How long should you leave pigs when you take them home

PiggieNPooh

PiggieNPooh

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Messages
114
Reaction score
172
Points
245
hello :) just a quick one but how long should you leave your piggies by themselves after taking them home for the first time ?
 
Hello
My boy Finn decided he wanted to be friends with me after my giving veggies, hay, herbs, and fruits regularly. I never forced him nor expected him to do anything. He decided he was going to be a part of my family on his own.

Later, I was appointed Lara's pet parent by my friend so Finn has a company close by in another cage. I didn't want to see Lara homeless so she became a part of my family and lives in a separate cage by Finn. I wanted a cagemate for Finn but this has worked for us. They seem to keep each other company.
 
Do you mean how long until you try and handle them, or how long should they live as a solo piggy?
 
I left mine to settle in for about a week (albeit I did the daily poo pick because otherwise their cage would have been overflowing in poo), and I didn't try to start picking them up until about 2 weeks. I covered their cage with a blanket and them pulled up first one side, then another, and another each day, until the blanket was completely removed. It just gives them time, I found, to explore the cage and settle without having to deal with all the new things at once, although I did constantly chatter to them so they could get used to my voice.
 
Caris said:
I left mine to settle in for about a week (albeit I did the daily poo pick because otherwise their cage would have been overflowing in poo), and I didn't try to start picking them up until about 2 weeks. I covered their cage with a blanket and them pulled up first one side, then another, and another each day, until the blanket was completely removed. It just gives them time, I found, to explore the cage and settle without having to deal with all the new things at once, although I did constantly chatter to them so they could get used to my voice.
Click to expand...
oh thank you ! yeah except for the cleanouts and feeding i haven’t tried interacting with mine (got them saturday morning so about 2.5 days) i’ll begin trying to talk to them soon
 
Seven7 said:
Hello
My boy Finn decided he wanted to be friends with me after my giving veggies, hay, herbs, and fruits regularly. I never forced him nor expected him to do anything. He decided he was going to be a part of my family on his own.

Later, I was appointed Lara's pet parent by my friend so Finn has a company close by in another cage. I didn't want to see Lara homeless so she became a part of my family and lives in a separate cage by Finn. I wanted a cagemate for Finn but this has worked for us. They seem to keep each other company.
Click to expand...
oh okay :) sometimes food can be the key to a piggies heart lol !
 
Here is our journey..so far, we have just had the piggies a week..they were originally set up in a cage in my eldest daughters room, and were eating and drinking well after the arrival, bus journey...we did get them from PAH, after weeks of deliberation, we had seen other pet shops, SSPCA, no piggies available apparently, the other rescues were too far away, anyway the branch of PAH, everything was up to scratch, compared to other local independent pet shops, the cages there were ridiculous..selling 2 piggies for £35-40 like a BOGOF..and a plastic bucket to keep them in basically..Anyway..

I wasn't happy with the size of cage I bought..that came with an outdoor run that could be attached to it..so got a bigger cage for indoor and its in the dining area as less draughty.. and we can use the other cage, dismantle it and make it into a good size outdoor play area when then weather improves. So we will have to do daily cage changes as we are using fleece and towels with paper underneath, one of the piggies pees everywhere at the moment.mainly in the bed area inside the house..dominance dispute methinks! The guineas did adapt well to be taken into the living room via the pet bed thing we got and put in the hexagonal pen area, with supervision, as without the cage attached they could hop over the little fence..and we GP proofed the room, hid wires etc. While I did the task of changing and cleaning out the cage. I had to apply a bit of nappy cream to the one who sleeps in her pee, her foot looked a bit too pink..so she was fine..being held..was sniffing around..and..not a pleasant think but I am sure she can feel relief. We are going to try and train them to step into the furry pet bed igloo thing we got so we don't have to pick them up directly..a few baby carrots in the pen..seemed to be fine! Lot of sniffing and they both seemed fine with a few pets (above the nose, behind ears and under the chin) Not sure the purrs were contentment, or to tell us to get away!

