Rescue piggy suddenly jumping around

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Hi there,

I have taken a guinea pig from a friends workplace, who was in a hutch all on her own with no human or other guinea contact..it was a very sad place for her to be.
She has been in my flat, in her hutch for just over a week now. She was very shy at first..I can only just about stroke her. Ive tried not to handle her as I wanted her to get used to where she was.

Up until about 3 days ago, she was silent. She has really come out of her shell now, she 'weep weeeeps' when I open the fridge door as I presume this indicates fresh veg to her!

My concern is that, again, over the last 3 days she's been darting around in her hutch...in moments of what look like fits of energy. Absolutely explainable, as she's been confined for a long time...but in the last few days she's been 'popping'...is that the right expression? when piggies are happy? they do a little skip. Well, she is flipping out! I'm not sure if she's not very well, or whether she's just releasing some long pent up happiness?

I was told she was a girl of about 6months old..but ive no idea how to sex piggies and i can't really get that near to her to be able to have a look underneath. She appears to be pulling her back legs/groin area around the hutch every now,only when she has these 'body popping' moments. She flips her body around, almost falling over..races around the hutch and then pulls her back legs under...to be honest it looks like she wants to perhaps hump something...!

Could someone explain this behaviour to me? Should I be concerned about it? Is she really a he? Is she in season and marking territory? Shes also become quite itchy..ive tried to limit the amount of fresh fruit and veg, because she was previously on a very basic diet and probably didnt get any variety...i thought perhaps the 'flipping out' was maybe mites irritating her? But I'm sure its not that now. ive tried to comb her with a flea comb, but shes not impressed!

In a weeks time she will be going to my friends to live, who has 2 females and male guinea..we are going to try to integrate the girls..

Many thanks!
Emma
 
Hi Emma
Welcome to the forum

If I was you, I would take your piggy to the vet and get a general health check. If you tell us where you are, then hopefully we can recommend a cavy savvy vet. They should also be able to sex your piggy for you.

It does sound like shes popcorning because shes happy, but serious cases of mites can also cause fits, and they can be very serious which is why it would be a goof idea for a vet check.

Hope that helps
 
:) It's called popcorning. It means that the pig is very happy. You must've given it a lovely new home :)
 
Sounds like popcorning to me and if she is a youngish piggy then that would explain all the running around, zooming. They zoom and popcorn, even flipping over and sometimes look confused over it.

It just means she is extremely happy. Definitely try to find out her gender though. You don't want to put her in with your friends two females and boar only to find out shes a boar and then a huge fight break out between the two boars and the girls ending up pregnant too.
 
Good on you for rescuing this little piggy. Do you have a video of her behaviour? I've never had sows so I couldnt tell you about the comparison on behaviour but my boars rub their *ahem* bits around their cage. They have very obvious testicles! lol

Try googling a picture of how to sex sows and boars and have a gander of which flavour you have (just to make sure) :)

The best way I found to check for mites is to place the piggy on a black piece of paper or a black sheet and rough up the fur a bit - obviously gently lol Mites show as little white moving dots. If she has mites she'll need treating before she goes in with your friends guinea pigs :)

You are best taking her to see a vet for a health check.
 
Oh well done for rescuing this poor little one. I would say it is a boy by the behaviour you describe of dragging the bottom. He sounds so happy to run and play. If he is a boy then you will not be able to put him with your friends guinea pigs. What will you do?
 
Boys tend to have an impressive set of "conkers" "baubauls" (boarballs) or in the case of my Bumble a magnificent pair of "spacehoppers" - girlies look like they are wearing a pair of y -fronts ! - sounds like she is really happy and releasing pent up energy - mites tend to show as hair loss forming in a v- shape along the back,though not always so, as suggested a good idea to take her to a vets just for a once over,this should not cost much.
 
Agree with First time piggie mum and TAN that if your new girl (or boy) is itchy, it is worth a vet trip to check. The Little Piggy is not quite right about all mites - mange mites cannot be seen with the naked eye they are under the skin. If the new piggy does have mites it will need treating as it can make them unbearably itchy and poorly but it is pretty straight forward to treat.

You say that you cannot hold her to check her sex - have you tried using a towel to pick her up or a small cardboard box? If you then wrap her gently in the towel with rear end sticking out, you can have a better look! Even better if you could take a photo at that point and post on here as there are loads of experienced forum people who will confirm the sex for you.
 
Id just like to say to say thank you so much for all of the replies!x)

I came here 2 years ago when I was looking after 2 piggies to give my friend a break, as she was having a baby..and I was given huge advice, it was so helpful and friendly...so thank you.

Ok, well i cant see any 'spacehoppers' down there on 'Snowy'..so I'm hoping its a girl, just from the point of view that she was planning to live with 2 other girlies!
But I havent looked properly, so I think thats my mission for tonight @)

Id hate to think that shes in pain with mites, so I'm thinking now that you are right, a trip to the vets would be the way forward, just as a general check over. I have a very good vet in Hastings who Ive taken rescued rats, mice and dogs to, and he's very very gentle.

I'm thinking that she is popcorning..its just that she is doing it with such vengeance that she almost knocks herself out! If it is that, I am soooo, sooo happy.
My friend who's taking Snowy has had guinea pigs for the last 10 years at least, but she's on holiday at the moment, which is why I have Snowy. I heard my flatmate say that at the residential place where she works, she's noticed a hutch in the outside area. Now she's worked there for a year now and no one had told her that theres a guinea pig outside. She found Snowy there a few weeks back, with NO WATER. on a few occasions. She told me about it and I told her to tell the manager I would come get Snowy if they didn't want her. They agreed immediately (pfft) and so I just went and collected her. I can't believe animals get left in such awful situations.

Anyway, its best I get her/him vet checked before she goes to my friends.
Thank you all, so , so much. I could get a video actually, maybe I ll try that and post it here...
Thank you!x
 
does sound like a popcorning session, my youngest girl does her popcorns with great gusto even still at a year old, she also has a very loud wheek :o

My two top sows do drag their bums to scent mark, I saw this the day I introduced the neutered boar to their pen, with him and crystal and minty dragging their bums around it was quite interesting to watch.

And you cannot see mites without a microscope, lice you can but a trip to the vets to check on general condition is a great idea.
 
Just sounds like she's popcorning- it's a good thing. It means she's happy!
 
Sounds like popcorning to me as well! Worth taking a trip to the vet in case of mites though which is easily treatable caught early on.

I love TAN's description of boys bits, that made me laugh out loud! The video is so funny too.

My boy is over 4 and still popcorns. He sometimes bounces up in the air with a squeal, does almost a complete 180 degree turn and then looks all confused and runs off! Your piggy sounds EXTREMELY happy!
 
Thank you all :)

That video is gggreaaat!

Ok, well, Snowy is booked in to see the vets tomorrow evening for an MOT..and then at some point this week he will be introduced to her new friends - fingers crossed!xx
 
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