Proud to have home 3 piggies, intro and question, and literally just heard chirping. Is this bad?

Yep! Sadly, the odds of working out for the long term aren’t in their favour so it’s always a case of prepare for the worst but hope for the best
 
Yeah for sure. That’s the mindset I have gone with. It’s up to the piggies now to let them decide who they want to be with.

also resting the urge to want to start handling them and trying to hand them their veggies. The right time will come when they have had a week to settle.
 
The best place to start is by offering veg from your hand - they may take it straight away, it may take weeks (or a year and a half in the case of one of my piggies) but if they feel safe enough to take food from you, then they trust you!
 
My nerves are calming today as the day goes. The piggies have finally been attacking the water bottle. I could see one figuring it out turning his head each side to get a good position on it earlier. Now they all been having big drinks. The nozzle points down not diagonal so likely took a bit of learning.

I hope I can tempt them later with some lettuce and prove I’m not a scary person at all. I have to collect a few packages later but new scales have come along with my poop vacuum. I hope they don’t mind it too much but I do have a little shovel if I need.

I’ve been watching guides on piggy nail clipping. Were all fine when I first put them in cage but I do need to be confident. I think I have 2 black feet out of 12 to deal with rest clear nails.

ill Order some of that septic powder before I do it first time anyway. I also saw some care guides that put ivermectin on pig ear once was it quarterly or so. Are there any other potions I should perhaps consider getting?

the vet I settled on is one in Camden as is on the forum vet located. A royal hospital or something. It says to call for exotic ref and the website form only had space for 2 animals so that’s Monday job. Hopefully they can advise any further piggy treatments needed throughout year to keep them tip top.
 
Please don’t apply ivermectin unless advised by the vet. Doing so can lead to parasites building up immunity to the meds = not working when they do need it. Piggies don’t need any ‘treatments’ throughout the year. You just need to make sure that they are eating plenty of hay, and keep fruits, carrots and high calcium veg to a minimum.

Get them booked in for a check at the vet as well. Otherwise you should be all set to go. If you want to see how nails are trimmed you can always ask your vet/vet nurse to show you. You can also use cornflour to stop the bleeding. That’s what I have/use anyway.
 
You do not need to treat them with ivermectin preventatively, it really isn’t recommended at all. You only treat with ivermectin if you have a confirmed case of parasites as confirmed by a vet. You then need to give vet prescribed treat,ent as part of a course.

Pet shop ivermectin products are not strong enough to deal with an active infestation, you cannot diagnose parasites yourself. Plus, one treatment here and there wouldnt cure a problem anyway as treatment only kills live mites, not the eggs, so the eggs then hatch and then you’ve got an infestation again. Regular treating as a preventative can mean resistance to the treatment forms and then when you really do need it, it won’t work.
 
Thanks again. Sorry I keep thinking if questions when I read guides and watch more videos. I won’t look any further into the ivermectin based on your advice, many thanks.

I am determined to just not fail them in any way, good health long life is what we can all hope for. I can try to relax a bit and focus on other things. There is too much research sometimes. I tend to get quite involved in things and as I mentioned it raised more questions.

on a happy note another new fleece delivered today it’s so snug I can’t wait to put it in on change day. Has the 3 layers in one and I got some fleece pads to go under the houses too for even more absorbency. All washable. Currently have newspaper then dispose pads and then fleece on top, so all in one going to be better and less waste. I’ve kinda gone overboard with everything I have got for them but so worth it if it’s for their benefit. Piggie shopping is addictive isn’t it lol!
 
Please don’t worry about asking questions! We would rather you did ask if you are unsure on something!

make sure you wash the fleece multiple times (with just detergent, no fabric softener) to get it to wick before you put it in the piggies cage
 
Thank I’ll do a cycle tonight. The fleece guide said 30 and just my persil going in. And hang to dry. Interesting how it learns to wick after washes. I’ll test after a few with a bit of water and watch the science!

the fleeces are guineadad make-so will wash them all
 
Another thought

I think the Evian which I been using in the water has too much calcium. Any minearl water that’s better for pigs? Water is hard water I don’t drink tap water here.

if I did get a water filter for two. I presume I don’t refrigerate piggy water be too cold for them. I myself don’t like to chill drinks doesn’t do the system any good.
 
I finally decided on the best layout of room for piggies and their c and c. Of course it gives me the most amount of work and stuff to move about lol but it going to make this place for both me and the pigs really good.

I have a lockdown project !

my new weighing scales for the piggies have arrivedso there’s that to do later. I am looking for weight gain each week rather than no gain or a drop to indicate possible issues so have a diary for thaT.
 
