• DONATIONS NOW OPEN! TGPF relies on donations to run. If you'd like to donate towards running costs you can find out more HERE
  • Fresh grass and lawn tips to avoid springtime deaths Click here for details

Keeping a solo piggie happy

  • Thread starter Thread starter babybear
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

babybear

Now that toffee has passed I'm keen to find out what additional things I can do to keep Treacle amused.

Sadly, I work long hours and also have a horse to look after so I am often out from 8 am to 8 pm.

This was never a problem when I had the 2 girls - I would check and feed them am and pm every day and every second day they would get out to run around for an hour or so.

I brought Treacle out for a cuddle and a run about last night but she just looks so sad sitting in that big cage on her own! :( She's got a wooden lodge, a log bridge thing and an second house with steps so she can also climb onto the roof. She's also got hanging feeders and treat stick and a big ball with a bell in it that she likes to push around - is there anything else I should give her to keep her happy in her cage?

Oh - and I've also given her a stuffed sock to replace her sister.

K
 
Having activities for a lone pig will help to keep them amused. I've had a lone Sheltie and he was fine because I am at stay at home mum, he always got cuddles and attention from all of us, infact more so because he was on his own and I feel he was happy, he would popcorn like mad when we talked to them.

To be honest as you are out all day Treacle will be lonely, is another friend out of the question?

Hope she bucks up soon. :)
 
Poor Treacle :( I would just give her more attention than usual. Is she in a room which sees a lot of movement? For example my lone pig is in my study, as I'm always sat there and can talk to her/she can see me. She also free ranges round my study which she really enjoys :smitten:
 
i think it depends on their personality

merlin is perfectly happy on his own and is so hyper and gets loads of attention and is always popcorning

heath however, when on his own, seems depressed and withdrawn

definately make sure you give him plenty of attention
 
piggies are really animals and need company. i know you don't want to get another piggy yet. so try and spend more time with her. even if it is just when watching tv, she could be getting a cuddle. perhaps leave the radio on when you go out. hoping little treacle picks up soon. sending hugs and cuddles to you both. :smitten: :smitten:
 
Treacle is probably still grieving so you need to give her time to adjust. Dont worry if she seems quiet and not moving much. Its normal.
I understand you want to do whats best but IMHO, making changes to keep Treacle amused is only going to add to her sense of upheaval

Maybe in a week or so you can begin to think about it - just my thoughts
 
They also becomd "in-tune" with your movements and timekeeping. I have 2 singles and 1 pair and they sleep most of the day when I am out and liven up in the evening when I'm home, I know this because on SUndays when I'm home everyone else is snoozing!

Like all animals they get used to a routine, as long as you give them hay and dry food and perhaps leave them a corn cob to nibble on or something they will become use to your routine and be awake when you are around! I do provide toys etc too, cardboard tubes, wooden balls etc and when Bully was a baby he used to have a toy piggy to cuddle up to!

As long as you spend lots of time with your piggy when you are there, you will have to spend more time with her than you did with the pair. She will get used to your routine if you are not going to get her a friend.
 
Thanks everyone.

Her cage is in the spare room which I spend about 30 minutes in every morning getting ready.

I never handled the pair too much as they always seemed much happy in their own company but am going to make a point to spend more time with T.

I used to let my last piggies potter around the bathroom with his toys when I was having a bath and he loved that!

I'll be letting her run about the living room every night now with her toys and am going to go to the pet shop to get her more toys at the weekend.

I am waiting to see how she settles before deciding whether or not to get a companion for her.

Thanks again!

K
 
Have you had a look on the Pampered Piggies website at the toys section - there's some interesting stuff and they are really good quality and good value.
 
a little teddy may help to just for her to snuggle up too and drag around, nothing with beads in tho lol ;)
 
You can actually get Guinea Pig Teddies, I got one from Knowsley Safari Park, he kept Cuzzy company now and again when I wasn't around. :)
 
Jakie has a teddy.....it sits in his hutch during the day but at night he takes to his bedroom ;) ;) >:D
 
Lmao! You Guys think Everything the wrong way. ::) Hes Afraid Of the Dark and Needs Company. :)

ADDED: Lol, One that Don't Sleep talk. Well you never know Guinea Pigs Might do that as well.
 
