What is he telling me?

[Angelch1ld]

Hello, new piggy grandma here!
This may be long, bare with me.
I have never had pets growing outside a rescue dog I rehabilitated once as a 16yr old for a hot minute, my kids never had pets either so we are really new at this. For christmas I got my 17 year old son a guinea pig as a support animal soon later my daughter fell in love and asked for one and I said yes as I think guinea should be paired anyways. Then my step son felt left out and even though we only have him two weeks out of the month we can’t leave him without a piggy to love and lets face it, it isn’t hard to fill in the cuddle gaps for him when he is at moms house. So now we have 3 piggies all male. Excalibur (exie) 500grams and then Hamilton (Hamie) 350grams and newest Gizmo because he looks like a gremlin. 200 grams. So now that it has been a couple months piggies have kind of bonded funny I think LOL. Exie loves us all and is happy to popcorn with anyone not just my son, Gizmo loves me daughters attention and will stay in my husbands pocket all day if we let him, but Hamilton is getting kind of funny with me and this is where you experts come in the picture to help me explain his behaviour.
He started out ok being picked up but had his nono spots which are normal spots pretty much anything from shoulders back. Now when I click they come running and shake a paw and Hamie sits to be picked up so that is a nice change, but now Hamie will hunch up in a U shape for me to rub his belly, puts his bum up in the air when I scratch his bum and kicks his little leg (like a dog does when you scratch them) and when I stop he hops up and boops me with his nose. I believe the hopping is called popcorning. He lays on my shoulder and nests in my hair, and he lays flat on me and has his legs spread out and I am thinking this just means he is content and trusts me. He yawns and stretches his little arms out and almost lays on his back and gives little quiet squeaks. Now here is what confuses me… he rumble struts me. When he rumble struts in his play area (doesn’t do it in cage) he raises his head puffs out his hair and lifts his head so I would assume he is being dominate but when he is laying on my chest he flattens out, rumbles or purrs I am not experienced enough to tell the difference and shifts his weight from side to side shaking his booty. The body language is different on me…
So
Does he love me or does he not like what I am doing or is he dominated me?

 

[Angelch1ld]

He also tugs at my shirt the last two days with his sweet little paw when he is in my lap. He stands up against my tummy and grabs and tugs my shirt. He does not like not being on my chest or shoulder. Loves being under my chin and we rub cheeks. He also likes to mess with my ipad screen when I am reading (turns pages when he boops it) he loves smooches too.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Rumblestrutting is a dominance behaviour. I’ll add some guides in which explain behaviour more.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Who is the Boss - Your Guinea Pig or You?

A word of caution though. Three young boars living in the same cage, unfortunately, usually fails once they hit their teens. Most don’t make it to adulthood together as a trio. Boars can only be kept in pairs to be successful long term. Occasionally somebody will get lucky with a boar trio but it is rather rare and requires a lot of space - cage measuring 300x100cm. Mostly when boar trios are purchased rather than being able to choose their own cage mates, this is when there are character clashes when the hormones hit and things fail.
It would be best to prepare for the worst and that is them needing to be separated into a functioning pair and a single piggy.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

 

[Angelch1ld]

There cage is the size of a large folding table so 8x2 with a second tier and they spend about 8 hours a day in their “play pen” which is two CnC cages together so 6 foot by 4 ish with a series of 6in PVC pipe and some wooden toys like seesaw and hammocks so hopefully that gives them ok space. They were slowly introduced to each other over a week each time and they have many different sections in their main cage and cuddles are always separate so we will see if their fight to much and there is to much hormones then we can address that as each child can cage them in their rooms at night. Our pet store doesn’t do sows and we didn’t want babies so boys we got.

 

[Piggies&buns]

There cage is the size of a large folding table so 8x2 with a second tier and they spend about 8 hours a day in their “play pen” which is two CnC cages together so 6 foot by 4 ish with a series of 6in PVC pipe and some wooden toys like seesaw and hammocks so hopefully that gives them ok space. They were slowly introduced to each other over a week each time and they have many different sections in their main cage and cuddles are always separate so we will see if their fight to much and there is to much hormones then we can address that as each child can cage them in their rooms at night. Our pet store doesn’t do sows and we didn’t want babies so boys we got.

