Piggie help!

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Alyy

Alyy

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Hi :)p

I haven't been on for aaaagges although I did a fair amount of lurking! The 2 pigs I was going to take on didn't happen..

But ...my auntie is trying to find a home for her long boar, George. She took him on after her neighbours left him in a 2ft nasty hutch for months after buying him and ignoring him, he's lead a cushy life since! But my auntie is struggling to pay for the hay :( so she thinks it's better he goes to another home.

I have offered ;) my mom needed zilch convincing and although my dad is still saying no, no one is listening! :)) I literally have everything from when my rabbits were spayed/neutered and needed low sided litter trays and hay racks. Loads of hidey houses that the rabbits are too big for, spare bowls and bottles and a ridiculous amount of exercise runs and pens..! etc.

I understand pigs are better with bottles rather than bowls?) and hay? I buy enough of it as 2 of my rabbits are on a hay only diet so he'll never be low on it :) Hay for pets.. baled hay.. The Range hay sometimes .. yadayada!

My question is this -

I want to get him neutered, I don't know how old he is though so does age matter? Would having a male/male combo work.. I know he's laid back but also that males are hard to bond. Would a female/male be easier? ...

Of course, this means if I get him we need to get him from Liverpool to Tamworth :)) well.. he's actually in St Helens! We're having a party in 2 weeks for my grandma's 80th so I'm crossing my fingers that my uncle will bring him down when they come! :<>
 
Piggies are better with water bottles as they would turn over a water bowl popcorning around. They need unlimited hay and plenty of veggies and then good quality pellets. Hay and veggies are the most important part of a piggies diet. If you are pairing him with another male there would be no need to neuter. In my opinion you would be better taking boar dating. A rescue would pair him with another male for you and make sure they are getting on before you take them home. Regards neutering any op carries complications so the older they are the bigger the risk. Not sure the cut off point as i've never had to have a male neutered as all my boys are in pairs etc... :)
 
degu_rock said:
Piggies are better with water bottles as they would turn over a water bowl popcorning around. They need unlimited hay and plenty of veggies and then good quality pellets. Hay and veggies are the most important part of a piggies diet. If you are pairing him with another male there would be no need to neuter. In my opinion you would be better taking boar dating. A rescue would pair him with another male for you and make sure they are getting on before you take them home. Regards neutering any op carries complications so the older they are the bigger the risk. Not sure the cut off point as i've never had to have a male neutered as all my boys are in pairs etc... :)
Click to expand...

It's going to be strange veg wise as my rabbits only get herbs and even that is once a week maybe :)) Need to make a separate shopping list! Unlimited hay is not a problem as I clean the rabbits out daily (the outdoor pair live in a shed/run set up & I worry about the flies) then overload them with hay throughout the day! Probably why it costs me so much..!

I've been reading that the timothy variety of hay is better for pigs? I can buy timothy and rye from hay for pets again, I have meadow hay (the baled hay) and also ings from h4p so a variety!

My buns have science selective, so would the guinea pig version be okay? I started reading about it in the food section but the percentages and things were boggling me haha!

Need to find a local rescue.. I don't think RSPCA Coventry is far from us.
 
Hi!

- up to 80% of the daily food intake should be hay to keep the guts working well and the crucial back teeth ground down. Meadow hay is also perfectly fine! Timothy hay is lowest in calcium and most easily processed. Piggies just need to a little bit more of other hays. Please don't feed alfalfa/lucerne; that is very high in calcium.

- ca. 50g of mixed veg in as many portions as you like. Please include one veg high in vitamin C daily (like a slice of pepper of any colour, some broccoli (any part) or a sprig of fresh coriander/cilantro, parsley, dill, basil or mint. Please rotate between these. Unlike rabbits, guinea pigs can't produce their own vitamin C.
Here are links to what veg they can have:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?42-Guinea-Pig-Shopping-List
http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

- pellets preferably to muesli. Please buy guinea pig pellets and not rabbit pellets; those two species have very different vitamin needs. Science selective is perfectly fine as is Burgess.

- fresh water daily. A bottle is much better!

As you do not know your boy's age, I would recommend you to contact RNGP Welfare rescue in Rugby. I am sure that your boy will be able to find a mate of his own liking there! Tracy allows you to bring him for dating under her expert supervision, so you will only come home with a piggy that works out, whatever the gender, as she is the only rescue in Britain that has spayed sows if any of her boars don't work out. Bonding can be quite tricky, especially if you are not experienced with piggies. As far as I know, RSPCA Coventry don't do boar dating. The key to any successful partnership is character compatibility and mutual liking. I can most warmly recommend her; currently, I have three piggies of hers living with me. http://www.rngp.org/

If you'd rather go down the neutering route, the best vet for that is Simon Maddock at the Cat&Rabbit clinic in Northampton; he does all the neutering and spaying for Rugby and is one of the best guinea pig specialists in our region. I use him myself for anything that involves GA, dentals and mystery problems.
http://www.catandrabbit.co.uk/html/contact_us.html
 
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Oohh thanks Wiebke :)

I've heard about Tracy from the rabbit forum, Rugby isn't overly far from me, around 45 minutes I think :)

I know that neutering doesn't have the same hormone reducing effect as with rabbits, does it have any health benefits?

RE mineral blocks - are they needed? They're pointless for rabbits but do pigs need them?
 
Neutering doesn't generally have any major health benefits apart from neutered boars; with boars it just takes away the ability to make babies, so a boar can live with one or more sows.
Spaying can prevent problems with ovarian cysts, but on the other side, it is a major operation with all the risks involved, so it is usually only undertaken for medical reasons. There are also now slowly more alternative treatments for a cyst problem available than just a spay. Unlike rabbit does, piggy sows don't have a specific cancer problem that can be prevented by a spay.

Generally, neutering (which is a much less invasive operation) is mostly done by rescues to give single boars a broader chance of finding a new companion, as they can go with both genders that way. Alternatively, some rescues specialise in bonding boars of any age; when carefully done, a boar bond can be as stable as a sow bond. We don't have a rescue close by that offers full residential boar bonding, though, but even a "speed dating" meet and greet session to find a candidate your boy clicks with will reduce the risk of fall-outs between boars significantly, as all boys where there is an instant dislike/dominance fight or excessive humping problem won't come home with you.

Mineral blocks are the same as with rabbits - not necessary with a good balanced diet!

Tracy has rabbits, too! :)
 
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Ahh, interesting to know :D I'm really mean regarding neutering/spays with my rabbits. Once I could pay for it myself and Poppy was fighting fit, I had her spayed :)) the cancer risk is too big with them and it's preventable. Same with Lola and the boys!

I'm thinking guinea pigs won't give me as much of a heart attack :)) I'm excited! I want a vocal pet, apparently he's quite the popcorn'er! The rabbits just expect hay all the time, once they have that they ignore me hehe!
 
I took one of mine boar dating and it took two attempts to find his new best buddy but he found one he loves and they are the best of friends :) Piggies see you as a walking feeder, mine shout every time they see me as think they can get me to open the fridge :))
 
I'd rather not comment on the heart attack moments... ;)

But they can be VERY vocal indeed! Mine are the perfect burglar alarm - any door you open will set the whole wheeking choir off! Mine have even figured out when I get up and when it's me coming down the stairs...
 
I have to sneak down to let the cat out in the night as even when its still dark i hear a distant wheek?!? :))
 
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