Hammocky Hammocks do lovely little (actually they're quite big) hearts that are totally guinea pig friendly even if they do chew them they wont come to any harm - good price too! ;D
 
pansy had a teddy when she was on her own for a while! it was so sweet, she used to actually cuddle and lie on it! :-* :smitten: :smitten: i think a friend is the best amusement you can give a piggie, unless there's a good reason why they can't have one O0 but otherwise, teddies, pampered piggies toys, you can also make some things, there are a few ideas on this website O0 there's a really long page on it :o
http://www.guineapigcages.com/toys.htm ((hugs for treacle)) :smitten:
 
When Mitzi died, our Molly was on her own and was so miserable I bought another piggie to keep her company - just 2 days after Mitzi's death. Molly loved Smudge straight away and perked up. I would get her a friend soon. She may look like she's "settled" after a bit, but really she will just have got used to the loneliness.
 
I was in the same position last summer ,georgie lost her friend and went downhill rapidly,she stopped talking and spent most of the day just sat in the corner,she was desperately unhappy,that's when I found the forum. Everyone on here was fantastic and I ended up getting two little ladies as mates for her, from the day they went in she was a changed pig....so happy a real old mother hen.I understand your loss and it is hard as you feel like you are replacing ...I did too ,but once I saw how happy she was to have company again,I knew I had done the right thing for her....just my experience :)
 
Just thought I'd add, sows are very accepting of each other. After we got Smudge we got Bella and Truffle, then a few months later baby Rosie joined them and they live very happily together, no fighting or anything. :)
 
my girls don't have teddies neither. they are quite happy looking and smelling each other at the barrier. when zoe gets better will slowly introduce them to each other again. i feel if piggy had a teddy it is just another thing to wash in case piggies pee on it. hugs and cuddles to you all and your furbabies. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Huxley has a little plastic ball with a bell in it - he loves pushing it round his cage, then when he goes to bed (at 10:00pm on the dot every night, its so funny!) he takes his footie to bed with him! OH has started calling him Piggle Artete!
 
sophiew said:
Jakie has a teddy.....it sits in his hutch during the day but at night he takes to his bedroom
Click to expand...

Oh I feel like a bad mother now! None of mine have teddies..... ?
Click to expand...

Jakie has a teddy as he lives in his half of the shed alone...he fights so can't get him a proper friend....he does have the 4 girls nextdoor and has the fancy it bum wiggle down to a tee...but I worried he'd be lonely at bedtime...hence the teddy :smitten:

I think we can all safely agree you are NOT a bad mummy :-* :-*
 
My single pig Rocky is recovering after his neutering (to find a girlfriend) but his main amusement while he is on his own is a toilet roll tube stuffed with hay! I did 'custom' one by cutting holes along the length so that hay poked out the ends and the holes and he got so overexcited that he grabbed it, ran into his house and wasn't seen for the rest of the evening! :D If only all men were as easy to buy for! ::)

I did try to find a stuffed pig toy to keep him company but they all looked a bit scary....

Lucy
 
I've just read through....I have 3 girlies not 4 ? that's what you call wishful thinking ;) ;)
 
My single pig Rocky is recovering after his neutering (to find a girlfriend) but his main amusement while he is on his own is a toilet roll tube stuffed with hay! I did 'custom' one by cutting holes along the length so that hay poked out the ends and the holes and he got so overexcited that he grabbed it, ran into his house and wasn't seen for the rest of the evening!

that is so funny :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: i can just picture him his little eyes lighting up and then taking it from you and dragging it into his bed. wonder if he had fun with the hay or the toilet roll? that is so cute! hugs and cuddles to you and rocky! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
He did move faster than he ever has done before! My mother came to visit the other week -rocky lived with her once whilst I had an extended holiday in NZ and they bonded so well she threatened a pignap- but she was rather upset to find that he was more interested in the new toilet tube/hay contraption than he was in seeing her! ;D
 
Thanks again for all of your suggestions.

I went out at the weekend and spend a fortune on toys for piglet.

She's got new hanging chews, 2 new balls to push around, I've rearranged the cage slightly to give her more room to move about and she now spends her days listening to Radio 1.

I'm also handing her a lot more which she didn't like at first but now she likes to go to sleep halfway down the sleeve of my jumper. She's also coming out to run about the floor for a good hour everynight while I have my dinner.

Her appetite is good and she seems to be doing ok - she started gurgling to me the other day - that's the first she's done it since Toffee died so think she's feeling better.

Going to monitor her closely and if she does show signs of bordom/depression I'll get her a companion. I've already contacted Thistle to enquire about any piggies needing new homes.

Thanks again everyone! :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top