I need advice regarding Mrs Lincoln please

[lincolnsmommy]

Well first of all shes getting on well. However i have a few questions and I'm a little worried about a few thing.
The first thing is its very obvious she has never seen a vegtable in her life. I went shopping and brought as many different types of veg and fruit as possible so i could hopefully find something she liked. Well i gave it them and she was fasinated but she has no idea what it is. She keeps walking to each of my girls and watching it going in there mouth and she follows it as it goes in and she looks amazed. She keeps watching meg eating it through the bars so i gave her some through the bars and she tried biting it but she cant seem to do it. Ive tried to check her teeth but her face is so skinny i cant get a proper hold (hard to explain). The girls normal food is going quick though so I'm sure shes eating that.
The second thing I'm worried about is her relationship with my girls. She seems to love them. Meg being her personal favourite. However my girls dont seem to have the patience for her. Shes so Interested in everything that they do that she gets in there face abit and i keep seeing them bang her on the head with there mouth. She gives a quick yelp then goes to the next piggy. She doesnt seem to understand and I'm worried she might get hurt. Is this normal? There not arguing over anything as they have plenty of everything etc.

Well even though I'm abit worried about the above she seems fine in herself. no more head tilting.no idea what that was maybe a nervous twitch? if piggies can get that? And shes been popcorning today and she was playing me up when i had a cuddle when normally she looks petrified. I can see a cheeky girl emerging lol

xx

 

[gracie]

i used to own a guinea pig called bootle, and her companion died i found her a baby girl called bing. bear in mind bootle was about four and bing was a baby, i put the two together after introducing and they got on fine.
looking back now however i doubt that a pig without as much patience as bootle would have coped with bing. she followed bootle around constantly (and i mean ALL the time) making a very loud, droney chattering noise as though she was waffling on all the time. it was very funny, but i'm sure bootle got pretty tired of it. i'd notice them sitting side by side, bing yakking away and bootle looking as though she was about to either fall asleep or suddenly freak out and run away screaming
bing grew out of it, and i'm assuming it's a similar thing with your girl. give it a bit of time and she'll stop finding them so fascinating when she realises they're just like her! she's a baby; she's learning fast and she's probably seeing your older girls as surrogate mummies- in other words they're her whole world right now and whatever they do is what she should do.
as for the veggies, i'd give her some time. baxter was the same, he didn't eat veggies for months and i had to get him a vitamin supplement drink. but i kept trying and eventually he got used to them. it's so sad some pigs aren't brought up on fresh food =[ but hang in there (maybe get her teeth checked at the vets if you're really worried) and i'm sure she'll settle into it <3

 

[stargrrlclaire]

i think they're showing her they're the bosses! and i think mrs lincoln is playing naughty little sister! x

 

[Briony_S]

George never had veg before when I got him don't worry just keep giving her veg and eventually she will get the idea. Keep giving the same thing every day directly to her and then when she starts to eat that introduce a new thing. She is probably overwhelmed by all the veg having never had it before.

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

All sounds pretty 'normal' sow behaviour to me - they are often quite intolerant of youngsters, the 'pecking' is a bit like hens - getting the pecking order in place! As long as it doesn't escalate then I wouldn't worry.

Guineas are suspicious of new foods, as they can't vomit so anything poisonous is really bad news for them - so they're naturally cautious. Usually when they see other piggies eating something, they will copy them - don't worry too much, just keep an eye on her weight.

Sophie
x

 

[nutmeg]

If you have any access to a lawn, cut some fresh grass, they all seem to love this, and it could be a start for her, having 'fresh' food. x