The Adventures of Popchop and Fuzzable

So the new cage is up, a more complicated job than anyone expected because it turns out that Amazon Basics cubes, despite having exactly the same panel dimensions as the Songmics cubes we already had, have larger connectors and so are not compatible, and end up as a larger cage even with the same amount of panels used! Bargain hunters, be warned!

Each pig has 5 squares of space, the divider in the middle is staggered so that they each have one square in the middle, side by side with the other. I've put the hay in there in the hope it might encourage peaceful grazing. We shall see...
 

Attachments

  • 20221203_175800-01.webp
    20221203_175800-01.webp
    41.6 KB · Views: 18
Here is a picture of the ear. There actually seems to be a bit missing and we can only assume Fuzzable ate it! 😱

But tonight I found a sore bit on Fuzzable where *somebody* had been pulling his fur out in clumps. So the fault does not all go one way!
 

Attachments

  • 20221203_202323.webp
    20221203_202323.webp
    29.6 KB · Views: 15
Well, I passed the cage this morning and they were companionably grazing together at the divider and quietly chatting to each other. So maybe they are going to be ok for now at least. Yesterday was all drama, bar-biting and rumbling and chattering. Popchop was hiding in his bed and refusing to come out. But that seems to have calmed down and hopefully they will be happy enough like this until we decide what to do long term.
 
Fuzzable here, showing off his handsome face, beautiful rosettes and huge feet! He's going to be a really big lad when he's fully grown. He has really long gangly legs and a big long back.
 

Attachments

  • 20221204_223100.webp
    20221204_223100.webp
    49.2 KB · Views: 12
  • 20221204_223106.webp
    20221204_223106.webp
    49.5 KB · Views: 11
  • 20221204_223006.webp
    20221204_223006.webp
    48.3 KB · Views: 13
The war wounds are now scabbing up and becoming easier to find through the fur. Turns out Popchop doesn't have a small nick on his right eyebrow, he has a big nasty scratch right across his head from the front of one eye to the back of the other. And a Fuzzable has multiple rump bites that we hadn't seen through his long butt hair. 😢

Not so much squabbling as attempted cannibalism. My optimism for a reintroduction is getting lower. 😔
 
They were a bit shy around their new girlfriends at first, so I put carrots inside to break the ice. Popchop (pictured) was keen. Fuzzable, however, is still terrified of his girlfriend and won't go near her. He grabbed the carrots by the skin of his teeth and ran away with them.

This is why I do not think he is Head Pig material...
IMG-20221207-WA0021.webp
 
20221208_220749.webp

Popchop is getting on well with his girlfriend Footsy, there was a lot of running about and popcorning earlier. He did literally kick her out of the bed at one point, but the course of true love never runs smooth.

20221208_220828.webp

Fuzzable is still scared of his girlfriend Footsy. IMG-20221208-WA0004.webp
Come on Fuzzable. I promise she won't laugh at you.
 
Well, that's it, they've been dropped off at the vet, hoping that all goes well 😕
 
It seems to have done, they are home and looking well. I'm still on my way home from work so I haven't seen them myself yet.
 
Well the boys are back in their freshly laundered beds, feeling alternately sorry for themselves and very angry with *somebody*. They are inclined to blame each other, "because who else would steal my actual balls while I was asleep?! It's not like the humans would do that, that would be weird, so YOU must have done it!" There have been a few very impassioned shouting matches through the divider and quite a lot of enraged rumbling.

However, that is mostly settling down and they are generally doing well, walking a bit funny, but eating and pooping and mostly looking bright. Fuzzable is an awful lot happier since he got his hammock back out of the wash, which is where he likes to spend most of his time.

The vet wants to see them again on Saturday, so hopefully by then they'll be well on the way to recovery.
 
The boys had their checkup this morning and they're doing great. They seem much less sore and their wounds are healing well. We are changing their beds every other day to make sure they have a clean surface to lie on.

The vet nurse feels that it could take two or three months before hormone levels settle out after neutering, so we will keep them in their divided cage for now and then try a reintroduction in the spring, to give them their best chance.
 
20221219_155820.webp
The trouble with guinea pigs sleeping with their eyes open is that any time I try to catch a picture of them sleeping in a cute way, they wake up and give me the side eye.

Still, look at that eeny weeny bare foot!
 
Fuzzable seems to have a bit of a red area at the front end of his surgery scar, so I don't know if there's trouble brewing there. They're going to the vet on Friday, so we'll see. He may have to discover the wonders of Baytril 😖

We had an odd moment tonight. We had them both out of the cage, and then one of them froze up and burred. Then the other one burred. They did it back and forth a few times and then stayed in a total freeze for about 5 minutes. Could not get them out of it by any means. They did eventually come out, but how weird. I don't know if they heard something beyond our hearing - a bird alarm call outside, maybe, or cats fighting, something like that? - or if they just freaked each other out with their own alarm calls. It was really strange.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top