Right so separating them at all can cause problems. If you get one out for cuddle time it is best to get them all out together.

How long have they been together permanently?
Bonding piggies should not be done slowly over a week. It is a one time event - put them in neutral territory and see it through to conclusion on that one day.

If they do fight and fall out, the separation must be permanent. No time physical together at all. It is also essential to note that any piggy left living alone must permanently be cages side by side with the others, so they could not be kept in separate bedrooms. A piggy without through the bar interaction with another piggy will become lonely

 

[Angelch1ld]

Rumblestrutting is a dominance behaviour. I’ll add some guides in which explain behaviour more.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Who is the Boss - Your Guinea Pig or You?

A word of caution though. Three young boars living in the same cage, unfortunately, usually fails once they hit their teens. Most don’t make it to adulthood together as a trio. Boars can only be kept in pairs to be successful long term. Occasionally somebody will get lucky with a boar trio but it is rather rare and requires a lot of space - cage measuring 300x100cm. Mostly when boar trios are purchased rather than being able to choose their own cage mates, this is when there are character clashes when the hormones hit and things fail.
It would be best to prepare for the worst and that is them needing to be separated into a functioning pair and a single piggy.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

Woohoo read the one article and I already lift their chin and rub their ears and faces so that is a win for me LOL. So far so good on the rucous at night. To get a treat they have to give us 5, stand on hind legs, or turn in a circle so I want to keep that behaviour and I learned why the new piggy is the wheeker! He got the tribal position

Eoo

 

[Piggies&buns]

There cage is the size of a large folding table so 8x2 with a second tier and they spend about 8 hours a day in their “play pen” which is two CnC cages together so 6 foot by 4 ish with a series of 6in PVC pipe and some wooden toys like seesaw and hammocks so hopefully that gives them ok space. They were slowly introduced to each other over a week each time and they have many different sections in their main cage and cuddles are always separate so we will see if their fight to much and there is to much hormones then we can address that as each child can cage them in their rooms at night. Our pet store doesn’t do sows and we didn’t want babies so boys we got.

The cage for three boars to live together needs to be at least 300x100cm at a minimum (10 feet by 3 feet). Upper levels do not count.
Lots of space does not guarantee success though. Boar trios are notoriously difficult.
This does not include any playpen because a playpen is not a permanent living space but the play space also needs to be big enough.

 

[Angelch1ld]

Right so separating them at all can cause problems. If you get one out for cuddle time it is best to get them all out together.

How long have they been together permanently?
Bonding piggies should not be done slowly over a week. It is a one time event - put them in neutral territory and see it through to conclusion on that one day.

If they do fight and fall out, the separation must be permanent. No time physical together at all. It is also essential to note that any piggy left living alone must permanently be cages side by side with the others, so they could not be kept in separate bedrooms. A piggy without through the bar interaction with another piggy will become lonely

About a month
They are all taken out at once but cuddles are separate to whom is holding them.
Bonding happened slowly because we wanted to make sure the new one wasn’t sick but although they were not caged together immediately the cage was very close. He did his 3 days quarantine and they played together on day 4 and were fine but slept apart because we couldn’t watch them again cages side by side though and day 5 they were fine and slept together. We put a camera up and they all slept in the hanging hammock together. So far no mounting or big chatters (little bit warning around the water cooler LOL) no bites and only Hamie rumblestruts in the playpen so far. Hamie does get angry when someone goes in his hideout T tube as he has claimed it and it gets loud because well he is in a tube LOL and if I have him on my shoulder and I pick up another piggy he gets angry if they try to take his spot so I assume he has claimed my shoulder as well. I have never seen the baby do any dominance behaviour and very little from the eldest one. Mostly his is over leafy greens.
And if they are caged separately we would get a fourth. As my younger children have a jack n jill so those two can be together and then my older sons piggy would be the one who would need a second unless the fighting was not him then we would cage accordingly. But so far so good.

