Tofu and Patches!

Patches is all better! Finished the course of meds and his feet are the best they’ve been since we’ve had him. Which means no vet trips for a bit, hopefully!

When Tofu naps, he sprawls flat out anywhere in the cage (he didn’t used to, but since turning three he’s become a really mellow confident boy). Patches doesn’t tend to flop as much, instead he just sort of puffs up into a round ball to sleep. The difference is quite amusing 😂

IMG_6716.webp60fae350-98ba-4907-825a-7b8b58c9fea2.webp
 
Patches is very enthusiastic in his post as chief wheeker. My partner is working from home at the moment to help me while my shoulder is injured, which means the guinea pigs have two humans to manipulate

My partner gets up first. Patches wheeks and is given breakfast hay and pellets, which Tofu ambles out to join in

Then I get up once partner has gone up to the office. Patches wheeks, climbs up tall, and bites the bars. Tofu looks convincingly hungry. Thinking they’re starved and partner must have forgotten, I give them breakfast hay and pellets

We have now figured out their scam 😂 partner does hay, I do pellets. No more double breakfasts

Butter wouldn’t melt…

IMG_6849.webpIMG_6771.webp
 
Merab said:
They’re not the only ones who have wangled 2 meals from their slaves 😅

How’s the shoulder ?
Click to expand...

Guinea pigs are smart little manipulators aren’t they 😂 shoulder is alright thank you! Still got to keep it immobile but the GP gave me good painkillers haha

fluffysal said:
It's not extra breakfast, it's second breakfast!
Click to expand...

They like you! Growing boys can’t be left to starve
 
Had a special moment tonight - Tofu licked my partner for the first time 😍

Noodle & Tofu were my piggies before I met my partner, and as Tofu is a shyer boy it takes a while to build trust with him (it took over a year for him to lick me and be happy with handling). But he’s mellowed with age and as my partner has been more and more involved with their care, especially since the ball of chaos (aka Patches) arrived, Tofu has really come out of his shell

Nothing beats a lick and a sign of trust like that, in my opinion 🥰 Tofu also frequently death naps at the corner of the cage right by where my partner sits - and even allows some in-cage scritches, which is very rare indeed! He’s embraced his elder piggie role and he’s so relaxed these days ❤️

IMG_6789.webpIMG_6721.webp
 
I am increasingly curious about Patches’ age

It’s a matter of guesswork, as we don’t know his background and he wasn’t found in good conditions. The rescue put him at one and a half (he’d be turning two in January). My vet thought he might be a bit younger

I know it doesn’t really matter but I am curious and can’t help speculating 😅 as he’s been settling in with us, he’s been acting more and more like a young piggie. Zooming, popcorning, never sitting still for long, occasional hormonal spats - though I will say, he is not a humper and he only ever bothers Tofu with chattering and chin raising. Tofu tolerates him well and they rarely bicker anymore

But Patches is big - 1.4kg - and has been since we got him. So he must have grown to full size already. I do have a suspicion that he may only have been fed pellets before the rescue so maybe that got him to grow earlier than he would have?

He also steals food from Tofu’s mouth like a young piggie, he waits for Tofu to try something new first, and he generally copies everything Tofu does which is adorable. His nails aren’t curly at all and his toes are longer than Tofu’s are

If it wasn’t for his size and chilled-out-ness I’d be thinking he’s a young teenager. Although again I wonder if he’s still learning how to do guinea pig things due to neglect, and he might be older than he seems

Either way he’s a stunning piggie! I also might have just forgotten how energetic piggies under two can be haha. Tofu will be turning four in January and he‘s been quite sedentary ever since he turned one 😅 he still looks shocked every time Patches gets him involved in a round of zoomies!
 
I am definitely not one of the most experienced on here. Just going by the example of my two I suspect that some take longer to mature emotionally. Master Boris is only 3 months (?) younger than Sir George but still demonstrates very pup like behaviour and can be a total brat, hence the separation. I don't know if this is a result of being alone when young or just his temperament. Conversely, even when very young, Sir George has always acted like an old boy, hence the "dignified" moniker.
 
fluffysal said:
I am definitely not one of the most experienced on here. Just going by the example of my two I suspect that some take longer to mature emotionally. Master Boris is only 3 months (?) younger than Sir George but still demonstrates very pup like behaviour and can be a total brat, hence the separation. I don't know if this is a result of being alone when young or just his temperament. Conversely, even when very young, Sir George has always acted like an old boy, hence the "dignified" moniker.
Click to expand...

