Betsy's Guinea Pigs

Betsy said:
Saxon wasn't sure what the first Carrot Cottage was as he clearly hadn't had one before. He heard me taking the cellophane of the 2nd one and he was up on his hind legs wanting to get at it before I'd even placed it in the run! He was there immediately starting to devour it. ...

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Clearly a quick learner! 🧠🧑‍🔬
 
Piggies were safely delivered to new boarder this morning. Sue wasn't worried at all about giving Misty her meds. She (Sue) was clearly knowledgeable and knew that Bramble is a Texel (very impressed by that). Piggies settled in right away and were busy exploring their new surroundings and not hiding looking scared. The hutch is indoors in purpose built extension and must be about 8ft long.
 
Well, I think I'm finally getting somewhere with Saxon trusting me. He had some hay in his eye this morning and although a bit squirmy and a bit bitey as he was stressed, he let me get it out. Luckily he was attacking his hidey and not my fingers! A few weeks ago that would have been impossible and it would have been a trip to the vets which would have stressed him out A LOT.

He's a very friendly little chap who is very food orientated but he doesn't like being handled. We are working on this together. Hopefully in a while (may be a long while) he'll realise that I will only ever treat him with love and respect. It took a year for Rainbow Piggie Lovely Lexi to realise this and she was a bucking, squealing, whites of the eyes showing guinea pig whenever she was handled and ran away in a blur of guinea pig whenever I came near. Saxon no where near as scared as that. I'm taking it at his pace.
 
Saxon is a little tease!

I've been giving him cucumber every night along with his normal veggie dindins (they have Romaine lettuce, red/yellow pepper and cucumber). I didn't think that Saxon liked cucumber as he always rejected it when I offered it to him. (He's been doing this for 8 months). As it's so hot (around 30 degrees C) I decided to give all 3 of them a bit of cucumber at lunchtime to help them cool down and help with hydration. He was first in line for his bit and gobbled it up. I just gave them their veggie dindins and as normal he ignored it!

Saxon you've been rumbled mate!
 
Now I know why I wear my piggie pinny at cuddle time!

This morning was weigh and check time. Misty is always first out. She was quite happy to go on the scales (1117g same as last week) and for a cuddle. She DID NOT like grooming time, however. Usually she doesn't mind it but she's been really tangly round her derriere this past week and a bit damp thanks to Saxon performing his boarly duties. She really didn't want me trying to detangle her while she was damp but now that she's dried off, I decided that today was the day that the tangles would go. She wasn't a happy piggy. I was as gentle as possible. I got loads of matts out and lots of complaints. Then she did a HUGE wee. It mainly went on the piggy pinny, but a bit soaked into my shorts. The piggy pinny and the shorts went in the wash as soon as I put Misty in the run.

So all you piggies in Forumland. HUGE WEES WORK and you get put back immediately!
 
Betsy said:
Now I know why I wear my piggie pinny at cuddle time!

This morning was weigh and check time. Misty is always first out. She was quite happy to go on the scales (1117g same as last week) and for a cuddle. She DID NOT like grooming time, however. Usually she doesn't mind it but she's been really tangly round her derriere this past week and a bit damp thanks to Saxon performing his boarly duties. She really didn't want me trying to detangle her while she was damp but now that she's dried off, I decided that today was the day that the tangles would go. She wasn't a happy piggy. I was as gentle as possible. I got loads of matts out and lots of complaints. Then she did a HUGE wee. It mainly went on the piggy pinny, but a bit soaked into my shorts. The piggy pinny and the shorts went in the wash as soon as I put Misty in the run.

So all you piggies in Forumland. HUGE WEES WORK and you get put back immediately!
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I’m pleased your piggies practice what they preach
 
I made an interesting observation this morning.

It's over a year since I lost Old Gal Thea (22 June 2025) and still Bramble and Misty don't really use "her" hay tray. Yes they go in it but they don't use it. The other hay tray at the other end of the hutch (in the closed off bit) gets jumped in and out of, rootled in and the hay gets thrown around but not so much Thea's hay tray. Even Saxon doesn't really use Thea's hay tray. When Thea was around she wouldn't let anyone near it. Misty and Bramble treated Thea with the respect that old age deserves and let her have her way.
 
During this hot weather we've been having, I've been giving the piggies some cucumber around lunchtime to help cool them down and keep them hydrated. As usual, Saxon grabbed hold of his piece and started inhaling. How come then at veggie dindins does Saxon treat cucumber as poison and pretends it's not there? What does go on in that mind of his? Probably best not to know!
 
Betsy said:
During this hot weather we've been having, I've been giving the piggies some cucumber around lunchtime to help cool them down and keep them hydrated. As usual, Saxon grabbed hold of his piece and started inhaling. How come then at veggie dindins does Saxon treat cucumber as poison and pretends it's not there? What does go on in that mind of his? Probably best not to know!
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My boys have been getting sick of lettuce. I'm not sure what I can give. I might try coriander again even though last year Chez didn't like it. They like parsley and wheatgrass but it's high in calcium.

Saxon is hilarious.
 
Ramia said:
Saxon is hilarious.
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He is. He is a friendly boy apart from when it comes to being handled which he's not too keen on atm. He's quite happy to go in the Snuggle Sack Express at the end of the day as it means FOOD! As soon as all three of them are in the hutch, they get veggie dindins. At supper time he's pacing up and down as he wants his supper. In the morning though, he refuses to go in the Snuggle Sack Express without a bit of persuasion as it means the dreaded cuddle time before Coriander.
 
Betsy said:
He is. He is a friendly boy apart from when it comes to being handled which he's not too keen on atm. He's quite happy to go in the Snuggle Sack Express at the end of the day as it means FOOD! As soon as all three of them are in the hutch, they get veggie dindins. At supper time he's pacing up and down as he wants his supper. In the morning though, he refuses to go in the Snuggle Sack Express without a bit of persuasion as it means the dreaded cuddle time before Coriander.
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Unfortunately Chez has never learned to like being handled. He goes willingly in his taxi for floor time and stays in the sack for a cuddle. He only likes his right cheek pet. But he's very difficult at health check. It's just his personality.

Stripe likes some stroking at floor time.
 
Not sure Saxon will get used to being handled. I really hope he will. We are taking it very gently atm. I can have him out of the Snuggle Sack Express for a cuddle for a minute or so now before he heads back in there before this it was about 10 seconds. He really doesn't like being handled but it's important as he will need health checks and vet visits. Lexi was not just scared she was completely and utterly terrified of being handled when I first adopted her. It took her a year before something clicked in her head that I could be trusted. I'm hoping it's the same for Saxon.
 
Betsy said:
Not sure Saxon will get used to being handled. I really hope he will. We are taking it very gently atm. I can have him out of the Snuggle Sack Express for a cuddle for a minute or so now before he heads back in there before this it was about 10 seconds. He really doesn't like being handled but it's important as he will need health checks and vet visits. Lexi was not just scared she was completely and utterly terrified of being handled when I first adopted her. It took her a year before something clicked in her head that I could be trusted. I'm hoping it's the same for Saxon.
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Yes I'm always quite embarrassed at the vet when I bring Chesney.

He's just a wiggly little thing.
 
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