 

[Piggies&buns]

About a month
They are all taken out at once but cuddles are separate to whom is holding them.
Bonding happened slowly because we wanted to make sure the new one wasn’t sick but although they were not caged together immediately the cage was very close. He did his 3 days quarantine and they played together on day 4 and were fine but slept apart because we couldn’t watch them again cages side by side though and day 5 they were fine and slept together. We put a camera up and they all slept in the hanging hammock together. So far no mounting or big chatters (little bit warning around the water cooler LOL) no bites and only Hamie rumblestruts in the playpen so far. Hamie does get angry when someone goes in his hideout T tube as he has claimed it and it gets loud because well he is in a tube LOL and if I have him on my shoulder and I pick up another piggy he gets angry if they try to take his spot so I assume he has claimed my shoulder as well. I have never seen the baby do any dominance behaviour and very little from the eldest one. Mostly his is over leafy greens.
And if they are caged separately we would get a fourth. As my younger children have a jack n jill so those two can be together and then my older sons piggy would be the one who would need a second unless the fighting was not him then we would cage accordingly. But so far so good.

The bonding wasn’t quite done correctly and young piggies should never be quarantined but as long as all is well for now. (Quarantine is only for piggies over four months of age, it should last two weeks and should always be done in a separate room).
The issues, if there are going to be any, will be from when they are 4 months old onwards.
All you can do is hope for the best but plan for the worst when it comes to boar trios.

Make sure there are three of every item - three bottles, at least three hides all with at least two doors (no single exit hides).
Scatter feed all food around the cage so they have to forage. That is good enrichment but also means there can be no food hogging.

 

[Angelch1ld]

The bonding wasn’t quite done correctly and young piggies should never be quarantined but as long as all is well for now. (Quarantine is only for piggies over four months of age, it should last two weeks and should always be done in a separate room).
The issues, if there are going to be any, will be from when they are 4 months old onwards.
All you can do is hope for the best but plan for the worst when it comes to boar trios.

Make sure there are three of every item - three bottles, at least three hides all with at least two doors (no single exit hides).
Scatter feed all food around the cage so they have to forage. That is good enrichment but also means there can be no food hogging.

We were told he had to quarantine him or we could not adopt him. We followed the instructions on the sheet to the T.

 

[Piggies&buns]

We were told he had to quarantine him or we could not adopt him. We followed the instructions on the sheet to the T.

Was he from a shelter or a shop?
As I say, three days quarantine in the same room isn’t quarantine. Some illnesses take up to two weeks to show. Either way if it’s been a month then he obviously isn’t showing signs of anything! Just odd that you were told three days which is really neither here nor there!

 

[Angelch1ld]

The bonding wasn’t quite done correctly and young piggies should never be quarantined but as long as all is well for now. (Quarantine is only for piggies over four months of age, it should last two weeks and should always be done in a separate room).
The issues, if there are going to be any, will be from when they are 4 months old onwards.
All you can do is hope for the best but plan for the worst when it comes to boar trios.

Make sure there are three of every item - three bottles, at least three hides all with at least two doors (no single exit hides).
Scatter feed all food around the cage so they have to forage. That is good enrichment but also means there can be no food hogging.

They have 7 hides all easily exited in their cage, some have 3 but all have at least 2 or are completely open on the side (has fleece fabric dangling) For food they have a troff, will that work it is about a foot long. They do not like their food on the ground from what we observed. They also have a puzzle box with 6 food hide spots, would that be ok for enrichment? They love moving the discs and opening the flaps to find a special food item. We only have two bottles at opposite sides so we will have to add a third today.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They have 7 hides all easily exited in their cage, some have 3 but all have at least 2 or are completely open on the side (has fleece fabric dangling) For food they have a troff, will that work it is about a foot long. They do not like their food on the ground from what we observed. They also have a puzzle box with 6 food hide spots, would that be ok for enrichment? They love moving the discs and opening the flaps to find a special food item. We only have two bottles at opposite sides so we will have to add a third today.

If they are ok eating that close for now then they are ok. Because boar trios are so difficult to get to work it is about making sure they have no other reason to bicker.

I would make sure you have at least three hay piles though. Hay being the most important part and the majority of their diet.

 

[Angelch1ld]

Was he from a shelter or a shop?
As I say, three days quarantine in the same room isn’t quarantine. Some illnesses take up to two weeks to show. Either way if it’s been a month then he obviously isn’t showing signs of anything! Just odd that you were told three days which is really neither here nor there!

