How Am I Doing?!

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TheCavySlave

TheCavySlave

Adult Guinea Pig
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Plutonian living in Surrey.
I've had my boys a few months now, and ugh, I got them from a pet store:(but of course, will get from a shelter in future, and they seem perfectly healthy, but I just want to know SO MUCH, am I doing okay?
So
They live in a 2x4 C&C cage with a 1x2 loft and fleece bedding from piggybedspreads.com. They have stuff like curtains, a little corner tent, a lovely grassy nest for them to snuggle in, nibble and, erm, keep lookout duty on (!) and I'm going to get some more stuff like pigloo, toys soon.
I spot clean several times a day (feels like I'm always sweeping!) and we wash it once a week and it cleans beautifully.
Godfrey
He's the bolder of the two, more curious and outgoing. He seems perfectly healthy, weight is fine, and I'm not worried about him. Oddly enough, at the vet (their first time) Godfrey squealed the place down (really tugged at the heart strings) yet Duncan was fairly calm.

Duncan
He's much shyer, sometimes backs away from me but with gentle handling he's fine. HOWEVER- I think he's a bit on the skinny side! He weighs 900g and he doesn't feel painfully thin but I think his bones are a bit too obvious when felt. We recently switched to Cavy Cuisine, from their old rubbish pellets (seeds! Argh!) and they're still getting used to them. I'll give details of their diet below, actually.

So, diet, the vegetables. We used to feed them twice a day but that got stressful so now it's just once a day. I give them their veggies by hand, because Godfrey tended to be a bit greedy! So we give them a variety a day, including some of:
Romaine lettuce
Little gem lettuce
Chicory
Raddichio
Sweet pepper (red, orange, yellow or green)
Dandelion leaves (washed extra carefully, only the best are picked)
Tomatoes (small pieces, not very often)
Sometimes fruit (a few pieces as a treat)
Carrot (in moderation, not too often)
Dandelion flowers (as a treat)
Lavender- as a very special treat. If they've had a bath, or when they went to the vets we give them a nibble. Or, sometimes, if I accidentally nudge them with my foot I say sorry and maybe give them a piece. Or like that horrible time Godfrey fell off a chair! He landed on his feet and toddled off to go and wee on the floor though, didn't squeal in pain and we checked him over.

And they have a few of the above, in small pieces, so that one doesn't get bigger pieces.
After trying a few seed-y, junky treats (literally just a nibble, they didn't seem that interested) I decided to just bin them, forget about them.
Hay is Oxbow Timothy hay in a bird feeder designed for seed balls (?) and that makes life easier, though they do manage to get a lot on their fleece:blink:

As for cleaning, we got a puppy and kitten shampoo and we wash them no more than once a month (maybe more, but only if they're visibly dirty) and sometimes wipe them down if they get something on them.

Exercise, well, they have a run in the garden that they love (they just adore grass) but being in Britain, well, rain isn't kind to us:td:so we'll have to sort out a mat or something, or indoor run time.
As for love, well....I have had to say "don't kiss them all over like that" and the family loves them. Strokes, cuddles, pictures...of course they do have alone time, they aren't smothered.
Soooo sorry for such a long post, I'm just so new to this. Also, please, PLEASE don't be too critical:(
One more thing, they both had a vet check recently, and I've decided that on Wednesdays we'll give them the lot (weighing, teeth, ears, skin, feeling their bones, nose, eyes) and keep a record.
I did rush downstairs and check Duncan's weight...:))
So, thank you for reading my essay and like I said, please don't be TOO critical! Visibly, they're both right as rain, wheeking and popcorning whenever I move the hay bags!
 
you are doing exceptionally well.piggies grow at different times,and weight in individual to the pig.as long as they are maintaining a similar weight pattern each time weighted/or gradually putting on weight if not adult piggies ,they are fine.:wel: to the forum.it is a friendly community.ask as many questions as needed.there are lots of threads on all piggie aspects.:)
 
:luv:Thank you! Such a relief. I worry about them way too much! I never realised before owning them how complex they are. So lovely, too, little whiskery faces always wondering what I'm up to
 
It seems like you're caring for them so well! i've had piggies for the past 9 years now and i can say that at the start with my first two i didn't have as much knowledge like you did ( probably because i was young ) i more figured it out along the way with my first two then when i got my next two 2 years ago i would like to think of myself as experts with them (: but honestly you seem to be doing so well especially with keeping checks on them constantly so there is no need to worry.. if anything was to happen e.g them becoming unwell you would for sure see it as soon as possible and get them treated!

for the piggie you are finding a little on the nervous side with you: my mother piggie who has been with us for over 2 years now has always been like that! at the start she was very nervous but she seemed to get over it although she still sometimes backs away when we go to the cage but i just let her sniff my hand and let her know that it's me and then stroke her instead of just leaning in and picking her straight out she loves cuddle time though!

the only thing i would say is that you probably don't need to wash them that often ( unless they do get really smelly and dirty ) mine have short hair and i usually bath them no more than 4 times a year but apart from that you're doing a great job so stop worrying you've gave two piggies an awesome home! :D
 
Thank you! I like to think that I pamper them :love: good point actually, I'll wash them less frequently. Of course, they do sometimes get wee or muck on them, so I like to keep baby/pet wipes handy. Yeah he can be shy, but if you put him on your lap he spreads out happily, so cute!
 
What do you mean....
You dont kiss them all over?
WHY NOT? :yikes:
Only thing I can see wrong so far ;)
Lol!

Sounds like you're doing fine :nod:
A steady increase with youngsters weight is a good sign, they should level out when they get older.

Be patient with them theyll soon have you trained :wub:
Xx
 
Well, :agr:I've just read all of the above and you are doing just fine. Welcome to the ranks of cavy slavery :lol!::own::lol!:
 
TheCavySlave said:
Kissing them all over is hard to resist...I'm still in training, maybe I'll get a certificate when I pass? At the very least a loving nibble:love:
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I have no willpower....kisses &raspberries in abundance. Grace reciprocates with a cute little Eskimo kiss :wub: &the odd licking session :luv:
The two younger ones just have that "bleuk" mum GERRROFF! Look :))
The certificate is usually the wee mark on your clothing at cuddle time! Sorry to disappoint! ;) :(
x
 
I get licked at cuddle time. A lot.

For now, my girls have stopped weeing on me..erm...but my Syrian hamster, who us tame, has started biting. I don't think he likes the scent of piggies, and he's in the same room as them.
 
My boys love licking. Godfrey leaned down from his loft and licked my nose. A lot.
Aw, poor hamster! Can he switch rooms, or not? I feel bad for him:soz:
 
He's OK in his cage, but he bites even after I have washed my hands. He's a beauty and after decades he's also my last hamster. I'm moving completely over to piggies when he goes to the bridge
 
My two are playing up in the pen in the living room whilst the hammy snoozes in the back room. He's made a huge best so in hoping he wakes up in a better mood.

The piggies cage is bigger than the pen but the pen is in a different part of the house with different smells and sights.
 
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