To be honest they have been out more after that ordeal..and the popcorning as its called started while the family sat down to dinner..I did leave some carrot under the parsley..not sure they like the parsley..will be lettuce and a peppering of kale tomorrow. I think its just a matter of trying to stick to some kind of routine, and getting them to see you as bringer of yum yums! Bit like my budgie..but he is nearly six so..he shouts at us to let him out..and what happened to my millet, fine I will have kale and carrots now..hehe! I talk like a budgie so that helps..they come out and see.."Oh it's that mad person again"!
 
Leafy Lou said:
Here is our journey..so far, we have just had the piggies a week..they were originally set up in a cage in my eldest daughters room, and were eating and drinking well after the arrival, bus journey...we did get them from PAH, after weeks of deliberation, we had seen other pet shops, SSPCA, no piggies available apparently, the other rescues were too far away, anyway the branch of PAH, everything was up to scratch, compared to other local independent pet shops, the cages there were ridiculous..selling 2 piggies for £35-40 like a BOGOF..and a plastic bucket to keep them in basically..Anyway..

I wasn't happy with the size of cage I bought..that came with an outdoor run that could be attached to it..so got a bigger cage for indoor and its in the dining area as less draughty.. and we can use the other cage, dismantle it and make it into a good size outdoor play area when then weather improves. So we will have to do daily cage changes as we are using fleece and towels with paper underneath, one of the piggies pees everywhere at the moment.mainly in the bed area inside the house..dominance dispute methinks! The guineas did adapt well to be taken into the living room via the pet bed thing we got and put in the hexagonal pen area, with supervision, as without the cage attached they could hop over the little fence..and we GP proofed the room, hid wires etc. While I did the task of changing and cleaning out the cage. I had to apply a bit of nappy cream to the one who sleeps in her pee, her foot looked a bit too pink..so she was fine..being held..was sniffing around..and..not a pleasant think but I am sure she can feel relief. We are going to try and train them to step into the furry pet bed igloo thing we got so we don't have to pick them up directly..a few baby carrots in the pen..seemed to be fine! Lot of sniffing and they both seemed fine with a few pets (above the nose, behind ears and under the chin) Not sure the purrs were contentment, or to tell us to get away!

To be honest they have been out more after that ordeal..and the popcorning as its called started while the family sat down to dinner..I did leave some carrot under the parsley..not sure they like the parsley..will be lettuce and a peppering of kale tomorrow. I think its just a matter of trying to stick to some kind of routine, and getting them to see you as bringer of yum yums! Bit like my budgie..but he is nearly six so..he shouts at us to let him out..and what happened to my millet, fine I will have kale and carrots now..hehe! I talk like a budgie so that helps..they come out and see.."Oh it's that mad person again"!
Click to expand...
yep had mine nearly a week now they already seem pretty happy and settled ! i can stroke one sometimes but the others a bit like “bro what u doing to me” and doesn’t like it but we’re getting there ! good luck to you, your piggies and your budgie !
 
PiggieNPooh said:
yep had mine nearly a week now they already seem pretty happy and settled ! i can stroke one sometimes but the others a bit like “bro what u doing to me” and doesn’t like it but we’re getting there ! good luck to you, your piggies and your budgie !
Click to expand...
That's grand, I am sure both will come round.. I am surprised at in a short space of time I really love them, they are my daughters pets, she is nearly 17, but I don't think she had thought about what could go wrong, and I am glad I stepped in and supporting, they are really personable wee things and it's fun chatting away to them and the occasional pet, while I am stuck at home working..the budgie was confined to his cage while they were in the living room, but he was still singing, so I think both being prey animals it will be fine..I doubt he will fly down and inspect the piggies anytime soon, and they wont likely cross paths directly! I think it took me a good 5 months to tame the budgie..now he will go to bed if I say "Go home..it's bedtime"..and sit on his swing waiting to be covered..I expect it may take longer with the piggies to come to us willingly..but here's hoping, different thing altogether :D
 
I normally start putting my hand in new young guinea pigs cages to offer veg when you start to catch them trying to be brave. When they are very very scared and running at the slightest movement or sound, i leave them to settle
 
That's good advice, I try to do that, and have found out the favourite hand foods are either a bit of kale or carrot (trying to be sparing with them!) but found today kind of herding them into the cosy bed thing was the best way to move them to do a full cage clean..I don't want to be a big predator and chasing them about the cage, if that's the right way about it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top