Winnie and Angel are my long term foster sows from the Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue. They were surrendered when someone moved out and left them behind. Winnie has no health issues but Angel is “unusual” to say the least. She is tiny (under 700g) has a very strange pointy flat head and makes very odd movements and noises. She has been diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia but otherwise is in good health.
I took the vets advice on whether she might be capable of living in a larger herd as Holly and Ralph are living in luxury in their massive enclosure. The vet thought she might be ok but it would need a careful introduction and careful monitoring to make sure she was ok.
So for the last couple of weeks I’ve had Winnie and Angel living alongside Ralph and Holly. I have been swapping Scent laden beds and bowls between their cages. And today was introductions day.
So I set up a bonding pen, popped them all in, anxious as anything about how Angel would cope. And she was absolutely fine. Holly cleaned Angel’s face and ears, Ralph humped her and she held her own just fine. Where it all went wrong was that Winnie (who I’d not been so worried about) was wary around Holly and took a pretty much instant dislike to Ralph. And after a few minutes when Ralph turned his attentions from Angel to Winnie things took a very different turn. No doubting that this was a fail. Just not quite what I had been worried about.
Blooming sows!
Silly Winnie, you're missing out on the best!
. 
