Pickypips
New Born Pup
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2017
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Hello, we've had our two female piggies for about a year and we've not come across this behaviour in this time, so I thought I'd ask for some advice as I'm a little unsure about the best way forward.
Yesterday they spent the day in their run in the garden as they do most days and just before we brought them back indoors they appeared happy and were really excited to see us in the garden by running and popcorning around their run.
We brought them indoors to their cage and one of them immediately started acting weird, went flat and then jumped out of the cage door onto the floor, when we were putting the other piggy in. She's never done this before and was clearly disturbed. I cuddled her for a while and she was making her little wheaking sound, so thinking all was ok I went to put her back in and she jumped out onto the floor again before I could shut the cage door. I cuddled her and she snuggled up under my neck for about an hour, clearly on edge but seemed happy to be with me.
My husband came home and he gave her a cuddle and carefully put her back in her cage. She then started acting possessed, throwing herself against the cage and trying to climb up the sides. He sat with her and stroked her through the bars and calmed her down enough for her to sit still.
The other piggy who stayed in the cage was also acting strange, but not to this extent. They have both calmed down, however, they have both been in the same position for around 20 hours now - one on top of their house, the other just at the door of the house. They're eating well, we've put in some fresh hay, veg and hand-fed them both nuggets. They seem happy to see us and we've been talking calmly to them. They've even given us what we call 'guinea kisses' when we've stroked them through the bars.
My main concern is about them sitting in the same positions without moving around the cage. Is this normal behaviour after a scare? And how long should I keep them in their cage without getting them out for cuddles? I'm unsure how long it will be before they are fully happy again and we can on as normal.
The other thing I have been questioning is what it was that spooked them. Everything was the same, they had a freshly cleaned out cage, which they usually love coming indoors to. The only thing I can think it is that earlier in the day I burnt some food in the kitchen and wondered if the smell had lingered enough to frighten them. Has anyone heard of a burnt smell scaring piggies?
Thanking you in advance.
Yesterday they spent the day in their run in the garden as they do most days and just before we brought them back indoors they appeared happy and were really excited to see us in the garden by running and popcorning around their run.
We brought them indoors to their cage and one of them immediately started acting weird, went flat and then jumped out of the cage door onto the floor, when we were putting the other piggy in. She's never done this before and was clearly disturbed. I cuddled her for a while and she was making her little wheaking sound, so thinking all was ok I went to put her back in and she jumped out onto the floor again before I could shut the cage door. I cuddled her and she snuggled up under my neck for about an hour, clearly on edge but seemed happy to be with me.
My husband came home and he gave her a cuddle and carefully put her back in her cage. She then started acting possessed, throwing herself against the cage and trying to climb up the sides. He sat with her and stroked her through the bars and calmed her down enough for her to sit still.
The other piggy who stayed in the cage was also acting strange, but not to this extent. They have both calmed down, however, they have both been in the same position for around 20 hours now - one on top of their house, the other just at the door of the house. They're eating well, we've put in some fresh hay, veg and hand-fed them both nuggets. They seem happy to see us and we've been talking calmly to them. They've even given us what we call 'guinea kisses' when we've stroked them through the bars.
My main concern is about them sitting in the same positions without moving around the cage. Is this normal behaviour after a scare? And how long should I keep them in their cage without getting them out for cuddles? I'm unsure how long it will be before they are fully happy again and we can on as normal.
The other thing I have been questioning is what it was that spooked them. Everything was the same, they had a freshly cleaned out cage, which they usually love coming indoors to. The only thing I can think it is that earlier in the day I burnt some food in the kitchen and wondered if the smell had lingered enough to frighten them. Has anyone heard of a burnt smell scaring piggies?
Thanking you in advance.