Update: On two bonding boars, and how often to clean fleece liner

Opiggy

Opiggy

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My two boars have been bonding for about a month now and seem to be doing well. The only strange things I have noticed is the dominate piggy is now running away from the other piggy. I also noticed a scab behind one of my piggies ears I not sure if they fought and he scratched him or not. I definitely need to cut there nails soon. Also I got a new fleece liner however it is already pretty soiled after a week should I wash it and what do I do while they have no liner. I take out the poop dailyl.
 
My long haired piggy also has a lot of dirt and pee getting on his fur that drags on the ground. I feel bad I also just scared them with my vacuum.
 
I’m glad things are going well.

Fleece can need to be washed every 3-5 days so yes you need to wash it.
I assume then that you only have one fleece given you are asking what to put in the cage in the meantime. You are going to need to buy several more fleeces so that when one is in the wash, you have plenty of others to put in the cage.
In the meantime you could use some disposable bedding or newspaper with hay on top until you can get more fleeces.

Some boars can get quite territorial when bedding is changed so its a good idea to wipe the fresh fleece with the soiled fleece so that scent transfers onto the new one and then the cage still smells like them.
Alternatively use two fleeces which are each half the size of the cage so that you remove one and replace with fresh and then remove the other a few days later - that way there is always a scent marked fleece in the cage at one time. Using smaller pee pads can also help as they can be removed and washed every day/every few days/ as needed and mean the main fleece lasts for longer before needing to be washed.

The regards to his hair, long haired piggies ideally have to have their hair cut regularly. I have a long haired boy and I keep the hair around his back end and legs cut short and all times so it never drags on the ground. I then cut his hair all over his body short during summer so he doesn’t get too hot.

An Illustrated Guide to Hair Cutting
 
As everyone above. I use several small fleeces, on top of these I put smaller ones as pee pads and I also use bobble bath mats. Lots of small fleeces are easier to wash and dry, you can overlap in the areas where they pee the most and also use a small pee pad. I always do a half and half cage clean too. It's short term outlay but long term will save you money.
 
Thank you, I will definitely invest in another fleece as well as some small pads. That makes since I will make sure to keep their sent in the cage, and I will work on trying to cut his hair. I have been able to cut one of their nails but i am still bonding with the other one so it might be a little before he trusts me to cut his hair.
 
So I am having trouble bonding with both pigs, Any tips? also my long haired piggy won't let me cut its hair but it needs cut so bad. Help!
 
Not being able to handle them doesn’t mean you dont have a relationship with them.
Do they take food from your hand?
If so then that is a sign they trust you and you are bonded with them, but most piggies don’t and may never like being handled.

Being able to weigh them every week and medicate them if needed is important but you may beee to do everything else a bit at a time. When my long haired was new to me and he needed his hair cutting or nails clipped, it would take me general attempts over several days to get all his hair or all his nails done - I could never attempt it all in one go as he wouldn’t stay still for long enough. I’d do as much as he would tolerate each time. Nice treats and patience was needed.

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)
An Illustrated Guide to Hair Cutting
 
Piggies&buns said:
Not being able to handle them doesn’t mean you dont have a relationship with them.
Do they take food from your hand?
If so then that is a sign they trust you and you are bonded with them, but most piggies don’t and may never like being handled.

Being able to weigh them every week and medicate them if needed is important but you may beee to do everything else a bit at a time. When my long haired was new to me and he needed his hair cutting or nails clipped, it would take me general attempts over several days to get all his hair or all his nails done - I could never attempt it all in one go as he wouldn’t stay still for long enough. I’d do as much as he would tolerate each time. Nice treats and patience was needed.

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)
An Illustrated Guide to Hair Cutting
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Yes they do take food from me, the one I have had for a while is becoming very cuddly and likes pets. Also are sweet potato leaves safe for guinea pigs to eat?
 
Piggies&buns said:
Don’t feed the leaves
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Oh. I did feed 2 is that bad will he get sick? Also i took them out for separate cuddle times and when I put them back in they seemed to fight. The one I have had before is cuddly but the other on is still not. The dominate one is now smaller because the new one grew and was chasing him. Also the one I have had for a while the same one who ate the 2 leaves, has sneezed 4 times today. I did also kiss him and after realized i had a cold. Should I be worried?
 
Guinea pigs can not catch "colds", just make sure you are not kissing your pig on their face, regardless if you have a cold or not. Guinea pigs can sneeze just like humans, if something irritates their nose, I would only be worried if your piggie starts excessively sneezing or is sneezing alongside other illness indicators.

Any part of the potato is poisonous to piggies, although I am unsure of what affect this could be having on your pig, please keep a close eye on them for any change in demeanour. Such as lameness/lethargy, refusing to eat, diahorrea, sitting huddled up with their fur spiked etc.
How much is two leaves? Are they big or small?
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Just for future reference, I would recommend searching online before feeding your piggies any fruit or veg. I have owned piggies for 7 years and I still have to look up if some fruit/veg are safe or not online before feeding it!
 
I know potatoes are but it was a sweet potato leaves and since they are yams when i looked it said they were ok. They were small leaved. I haven't noticed any other ill behaviors except for laying down more than normal. Should I start with some critical care?
 
Opiggy said:
he also is laying down a lot. And now they both are sneezing.
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Is your hay dust extracted? Are there any irritants in your room such as perfume or air fresheners?

I apologise, as I did not read that they were sweet potato leaves. I'm not sure about sweet potato leaves, one of the forums experts will be able to help with that.
Again I apologise for the miscommunication!
 
Sweet potato in small portions occasionally is fine, the leaves should not be fed. If you think they are ill weigh daily (first thing in the morning is best), if they lose over 50 gms in a day or have a continual downward trend start critical care and see a vet.
 
Please don’t feed anything you are unsure of. our advice is always ‘if in doubt, leave it out’
A tiny bit of the red part of a tomato and a tiny bit of sweet potato (no other type of potato though) can be given. Tomato is too acidic and sweet potato is quite fattening. The leaves of both potato and tomato plants should never be fed. They belong to the nightshade family.

If uou are ever concerned about the health, you switch to daily weight checks and step in with syringe feeding if their weight goes down by 50g or more (100g or more in a day or two is an emergency). See a vet if you are worried.

Guinea pigs do not catch colds. They get bacterial respiratory infections.

It’s important you do not use the word fight unless they actually fight. Dominance is not fighting. Fighting is immediately bond breaking and means they a never be together again.

If you take them out separately and particularly if your handle the submissive first then you can cause the dominant to feel the hierarchy has been disrespected. He will reassert his position with additional dominance. You always need to make sure you do everything for the dominant first so that you are respecting his position.
 
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