guinea physiology

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piggybaker

piggybaker

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is there a book on guinea physiology i would be very interested on reading up on something that is happening in my herd

does anyone no of one, after all they do dog ones why not guineas?
 
no not what i am looking for more a mental psychology

and i just relised what a plant i have been, spelt right wrong word ;D i mean psychology ;D ;D ;D ;D

what a stupid head sorry
 
I dont think you will find any, I have been chatting about this with some one today and it is really sad there is a lack of good books ones for everyday stuff and the other more medically related :(
 
I've been googling and I can't find anything...horses, dogs and cats yes, GPs no :(
 
Can't really recommend anything pig wise but if you're googling search for "guinea pig behaviour" rather than psychology. Psychology is the study of human behaviour.
 
Ok its a case of since the little one died the guineas have as a herd have been acting out of charactor, and i was wondering if anyone has ever cataloged any behaviour ?

they have settled now but i was just interested thats all
 
If you do find anything would you let me know ? It's something I would be really interested in too. It's quite sad really that so little is known about piggies normal instinctive behaviour.

I find it fascinating watching all the different personalities at work - the other day I tried to introduce a neutered boar to two girls. The sows behaviour was completely opposite, one ignored him completely and the other wiggled and rumbled for ages until I called it a day. The girls get on really well and I suppose it was a case of twos company threes a crowd ;D

The dynamics within a herd must change quite significantly when one member is no longer with them.
 
yes i have homed more of the rescues that live in the herd and it does change the dynamics within the herd, and i think it would be interesting to perhaps record this, may be when i am convalescing it could be something to stimulate myself in those dreay days to come, especially if it is a nice summer :)
 
well i witnessed something unusual yesterday but i am gonna throw it open to you all,

How aware would you say a guinea is of its cage, and surroundings?

IE if you change something in their cage how quickly do they notice it and who if they do investigates first
 
I would say very aware. I added some new toys to Sunshine and Twinkles cages and they went to investigate straight away. If I change the cage around though they aren't bothered it's only when I add something new. :)
 
I think they are very aware too! If I put a pigloo or chube back in a different place georgie will always put it back where it usually goes...why Emma? what have they done ?
 
i need to get a few more replys soon, but i think you will be suprised as i was
 
I also would say very aware - I only have to shift the Playstix tunnels to a slightly different angle and they are straight there, running back and forward through it as if its a great new toy and they've never seen it before! :D Bless them it must be really boring for them...
 
piggybaker said:
well i witnessed something unusual yesterday but i am gonna throw it open to you all,

How aware would you say a guinea is of its cage, and surroundings?

IE if you change something in their cage how quickly do they notice it and who if they do investigates first
Click to expand...

I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo intrigued now!

Mine notice immediately I change something in the hutch. Usually everything gets put back the way it was in the first place! but I like to think it keeps them busy!
 
I'm with the others, my gang notice almost immediately. I moved the three tunnels around in the boys enclosure today after clean out and they all had to go and investigate each and every tunnel!
 
all mine now when some thing has moved or new has been put in. They have furry tunnels they like to sit in and look out but if they arent right by the door they move them there every time.
 
well, I had the top of a indoor cage in the run yesterday with the 2 new sows in there, well they had been in it all afternoon and i had seen no aggression toward each group so i thought yes lets do it, so i opened the top and just undid the front opening of the cage open, closed the lid on the run and went and sat on the step to watch, well they all came out Jaffa in front then rusty then twigglet and so on all nose to bum and walked straight into the cage in the run :o there was no stopping to look they just seem to know it was open, they all walked in had a sniff around and then all of them with the new girls at the back walked out and started grazing,

I think it is amazing and for once i wish i had more pigs to see if the same dominance apply to a large herd , like it does with wolves with the pecking order and herd/pack instinct

who has a large herd free range? of 12 or more pigs?
 
Hmm it is interesting I find age makes a difference....

My old boy is not interested at all unless he stumbles over what ever it is when he eventually wakes up!

My 10 month old is very interested to the point of stressing himself out! He hates the top of his cage left open if theres nobody there!

My 3 and half month old babies are very very interested, there before I 've got my hand out but only in an inquisitive way there are not bothered by the addition or the fact I have moved something.

So I deduce from that, that if ;
they are really old - their not bothered anymore!,
If they are adolescent ( bit like a moody teenager hates anybody touching their stuff) its touch and go
If they are very young babies are more accepting and welcome new things

It is intersting though and I shall be watching them more closely tonight ( if thats possible!)
 
i mean i have had guineas for a long time and had a herd of 21 once but i was never interested in the dynamics of the herd, but just recently i have been observing them and i am liking what i am seeing
 
I think it's wonderful to just sit and observe their behaviour - their different pitched wheeks etc they seem to be communicating to each other all the time.

A while ago my three girls were on the patio all asleep inside the cat bed (!) I crept out and put a row of cucumber on the floor about 2 metres behind the cat cabin so there was no way they could see me or hear me then I sat and watched. Within 2 mins Hyacinth had run out of the cat cabin and was eating the cucumber followed quickly by Jaffa who then wheeked to Rose to come and get it. They could only have sensed it by smell which to me was amazing, I loved the fact that they all shared it too.

Often though I see a piggie grab a piece of veg and run off with it so they don't have to share ;D The others seem to accept that possession is nine tenths of the law and don't contest ownership (all except Cheeky Girl who will only ever eat from someone else's mouth :D)

Recently when Cloud arrived she was in isolation - she was the most depressed piggie I have ever come across and didn't even bother to hide away she just sat in a corner, not eating, not drinking, not moving at all. My hubby and I got up to her every couple of hours or so and she never moved, it was heartbreaking to see her so miserable. I took the risk after 24 hours of introducing her to my three and within 5 mins the transformation was like a miracle, she was wheeking, eating, running around - such a huge relief. Hyacinth even went and washed her ears for her which was a tremendous sign of acceptance and she just followed Hyacinth everywhere for ages after that.

So yes I think they are really switched on when it comes to their surroundings - I think they like things to be a bit different sometimes as they are naturally quite curious anyway though they all seem to thrive on routine too.
 
I once put a toy in the pen with them, they where amazing with the reaction, lots of rumberling and teeth clacking, them Lilly when i had her came up and bit its ear(it was a toy guinea pig who wheeked and moved) , I honestly think there is more to guineas than cute lips and face
 
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