Basil my new pig
- Thread starter martyb
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Welcome, Basil! You are a very handsome tricolour smooth boy with a very cute face!
Be patient - a lot of shop guinea pigs haven't been handled much in their life, so it may take him a bit to get settled. Talk to him a lot and cuddle him only for as long as he can stand it (he'll probably get wiggly). Make friends with him by giving him little treats - small bits of cucumber or blades of grass...
Be patient - a lot of shop guinea pigs haven't been handled much in their life, so it may take him a bit to get settled. Talk to him a lot and cuddle him only for as long as he can stand it (he'll probably get wiggly). Make friends with him by giving him little treats - small bits of cucumber or blades of grass...
pompypigs
Adult Guinea Pig
Aww hello Basil - welcome to the forum 
p
p
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C
Cookie22
aww he's sweet
I used to have a piggie called Basil
I used to have a piggie called Basil
Awwww hes so cute!
my chocolate labs called basil lol
my chocolate labs called basil
lol
M
Mellierose
Hello Basil xx Welcome xx you are lovely x>> I hope you like your new home. I am sure you will. Be patient, it takes time for them to get to know you but he will xx
Use tiny bits of cucumber as a treat so you can train him to do things! Mine also get a small wheel as a "night night tidbit" and can't wait to get it!
Put him on a mixed diet of veg, pointed cabbage, kale, romaine lettuce, carrot, peppers (all colours), beans, spinach, herbs like basil and parsley for every day. You can look up more in the food section or ask questions there!
For tonight, try a quarter of a carrot/half a smallish carrot and a bit of cabbage cut in stripes, see what he eats and how it goes down and take it from there. If his poo stays firm you can try him on some scissor-cut grass tomorrow morning and afternoon and his regular bowl of veg tomorrow evening. Don't push him if he doesn't feel like eating with you watching!
Has he got a pigloo or something else (shoe box, soap box) to hide in? As he is alone, he'll feel better, if he had a "safe place", especially for the night. Wild guinea pigs hide in any empty burrows they come across. They don't build them themselves, but make use of any protection they can get and love anything they can wiggle into. Make sure Basil has plenty of hay!
Over the next days watch him and see whether he can use the water bottle. Many young piggies can't. If his pee is kind of thick and dark yellow and his fur is stiff and waxy he is dehydrated, otherwise don't worry too much. He'll get a lot of water from fresh food.
Have a good night and an exciting day tomorrow!
Put him on a mixed diet of veg, pointed cabbage, kale, romaine lettuce, carrot, peppers (all colours), beans, spinach, herbs like basil and parsley for every day. You can look up more in the food section or ask questions there!
For tonight, try a quarter of a carrot/half a smallish carrot and a bit of cabbage cut in stripes, see what he eats and how it goes down and take it from there. If his poo stays firm you can try him on some scissor-cut grass tomorrow morning and afternoon and his regular bowl of veg tomorrow evening. Don't push him if he doesn't feel like eating with you watching!
Has he got a pigloo or something else (shoe box, soap box) to hide in? As he is alone, he'll feel better, if he had a "safe place", especially for the night. Wild guinea pigs hide in any empty burrows they come across. They don't build them themselves, but make use of any protection they can get and love anything they can wiggle into. Make sure Basil has plenty of hay!
Over the next days watch him and see whether he can use the water bottle. Many young piggies can't. If his pee is kind of thick and dark yellow and his fur is stiff and waxy he is dehydrated, otherwise don't worry too much. He'll get a lot of water from fresh food.
Have a good night and an exciting day tomorrow!
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I have had him out and if i gently cup in with 1 hand he sits still why i stroke him with my other hand. I gave him a tiny bit of cucumber while he was sat with me and he had a little chew. He was a little wet round his back end he must have had a wee b4 i got him out. I dont have a pigloo but will get one, i will sort a shoe box out for now. I have gave him a lots of hay which he is hiding in but i think he may have eaten some as he had some strands hanging out his mouth.
Thankyou everyone for your kind and helpful posts.
I will be getting him a friend so he has company, i am using herbs as my name theme.
He's absolutely gorgeous! And I think the herb theme is a great idea. When will you get company for him? Do you already have your eye one a piggie?
Good that you want to get him a friend. He might be better off being paired with an older boar than with one the same age. There are always lots of boars in rescues looking for a home.
I like the herb theme - so is it going to be parsley, mint or sage?
You are getting on well with Basil. Hay is what they eat most, that's why they should always have plenty!
I like the herb theme - so is it going to be parsley, mint or sage?
You are getting on well with Basil. Hay is what they eat most, that's why they should always have plenty!
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I am hoping to find a friend in the next couple of weeks, i will look for an older boar. Parsley will be the future piggies name.
I have put a shoe box in and hes now inside that, i have popped his hay on top so it drapes over, i have also moved his food bowl next to the opening of the box, will keep a eye to make sure hes drinking as he doesnt venture down that end of the cage.
The cage size is 4ft by just over 2ft wide.
I have him on newspaper covered with saw dust, will this be ok for him.
Thanks
I have put a shoe box in and hes now inside that, i have popped his hay on top so it drapes over, i have also moved his food bowl next to the opening of the box, will keep a eye to make sure hes drinking as he doesnt venture down that end of the cage.
The cage size is 4ft by just over 2ft wide.
I have him on newspaper covered with saw dust, will this be ok for him.
Thanks
Sue G
Senior Guinea Pig
My piggies were herbs too - I had Basil and Parsley, Marigold and Lavender.
Your Basil is lovely.
Yes that's fine! Just put a bit of hay in the box until Basil's got company.
An older boar works better, because there is less chance of them falling out permanently when Basil hits puberty at 5-6 months and the hormones really kick in. If you had two going mad at the same time you might not be able to get them back together.
I love "Parsley"! Looking forward to making his acquaintance... A good rescue will ask you to bring Basil with you so you can try him out under supervision and find him the boy he gets on best with.
Night night, Basil!
An older boar works better, because there is less chance of them falling out permanently when Basil hits puberty at 5-6 months and the hormones really kick in. If you had two going mad at the same time you might not be able to get them back together.
I love "Parsley"! Looking forward to making his acquaintance... A good rescue will ask you to bring Basil with you so you can try him out under supervision and find him the boy he gets on best with.
Night night, Basil!
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