paulalovespiggies
Junior Guinea Pig
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2013
- Messages
- 100
- Reaction score
- 67
- Points
- 245
Hi everyone,
My 2 guinea pigs always got along perfectly fine.
One has been sick (Pig) and can't move much, so i separated them for about a month over the summer because I was scared the non sick one (Percy) was too boisterous, Pig was squealing a lot and I was worried he could be getting hurt.
So after that month apart, Pig was a little better, still not moving much but weight better and his personality it back
Since they had been separated, Percy was very withdrawn and not himself, he would sit up by Pig's cage and nibble the bars and make unusual squeaks that he hadn't made before. He was obviously very lonely. Even though they were in the same room.
So I reintroduced them, it went well, put them back in the cage together. All fine. Then I noticed Pig would squeal every so often, extremely loudly, never any bites or wounds - any guidance I read was unless actual fighting or one is losing weight etc not to separate and that the loud squeals are just submission. So I would always check on them but kept them together.
A few nights ago, I was in bed and could hear the squeals. But it went on for a good few minutes, went in and checked, both just sat and looked at me. No scrapes or fighting. I went back to bed. Same thing happened. I let it go on for longer and checked again. Nothing. Third time I let it go for about ten minutes but then I panicked because it was much louder and longer than normal. So I lifted pig out and put him in the spare cage, thinking to myself, one night won't do much damage, I will bath them and clean out cage tomorrow and put them back together.
But then, I realised that they are both currently on spot on drops for mites and anything I've read says you can't bath them whilst on this plus they are only on the second treatment as of yesterday so it'll be another 10 days before final treatment.
So...
Can I buddy bath them if I keep the water level low (spot on is back of neck) and only wash their stinky bits?
If I can't do this, is it better to keep them apart while the mite treatment runs it's course? Or should I just do a full cage scrub and put them back together without bathing?
I'm worried this is their second separation and don't want to weaken their bond because they do get along in general. It's only since Pig has been sick that there's been squealing. Percy does hump Pig more now but I think it's because Pig can't run away... Which isn't very nice for Pig but it's kinda normal dominance behaviour and Pig has been fairly steady with weight etc so although he doesn't like it, he's not depressed or anything. They often cuddle and sit together and look nice and cosy.
Opinions please about whether it was right for me to separate them a few days ago. I think I panicked just hearing him distressed for so long.
My 2 guinea pigs always got along perfectly fine.
One has been sick (Pig) and can't move much, so i separated them for about a month over the summer because I was scared the non sick one (Percy) was too boisterous, Pig was squealing a lot and I was worried he could be getting hurt.
So after that month apart, Pig was a little better, still not moving much but weight better and his personality it back
Since they had been separated, Percy was very withdrawn and not himself, he would sit up by Pig's cage and nibble the bars and make unusual squeaks that he hadn't made before. He was obviously very lonely. Even though they were in the same room.
So I reintroduced them, it went well, put them back in the cage together. All fine. Then I noticed Pig would squeal every so often, extremely loudly, never any bites or wounds - any guidance I read was unless actual fighting or one is losing weight etc not to separate and that the loud squeals are just submission. So I would always check on them but kept them together.
A few nights ago, I was in bed and could hear the squeals. But it went on for a good few minutes, went in and checked, both just sat and looked at me. No scrapes or fighting. I went back to bed. Same thing happened. I let it go on for longer and checked again. Nothing. Third time I let it go for about ten minutes but then I panicked because it was much louder and longer than normal. So I lifted pig out and put him in the spare cage, thinking to myself, one night won't do much damage, I will bath them and clean out cage tomorrow and put them back together.
But then, I realised that they are both currently on spot on drops for mites and anything I've read says you can't bath them whilst on this plus they are only on the second treatment as of yesterday so it'll be another 10 days before final treatment.
So...
Can I buddy bath them if I keep the water level low (spot on is back of neck) and only wash their stinky bits?
If I can't do this, is it better to keep them apart while the mite treatment runs it's course? Or should I just do a full cage scrub and put them back together without bathing?
I'm worried this is their second separation and don't want to weaken their bond because they do get along in general. It's only since Pig has been sick that there's been squealing. Percy does hump Pig more now but I think it's because Pig can't run away... Which isn't very nice for Pig but it's kinda normal dominance behaviour and Pig has been fairly steady with weight etc so although he doesn't like it, he's not depressed or anything. They often cuddle and sit together and look nice and cosy.
Opinions please about whether it was right for me to separate them a few days ago. I think I panicked just hearing him distressed for so long.
any takers?