I think you’re probably right that they develop emotionally on different timelines. I’m always surprised by how young your Sir George still is! Tofu and his RB brother Noodle were very similar and as they were litter mates and I had them from four months old I didn’t notice any differences really. Tofu has mellowed noticeably since turning three though - Noodle was always a mischief menace haha

Patches is very chill in terms of dominance and human interaction, but he is a ball of chaos in other ways! I’m enjoying his enthusiasm and exuberance - and he’s got Tofu playing active games and having fun for the first time in years

CTWC said:
He is a star we miss him but lovely to see all the wonderful photos 💙
Click to expand...

He is a fabulous boy, thank you so much for fostering and taking such good care of him. He’s relaxed and settled in and I’ll send you photo updates whenever you like 😊 (he appreciates the chance to show off!)

IMG_6896.webp
 
We had another vet trip for Tofu today, as his impaction has come back. He’s also hopping with his back legs a lot. The vet tested both his back legs and hips and found he’s very stiff and arthritic, especially with his back left leg. So we’re upping his daily metacam and I’ll be cleaning him out every few days too (delightful 😅) he’s turning 4 in January so it’s not too much of a surprise

Otherwise both boys are in great shape. This vet hasn’t met Patches yet and she was amazed by how big he is haha, though she did confirm he isn’t overweight. Just made to be a chonk!

They’re both back home celebrating with pea flakes and naps now 🥰

IMG_6934.webpIMG_6889.webp
 
It was weigh and health check day today. Tofu got a little spa treatment to help him with his back legs, and Patches had a foot rub (though thankfully no sign of bumblefoot anymore). They had veggies and lap time afterwards too, and they’re both delightful 🥰

My partner has found a good scritch spot just behind Patches’ ears, which he loves!

IMG_6948.webp

Both boys love a good nap

IMG_6879.webpIMG_6993.webp

And Patches continues to bite the bars and demand food, even when he’s just been fed 😅 this was him an hour after veggies and lap time tonight. Hard to believe he’s the same boy who refused coriander and would only tentatively eat veggies a few weeks ago!

IMG_6996.webpIMG_6954.webp
 
JaseChase said:
It was weigh and health check day today. Tofu got a little spa treatment to help him with his back legs, and Patches had a foot rub (though thankfully no sign of bumblefoot anymore). They had veggies and lap time afterwards too, and they’re both delightful 🥰

My partner has found a good scritch spot just behind Patches’ ears, which he loves!

View attachment 260965

Both boys love a good nap

View attachment 260966View attachment 260963

And Patches continues to bite the bars and demand food, even when he’s just been fed 😅 this was him an hour after veggies and lap time tonight. Hard to believe he’s the same boy who refused coriander and would only tentatively eat veggies a few weeks ago!

View attachment 260962View attachment 260964
Click to expand...
Ah lovely boys 🥰
 
Boys got a treat today: a fresh carrot cottage! Tofu went straight for the roof. Patches was confused at first (it’s his first carrot cottage, to my knowledge) but ran straight over when he realised Tofu had something tasty

Took him a minute to figure it out, but now he’s having the time of his life!

IMG_7057.webpIMG_7053.webpIMG_7050.webpIMG_7043.webpIMG_7045.webpIMG_7060.webp
 
Two bar biters caught in action

IMG_7145.webp

I was hoping that Patches wouldn’t join in with Tofu’s bad habits (namely, chattering for food and eating plastic)

Alas, Patches not only picked up both, but also taught Tofu how to start biting the bars while making snake rattle teeth chatters when they’ve decided it’s veggie time 😂

They’ve both been lovingly destroying the carrot cottage together

IMG_7144.webpIMG_7140.webp
 
Bar chew club members yippieee!

Welcome Patches & Tofu.
Sorry if you are already part of the team- but I can’t remember much when I have bars to chew!
Hope you got yummy snacks- mine were refused earlier, something to do with ferocious bar chewing apparently.
Wheeks Wally.
IMG_5917.webp
 
Thank you Master Boris and Wally! We were not in the bar chew club previously and we’re very proud to join in the chaos

Our humans seem to think we shouldn’t chew the bars but we disagree!

(Tofu says its Patches’ fault for being a bad influence :P )

Wheek wheek,
Patches and Tofu

IMG_7204.webp
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top