MandFpiggies
Junior Guinea Pig
So I set aside Saturday to reintroduce Maisie to her sisters Daisy and Poppy. As some may know Maisie broke her leg 6 weeks ago and has been in solitary since. I had some concerns because a lot has changed in that time, and there was some confusion as to just who was the boss, It used to be Poppy, but after a growth spurt from Daisy (they are still only around 6 months old), Daisy decided she'd like to take control. So I really wasn't sure how Maisie would fit into the group, and I was concerned how she would cope physically, would her leg be up to the rough and tumble ?/ :...
I decided there was nothing else for it, I'd just have to go for it and see :x. I set up a fresh clean 3x4 grid pen on the floor, with different accessories so there was no familiar smells, and loads of hay and grass, and a big towel and dust pan at the ready just in case. Then I set in Maisie first, then Daisy, as they had been very close before their separation, then Poppy as she would have been a bit of a bully towards Maisie in the past. It was a complete anti climax, in the best possible way -c There was loads off butt sniffing, and chasing (in an fun sort of way), a lot of eating, some chin bumping, and rumblestrutting, and then more eating, and a bit more butt sniffing and chasing.
After the first 30 mins or so, when it was clear that there was not going to be all out war, I busied myself (just on the other side of the room) with a major cage clean and revamp, incorporating Maisie's part of the cage into the rest makes it a 2x5 grid space, and all new/washed accessories meant that when the girls were ready to go back into it, it was a very different/new space to them.
After about 3 hours, everything was going well, but I could see Maisie was tired, and she was starting to carry her leg, they were all weighed before being returned to the cage, so this gives me a really good reference point just in case there's any trouble with bulling, but I don't think there will be, as I don't think things could have gone any better than they did.
48 hours later they all seem to be really relaxed, just as though they'd never been apart
I haven't seen any cuddling up together yet, but everyone has chosen their favorite spot and are quite happy enough to stretch themselves out and go to sleep, so I don't think there's any undercurrent or tension in the cage, I think I can breath again 
I decided there was nothing else for it, I'd just have to go for it and see :x. I set up a fresh clean 3x4 grid pen on the floor, with different accessories so there was no familiar smells, and loads of hay and grass, and a big towel and dust pan at the ready just in case. Then I set in Maisie first, then Daisy, as they had been very close before their separation, then Poppy as she would have been a bit of a bully towards Maisie in the past. It was a complete anti climax, in the best possible way -c There was loads off butt sniffing, and chasing (in an fun sort of way), a lot of eating, some chin bumping, and rumblestrutting, and then more eating, and a bit more butt sniffing and chasing.
After the first 30 mins or so, when it was clear that there was not going to be all out war, I busied myself (just on the other side of the room) with a major cage clean and revamp, incorporating Maisie's part of the cage into the rest makes it a 2x5 grid space, and all new/washed accessories meant that when the girls were ready to go back into it, it was a very different/new space to them.
After about 3 hours, everything was going well, but I could see Maisie was tired, and she was starting to carry her leg, they were all weighed before being returned to the cage, so this gives me a really good reference point just in case there's any trouble with bulling, but I don't think there will be, as I don't think things could have gone any better than they did.
48 hours later they all seem to be really relaxed, just as though they'd never been apart
I haven't seen any cuddling up together yet, but everyone has chosen their favorite spot and are quite happy enough to stretch themselves out and go to sleep, so I don't think there's any undercurrent or tension in the cage, I think I can breath again 
|)
