Learning To Understand My Guinea Pigs..

[Sarah0555]

Hi!

I posted recently about getting new gp's. I got them last Friday and they are getting more and more out their shell each day.
I have a few queries. One was about them "wheeking", as I was sat in the living room (where they are) the usually shy one was wheeking away in its hide, i know it shouldn't be anything to worry about but he is being very loud and never heard him like this, I feel like he wants something but I don't know what? They have been getting there veggies around 4/5pm each day and throughout the day they have a supply of hay and pellets so unsure if its a food thing (its around 11am just now). Then when I go to the cage they run into their hide scared (as usual) so can't imagine it being affection they want.

When do people take then for their first vet visit?

Also lastly, I am in all day for them just now but as of next week they will be alone all day. I am trying to schedule everything for when I will be getting in so it doesn't change drastically when I do start work, but would anyone advise a small veggie snack before I leave in the morning?

Thanks in advance

 

[Guineapigfeet]

I give mine half their veg portion in the morning before I go to work and half before bed with a lettuce snack when I get home from work.

They will get used to what ever works best for you!

My girls came from a recommended rescue so I felt confident in their heath and have only ever taken them when something was wrong, though they were registered with my vets before I even brought them home!

My girls wheek at me when ever I go in the kitchen or russle a crisp packet and I take it to mean ‘where’s my food’ as they shut up if I feed them! Not sure about wheeking in hides though, maybe he’s trying his luck for food

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

As i understand it, young piggies can be very vocal, so yours could be just finding their voice now they are a bit more confident in their new surroundings. I remember when we first brought home our boar Squeaks as a companion for our bereaved older boar, I would be greeted by extremely loud wheeking as soon as he heard my footsteps in the corridor - it was probably food he was after. He wheeks like that much less now, as he's got used to the idea of regular mealtimes!

As to vets, if they came from a pet shop or breeder, I would take them fairly soon for a check up at the vets just to be sure, as shops don't have a good reputation for looking after the health of their "stock" and making sure they are healthy before selling them. If they came from a rescue, the rescue will have made sure they they were fit and healthy before letting you take them home.

 

[Freela]

Pigs usually wheek because they want something... which isn't the same as needing something. Mine wheek any time they think there is a remote chance of getting food... so if they hear someone in the kitchen, if someone crinkles a bag, etc. They are very astute at picking up random 'human near food' sounds! As for when to feed what, it's really up to you. They will adapt to whatever schedule you set up, though they do seem to like consistency. My pigs definitely know what to expect when. They get fresh hay in the morning, my son gives them a veggie treat before he goes to school, then in the evening they get floor time with some veggies and new pellets. And yes, they totally anticipate all these things!

 

[Sarah0555]

Thanks for all the feed back everyone.
I did get from a store so I will make an appointment soon to check them with a vet.

In regards to food it sounds like it would probably be better to give them snacks before I leave for work then more veggies when I get in.

And in regards to the wheeks I had just sat down with toast so not sure if they just smelled it and thought they were getting food. When I start my new job next week the routine should be much better and will hopefully understand some more about them

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

I posted recently about getting new gp's. I got them last Friday and they are getting more and more out their shell each day.
I have a few queries. One was about them "wheeking", as I was sat in the living room (where they are) the usually shy one was wheeking away in its hide, i know it shouldn't be anything to worry about but he is being very loud and never heard him like this, I feel like he wants something but I don't know what? They have been getting there veggies around 4/5pm each day and throughout the day they have a supply of hay and pellets so unsure if its a food thing (its around 11am just now). Then when I go to the cage they run into their hide scared (as usual) so can't imagine it being affection they want.

When do people take then for their first vet visit?

Also lastly, I am in all day for them just now but as of next week they will be alone all day. I am trying to schedule everything for when I will be getting in so it doesn't change drastically when I do start work, but would anyone advise a small veggie snack before I leave in the morning?

Thanks in advance

I would recommend to split pellets and veg into two servings that can be eaten in one go in a bowl each per piggy (minimises dominance food hogging and messing up/peeing into the pellet bowl). Remove these bowls as soon as they are empty. It encourages your piggies to eat as much as hay as possible, which is the mainstay of their diet and which should make over 80% of their daily food intake.

Your piggies will be fine when you are not there. They will get used to their new routine quickly. Create a little singsong and ritual for all the daily interactions; it helps your piggies to settle in more quickly when they know what is coming up. Guinea pigs listen more to the tone than the content of what you are saying, so having different melodies and calls can really help to structure their lives.

Without the situational context, it is very difficult to say what has prompted the loud wheeking. Mine do it whenever there is a rustling sound, the fridge door gets opened, I am chopping up food in the kitchen, the kitchen back door or when a nice grassy breeze comes through the window, not to mention food times coming up. The front door is only wheeker alarmed when nobody is in the house... when you enter, you are greeted by an enthusiastic/impatient chorus!

 

[berries]

I would recommend to split pellets and veg into two servings that can be eaten in one go in a bowl each per piggy (minimises dominance food hogging and messing up/peeing into the pellet bowl). Remove these bowls as soon as they are empty. It encourages your piggies to eat as much as hay as possible, which is the mainstay of their diet and which should make over 80% of their daily food intake

Just to clarify, are you recommending 1 serving of veg and 1 serving of pellets per day which would be given at the same time and each piggy would have their own 2 bowls and the rest of the 23 hours they would eat hay?

 

[Reenie]

Apart from when they think they might be getting something for their fat little tummies, mine also wheek at floor time; particularly if one gets out of sight of the others, or when I've taken one back up to their cage - it's like they're shouting out for each other.

 

[Wiebke]

Just to clarify, are you recommending 1 serving of veg and 1 serving of pellets per day which would be given at the same time and each piggy would have their own 2 bowls and the rest of the 23 hours they would eat hay?

You can serve once, or you can split the overall amount into two servings. I split my veg and pellets into a morning and evening serving.

 

[Sarah0555]

You can serve once, or you can split the overall amount into two servings. I split my veg and pellets into a morning and evening serving.

Since this post I’ve noticed they do now week for food now when I am in from work. I keep pellets out all the time though but realising after reading this again I should only put out at meal time?

 

[Wiebke]

Since this post I’ve noticed they do now week for food now when I am in from work. I keep pellets out all the time though but realising after reading this again I should only put out at meal time?

I would put pellets out only at mealtime. Guinea pigs should eat hay, hay, hay - the more, the better! Rather give them more hay than more pellets; your piggies will be healthier and live longer! With unlimited hay available at all time (and not just a poky hay rack), your piggies won't go hungry while you are out.

 

[Reenie]

I keep pellets for hand-feeding only now. It automatically limits the amount they get, and I get to spend a nice wee while with them interacting with them(knowing they'll be interested)

 

[Sarah0555]

I would put pellets out only at mealtime. Guinea pigs should eat hay, hay, hay - the more, the better! Rather give them more hay than more pellets; your piggies will be healthier and live longer! With unlimited hay available at all time (and not just a poky hay rack), your piggies won't go hungry while you are out.

Thanks! Yeah i have loads of Hay out everyday!

And i will try hand feeding them pellets too!