Just Got My New Piggie

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Werzal

Werzal

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi guys, just thought I'd say hello.
I went to my local pet shop today for tortoise food and walked out with a guinea pig and a nice new cage.
I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him and couldn't leave without him.
He's now settling in to his new home. I've not seen him much since he went in there but I'm sure he will come in a day or 2.
Pictures will follow when he lets me take some, he's a little beautie
 
Werzal said:
Hi guys, just thought I'd say hello.
I went to my local pet shop today for tortoise food and walked out with a guinea pig and a nice new cage.
I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him and couldn't leave without him.
He's now settling in to his new home. I've not seen him much since he went in there but I'm sure he will come in a day or 2.
Pictures will follow when he lets me take some, he's a little beautie
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Hi and welcome to the forum.
Guinea pigs are social animals and need to live with a companion.Has he got a friend?Also what size is the cage as pet shops tend to sell cages that are way too small for guinea pigs.
 
That's far too small for two boars I'm afraid, you'll need a 5ft by 2ft to comfortably house boars. Would you be able to return the one they've given you (as they've sold you something completely unsuitable) and get a bigger one?

Congrats on piggy parenthood! :D
 
Just to add, in small cages boars can and probably will fight as they can't get away from each other or have their own space.

Unfortunately pet shops don't always give the correct advice as they're more worried about sales than welfare :(
 
Werzal said:
I'll certainly be going up and having a word with them tomorrow. I'll be building them a nice big home soon. My animals get nothing but the best
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I don't blame you! Good luck, give 'them hell :))

Ooh when you do build them a home please feel free to post pics, it's always lovely to see different set ups. I'm not terribly handy myself so I can't be trusted to put living creatures inside my creations :roll:
 
Haha, I will do. I've built a couple vivariums recently and once built quite a large rabbit haven in my garage with outside runs. Nothing has collapsed yet
 
Hi and welcome!

I am looking forward to pictures once your littl boy has settled in!

Here is our new owners guide bundle, which ranges from tips on how to settle in and interact with guinea pigs, to understanding behaviours, practical things like housing, bedding, diet and care etc. as well as learning to spot early signs of illness and what is normal or not. I hope that you will find it very helpful for as smooth a start into your piggy ownership!
You can find more information at the top of our various Care sections, but you are always welcome to ask any questions you may have. We will answer them all in a friendly way.
New Owners' " How To" Starter Kit

Please be aware that guinea pigs are group animals and should not live on their own; they are simply not wired for it. Companionship is the single biggest loving gift you can make your guinea pig! You will also find that he is more likely to settle in better if he is not feeling so alone and out of his depth.
Guinea pigs are ground roamers that need space to run and move - and the minimal animal welfare recommended space for one guinea pig is the same as for two, for that reason. ;)
Companionship
Cage Size Guide
 
Congratulations! Pleased to hear you will be getting him a friend, pet shops are shocking at selling small cages and not telling people that piggies need companionship.

In case you are after a cage zooplus are selling the Skyline maxi for a good price at moment Skyline Maxi XXL Small Pet Cage | Free P&P £29+ at zooplus!
 
Congratulations on your piggies, when they are feeling better we definitely need pictures
These little animals capture your heart, & work themselves round your little finger.
I'm just going to pick up my boy Chester from the vets, he's lost a couple of things. Give him 6 weeks & he'll be in with the girls, if they will have him. Can't wait to give him a cuddle

Welcome to our friendly forum.
 
It should do Werzal but it may take a few days, if they draw blood separate them immediately make sure you protect your hands. Oven cloths maybe if you put your hand in there un protected they will bite. If one is chasing another & getting no rest separate over night then reintroduce.
 
Thank you tiamolly, I thought that would be the case. Always best to check though, last thing I want is to see them hurt each other
 
Congrats on getting your piggies..... Some pet shops are naughty selling cages too small !
 
Congrats on the new piggies. :) Glad you got a bigger cage, too. Can't wait to see pictures. Have they stopped fighting?
 
It might be worth looking at the bonding and dominance threads, it'll be helpful to learn the different types of behaviour. For example what may look like fighting to us may just be typical dominance behaviours to them and actually not aggression. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference but it gets easier with time!

So glad you got the 2 boys now, might be an idea to double check the sex of them just in case :)
 
The fighting has stopped for now, the one I got yesterday is very cheeky. Just offered them both a piece of cucumber, he ate his the sneaked over and stole the slice off the new one. Had to laugh..

I'll check the behaviour post out now
 
Haha stealing food from mouths can be a dominance thing as well. My little late Jemima (aka my asbo pig) was awful for it. When she went into full cowbag mode she would constantly steal food from others and just scatter it around the cage (she didn't intend to eat it just wanted to show them who was boss) and a fresh bowl of identical pellets would be emptied all over the floor cos we all know the best ones are at the bottom right?!

Welcome to the world of being owned by guinea pigs... they are a funny bunch of furballs
 
There's one of my boys.. the other is still hiding, he kicked Elvis out of the biggest room
 
Oh they are gorgeous! :drool::love:

One tip that may help your current situation of them bickering, the best thing in the world for a hidey is a cardboard box with 3 exits while they settle in and do their dominance thing :)
 
That's a great little tip, thank you. I'll look round now and see what I can find. I'm gonna go ahead and presume I want 2 or 3 of them.
 
Ooh another food thief, one of mine does it regularly to the point the other one just sits there like "Yeah, feed me again?" Your boys are gorgeous, I do have a soft spot for boars. Welcome to the forum :)

With regards to hideys - aim for doubles of everything, hideys and water bottles included!
 
It depends on how big your cage is, if you clog the cage with boxes, your piggies need room to escape each other if they need to. Also if you go to pets at home you can get those logs that can be bent in anyway you want, that can be another hidey. Toliet roll inner stuffed with hay, or a wooden ball they can chew. Make sure that all Toliet rolls are cut down the length so they can't get stuck.
What gorgeous piggies you have.
 
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