Concerns About Eating.

[Kellykels]

I know I have only had them for a day and I know nerves can stop them eating,
however, I just want to know what to do just in case.
I don't think stripe is eating.

I think Womble is scarfing it all. I'm not a 100% on this since I'm not there all the time and the cover is over them, but Stripe is not moving still. He's stuck to the back of the cage. He does actually move when Womble jumps on top of him or shoves him around, but that's about it.

Womble is a bit more daring, although a bit skittish, he'll come out and eat quite happily if the cover is over the cage.
I can't be sure Stripe is eating and I know their digestive systems can be fragile and grind to a halt after a while.
None of them at this point will take food off me so hand feeding to ensure everyone gets a fair share is not an option.

I don't know how long to leave them to adjust and when this becomes a problem.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

It's pretty normal for them not to eat much with us around this early on, have they got plenty of hideys? Cardboard boxes with 2+ exits really help. You can pop food in the hides if they're nervous

Also it really helped with my babies putting a towel over half the cage and they were a lot more comfortable moving around with the towel across so that might help

 

[Kellykels]

I have put the cover over.
They are eating a little.
There are two hideys.
I think stripe is eating a bit but Womble is eating a lot more.
I just spot cleaned the cage so they were a bit annoyed about that but they'd pooped a lot due to nerves and I didn't want to have to get Womble out because he's a long hair and he would have slept in it...I didn't want to stress him out with bathing. That's more stressful than spot cleaning.

 

[DM030819]

@Kellykels You just need to be patient and let them get used to their surroundings and you. They're prey animals so their instinct is to run and hide, or stay hidden.

It can take a week or two before you'll see them eat. When I get a new pig I tend to put in their food and then leave the room for a while to let them eat in safety.

Pigs tend to poop a lot anyway so don't be surprised by the amount of poops.

Constant bathing isn't recommended so if Womble is getting dirty then it would be worth trimming his hair shorter so it doesn't get as dirty.

 

[Kellykels]

I know they need to get used to me, I just want to make sure Stripe is getting something to eat, because of their fragile tummies.
I have been leaving them to eat alone. I've been doing everything that people have been telling me in regards to advice in the forum.
I knew they'd be a lot of poops, every animal poops a lot, I just don't want it to get matted in his fur because I don't want to have to groom it out and stress him too much when he doesn't know me that well.
They've pooped a lot in particular where they lie down. The fleece was covered in little poops.
So I have just spot cleaned it and put the covers back on.
I'm not even going to think of touching them until I have to clean them out properly and groom Womble, which is something I will leave as long as I can so he doesn't get too anxious.

 

[DM030819]

Lots of poops will come from lots of eating so try not to worry. When you're doing your weekly clean out it would be worth weighing them at the same time. Then you can keep an accurate record of their weights. It's also the best way to monitor what they're eating, especially when they're new and not wanting to eat out in the open.

 

[Kellykels]

Y

Lots of poops will come from lots of eating so try not to worry. When you're doing your weekly clean out it would be worth weighing them at the same time. Then you can keep an accurate record of their weights. It's also the best way to monitor what they're eating, especially when they're new and not wanting to eat out in the open.

That's good. So when they stop pooping that's when I worry! And I just got some new scales from Amazon especially for that purpose. They're a year oldish...so is that nearly fully grown? People have been so helpful on this forum and Guinea lynxs has been good too.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Lots of poop is always a good sign!

I'd think that they're nearly fully grown, think it depends on the pig as mine varied a little as to when they became their "normal weight".

Sounds like they're very lucky to have found you!