience and yet more patience are the key.
We’re you pointed towards the pig whispering techniques?
It’s one of the forum threads.
I can’t link it - total lack of tech skills!
Settling in takes time and do much depends on what they had before.
If they are eating, pooping and weeing then they’re fine.
The shyness takes time and I found when Phoebe joined the family it took nearly 6 months before she was fully settled and confident.
She can still be skittish if there’s people around she doesn’t know.
Patience and yet more patience are the key.
We’re you pointed towards the pig whispering techniques?
It’s one of the forum threads.
I can’t link it - total lack of tech skills!
Thank you for your reply. I will search the forum for piggie whispering. X
Hi!
This is normal behaviour. Drinking from a bottles is not instinctive but learned; sadly many piggies don't come with that knowledge if they haven't had the time to imitate their elders. They still get fluid from their veg. Please do not be tempted to overfeed veg!
Please find more information on drinking and helping your babies learn to use a bottle in this guide link here: All About Drinking And Bottles
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Guinea pigs explore their world with their teeth. Gnawing on their surroundings is perfectly normal behaviour. They are thankfully not as bad as hamsters and rats...
Do you have your piggies outside in a hutch? In this case, please please bring them indoors until the weather is warmer and there are no longer any cold and frosty nights. Guinea pigs, even more so youngsters with their immune system still under construction should be treated like tender plants.
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
Hot Weather Management and Heat Strokes
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?