A pet store. What can I say I guess this batch was not from their normal place. I do not know how they run or is they had already spent some time. I dunno or it was a dufous who was talking out his arse. Glad it worked out because we would have been upset if the other two got sick from him! And we were not given the correct instructions.

 

[Piggies&buns]

A pet store. What can I say I guess this batch was not from their normal place. I do not know how they run or is they had already spent some time. I dunno or it was a dufous who was talking out his arse. Glad it worked out because we would have been upset if the other two got sick from him! And we were not given the correct instructions.

Yes it has worked out by the sound of it.
You were given poor information though but sadly that is usually the case for pet shops.

 

[Angelch1ld]

If they are ok eating that close for now then they are ok. Because boar trios are so difficult to get to work it is about making sure they have no other reason to bicker.

I would make sure you have at least three hay piles though. Hay being the most important part and the majority of their diet.

Ok we only have a hay feeder so will have to hook that up too. It is one of those ones that clip onto the side of the cage wall so I can put a couple cups throughout for them. They seem to like the one because they can get it from the top level and can just pop out one hideout and grab a piece and have a little sitting area they like to eat in where it is so they have 3 spots to get it but will add some bowls.

 

[Angelch1ld]

Yes it has worked out by the sound of it.
You were given poor information though but sadly that is usually the case for pet shops.

Any advice on litter training. We want to start on that soon.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ok we only have a hay feeder so will have to hook that up too. It is one of those ones that clip onto the side of the cage wall so I can put a couple cups throughout for them. They seem to like the one because they can get it from the top level and can just pop out one hideout and grab a piece and have a little sitting area they like to eat in where it is so they have 3 spots to get it but will add some bowls.

I would encourage you to use loose piles of hay as well or even just in a shallow tray like a cat litter tray (again three of them). Hay is more than just food, it provides enrichment, places to play etc. My boys dive head first into big piles of hay, get fully submerged, forage through it, curl up and have a sleep inside it.

Either way, if you are going to use hay feeders, do make sure to have three of them. They may be happy to share now but it may not always be that way as they age

 

[Piggies&buns]

Any advice on litter training. We want to start on that soon.

Piggies cannot be litter trained.
You can put a tray with hay inside it or under a hay rack and it will incidentally catch some pee as piggies do tend to pee where they eat, but they will still pee and poop everywhere else as well.

 

[Angelch1ld]

Piggies cannot be litter trained.
You can put a tray with hay inside it or under a hay rack and it will incidentally catch some pee as piggies do tend to pee where they eat, but they will still pee and poop everywhere else as well.

Hmmm. I have seen so many people say theirs are litter trained

 

[Angelch1ld]

I will try again as they did not like it loose when we first got them, would not go in it or eat it and just stamped it down and stood on it like bedding. Our oldest one is a rescue (he was found alone abandoned in an apartment when the tenants moved out) so not sure his situation at all. That is all we know about him. Our second is a pet store guy, he was the last to go from a litter and alone so those two are quite a bit happier even if we are newbie owners. And yes my trays are very shallow they do not even flip them. Bowls they do not like at all! They flip them upside down and use them as perches.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hmmm. I have seen so many people say theirs are litter trained

If they pee in a tray it is usually just incidental - they go to eat hay in a tray and then the pee is caught in the tray.
My piggies are fully bedded in meadow hay. I put Timothy hay in piles on top of the meadow hay and where the Timothy hay is is where I tend to find most of the pee but poops are spread all the way around the cages

 

[Swissgreys]

If they pee in a tray it is usually just incidental - they go to eat hay in a tray and then the pee is caught in the tray.
My piggies are fully bedded in meadow hay. I put Timothy hay in piles on top of the meadow hay and where the Timothy hay is is where I tend to find most of the pee but poops are spread all the way around the cages

The reality is if you have enough large hay trays for them to sleep and eat in then you will end up catching quite a lot of the pee and poop in it too.
But they will still pee and poop all over the cage, and there really is nothing you can do about that. Just choose a flooring or substrate that you find easy to clean and keep on top of it.

People say lots of things (particularly on social media) and a lot of it is often a little exaggerated!

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Lots of great advice given so far.
Hope you enjoy the forum as well as finding it helpful