I have a new piggie...

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

adoremypiggies

Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Allentown, PA
Gee, I hope this is the right section to place this in? You will all advise, I hope. Coach, my piggie, passed away recently, and this story is posted in the Rainbow Bridge Section, if you need a reference.

My husband, at seeing the heartbreak that this loss caused me, purchased a baby piggie for me. I've named her Coco. She will never replace Coach, but I understand my husband was trying to help me deal with the loss.

Here's my issue...Belle, Coach's mommy, who is 1 year and 9 months is very territorial, and I had no idea, but she has had her own home for most of that time, since I separated Coach after he turned 4 weeks old.

So, I put Coco in with her and Belle went crazy! I've never seen her get so defensive about her home. I separated Coco immediately! Will they ever get along? Help!
 
ok you can never just place a new guinea pig in with another ones cage and not expect territorial behaviour.

I find when i am introduce piggies i like to keep them in a cage next to each other so they can see each other aswell as smell and hear this way they will get to know each other from a safe distance, however i do only have indoor cages and don't know how this would work in hutches as they wouldn't be able to see each other although they would hear and smell the other one is around. I usually leave them next door to each other for at least 2 weeks but most of the time i leave it a month some may say this is too long but better safe then sorry.

Next you need to do short introductions in a neutral space i like to use the bathroom floor as this is an area they dont get to run around in, once they have met a couple of times and if everything is ok then i will try a longer on in an area the older sow is used to but clean it throughly so it doesn't smell of her do this a couple of times then finally its time to try the cage again remember to clean it throughly so its like putting them in a new cage together and if possible change the layout of the accessories of the original cage so its a new area to both. If this goes well leave coco there for a couple of hours but be prepared to grab her just incase but do not just put her in and leave her also dont rush it you wouldn't like some stranger just moving into your house, eating your food and sleeping in your bed lol, also on the first couple of introduction i usually have a towel, a dustpand and a bucket just incase you need to seperate them as you will get bit otherwise.

I know its scary introducing a baby to an older sow as you dont want the younger one to get hurt but sit tight they will probably have a bit of rumbling and sometimes chatting and a bit of nose raising but don't panic unless blood is draw you have a chance just take it slow.

hope this helps

pretz
xx
 
No piggie can ever replace another piggie :) they are all so different, like humans. What a lovely thing for your husband to do, perhaps he could give my OH some advice :))

You've already been given some great advice, i recently put a baby piggie in with my 11month old piggie, I was so worried I kept checking on them all the time. I made sure there were two of everything in the cage, to try and eliminate any squabbles.

I hope yours manage to get along, with time I'm sure they will. Its so lovely to see once they do, my two wouldn't go anywhere without each other now!
 
What a lovely gesture of your husband! Please make sure that you give your piggies time to meet in a neutral area at a time when you have several hours free. After the bust up, you could try a buddy bath, so they smell the same. If your youngster is very small, just carefully wash her by using only the suds.

Once you are pretty sure that they are Ok together, have a deep clean of the cage/hutch (including walls and piggy stuff), so that their new home is as neutral as possible. Rearrange the lay out if possible, so it is different for Coach, too. You will get a bit more dominance behaviour when you put them in, so do not have anything in the cage where the baby can be boxed in; also serve food in two bowls spaced apart at first.
 
Thank you so much. This is great advice. I do have their cages, indoors like yours, right next to each other. And, yes, you are right, they have been much more civil through the cage wires...LOL. The little one is just dying to play with the other one. And it's funny, when I picked the little one up last night, oh my she started squealing up a storm until I put her to my chest. At the sound of her squealing, the older one came out in a rush to see if she was okay. It was the cutest motherly insticnt I have ever seen. I think there is hope! I will try the neutral space as you suggested also. Thanks again!
 
I know. I still really miss Coach. My hubby is a lovely person, for a "man"...sorry boys...LOL. He hates to see me upset and will do anything to cheer me up. He is very supportive of all I do. When it comes to my piggies, he is very supportive! I am in the process of building one of those big cages made of coroplast! What an adventure this will be. We also have a dog and two fish tanks! His favorite is the dog, of course. They're all my favorites, but I tell you when it comes to my piggies, Oh My Goodness, I am just a big ball of emotion! I just adore them to pieces, as my screen name suggests...LOL
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top