AmyAnn
Junior Guinea Pig
At last, I now have my lovely two boars at home, adopted from Maria's Animal Shelter in Probus, Cornwall. Introducing.... Ralph (short haired) and Albie (rosette)
I've been volunteering at the shelter since January and these two have always been the boldest, even so I was very surprised to see them so chilled so quickly. Both ate fresh veggies from my hands (which they do normally at the shelter) and Ralph keeps coming to the edge of the cage and stepping up onto the correx to say hi.
In fact, there was some definite popcorning, which filled me with joy (seriously, nearly welled up I was so happy!)
Ralph has figured out the ramp and found the hay loft upstairs and seems to have spent most of this afternoon up there digging about, I haven't seen Albie venture all the way up the ramp yet so fingers crossed he will soon.
Sitting with them last night I think I saw a bit of dominance behaviour, Albie bumping/maybe nipping at Ralph's bum so he jumped and moved on, as well as a couple of times facing each other sticking their faces in the air, kind of a face off? This surprised me as I thought Ralph was in charge. They are 3 year old brothers (un-neutered) and definitely a bonded pair, have never been any issues at the shelter, so I'm guessing they are just figuring everything out with their new stomping ground. I've read a lot of the behavioural threads on here but I'll go back and have a re-read.
I've been trying to give them space (even though I could sit and watch them for hours) so not a lot of photos so far, but here's a few I took just now.
PS. I'm pleased with the fleece liner so far, no wet patches so pee is wicking through, and the boys are fairly tidy so far, almost all poops either upstairs in hay loft or in the downstairs hay trays!
I've been volunteering at the shelter since January and these two have always been the boldest, even so I was very surprised to see them so chilled so quickly. Both ate fresh veggies from my hands (which they do normally at the shelter) and Ralph keeps coming to the edge of the cage and stepping up onto the correx to say hi.
In fact, there was some definite popcorning, which filled me with joy (seriously, nearly welled up I was so happy!)
Ralph has figured out the ramp and found the hay loft upstairs and seems to have spent most of this afternoon up there digging about, I haven't seen Albie venture all the way up the ramp yet so fingers crossed he will soon.
Sitting with them last night I think I saw a bit of dominance behaviour, Albie bumping/maybe nipping at Ralph's bum so he jumped and moved on, as well as a couple of times facing each other sticking their faces in the air, kind of a face off? This surprised me as I thought Ralph was in charge. They are 3 year old brothers (un-neutered) and definitely a bonded pair, have never been any issues at the shelter, so I'm guessing they are just figuring everything out with their new stomping ground. I've read a lot of the behavioural threads on here but I'll go back and have a re-read.
I've been trying to give them space (even though I could sit and watch them for hours) so not a lot of photos so far, but here's a few I took just now.
PS. I'm pleased with the fleece liner so far, no wet patches so pee is wicking through, and the boys are fairly tidy so far, almost all poops either upstairs in hay loft or in the downstairs hay trays!
Gosh, they are gorgeous boys! Ralph has such striking colours and markings, and Albie is really cute! Completely chilled, now they know they've found their for-ever home! 