Did the first weight. The pigs weighed 85-97g if I weighed them right. New scales. Is that about right? I got a few photos of them in the scales. I put new fleece in cage as it was ready. They have been running about and popcorning last 10 mins. One moment I smiled at. I was reattaching a water band one came up and started to drink as I held it there. Then screwed it back in when he was off.

I have a new chew hidey which one is already enjoying and munching on.

I also knocked over ceramic bowl and am one bowl less now :(

they’re off again zooming.
 
I think you need to weigh them again.
Those weights are what you’d expect of newborn babies, not piggies of 9 weeks old (I think you said they were born on 2 sept)
 
I must have done something wrong somehow. I’ll test the scales with something I know weight of like my iPhone or something. One didn’t enjoy the pick up he did let out a scream.
 
Did you pick them up using a carrier - box, hidey etc? Its easier to herd them into something and then pick them up from there rather than pick up straight from the cage (that usually scares them)
 
No but I will next time. I picked up box he was hiding under and scooped him up, he struggled a bit so I had to make sure he didn’t leave my hands as I transferred. The other 2 were much easier. I have big tube tunnels so will go for the approach like in the guide video next time. If I can herd each one in. Cause they are small I’m going to be worried light hurt them trying to pick up
 
Guineaboarpig said:
No but I will next time. I picked up box he was hiding under and scooped him up, he struggled a bit so I had to make sure he didn’t leave my hands as I transferred. The other 2 were much easier. I have big tube tunnels so will go for the approach like in the guide video next time. If I can herd each one in. Cause they are small I’m going to be worried light hurt them trying to pick up
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they will get used to it. Offer them something nice in whatever you use - a nice piece of coriander or something.

My boys are so used to their carrier now that all I have to do is put it down in their cage and they both walk straight in to it.
 
That would be the best. Put their carrier down with a towel in and have all 3 run in. That’s good to try with veggies in and tempt them.

they seem to be much more active now. They’ve spent the last few days just hiding and only coming out occasionally. But I have witnessed mild Dominonce from one mounting another. If i get up and walk near cage they just freeze for a moment and then carry on. Lots of squeaking tonight.
 
Guineaboarpig said:
That would be the best. Put their carrier down with a towel in and have all 3 run in. That’s good to try with veggies in and tempt them.
Click to expand...
Eddie and Elvis learnt surprisingly quickly that the Magic Travelling Tube takes them nice places for floor and lawn time. Sometimes there's a race to see who can get in first! 🤣🤣
 
Lol! Yeah so associate their transport to weighing with extra treat of some veg that will be the plan then I’m sure they will go willingly.

I can see that who I thought would want to be top pig has he was one who did a bit of mounting. The one who he mounted just seemed to do nothing and then it quietened down. The nice clean fleece is now a hay laid mess. And the guineadad pig house already on its side lol. They have had a big run it’s such a joy to see and running through the tunnels like a Olympic show jumping course.
 
I would scatter feed the pellets. I used to use bowls for my piggies (2 pairs) but then started scatter feeding which they really seem to enjoy.
 
Does seem fun to have food scattered about for them to find. And the different places to have them in different areas for eating so there is never a lack of access to food. Keeping things tidy seems futile anyway!

So far I’m like

A clean cage lasts maybe 5 minutes
Piggies running and jumping is such fun to watch. Jumping on the spot and turning is funny.
They run so fast, I’d never catch them if we were in the wild
there are soooo many poops already! And from these really small piggies! Glad I have my scooper
Piggie houses go from upright to side on to upside down during the day.
topping up an area of hay has already started to gain me attention. there may be hay elsewhere but as soon as more fresh comes its like zero’d in on.
 
I have this chewable tunnel has 3 exits. Of course on one of my piggies is hiding in it for rest with their bum sticking out likely thinking they won’t be seen!

All the things I’m getting to hear and see is being so good.
Despite a few piles of hay they seem to like the hay rack and associate it as a food station they were all eating around it together. As I filled it up this morning one let out a single wheek, and 2 were eating it during the refill too. Although it goes from rack to floor of cage in no time. I haven’t seen any behaviour of blocking access but then there are different areas each can eat and drink of it happens if I am asleep
I feel much happier having seen them running around, popcorning and enjoying their environment more. I’ve got my eye on the more dominant one, bit despite last nights display of mounting both his brothers here has been nothing more.

9 wheeks old tomorrow! Expect they will grow a fair bit in the next month as they move to 3+ months.
 
Some brief Rumble strutting tonight from my dominant guy. I could see him making his rear bigger. I think this is where he scents the floor? Then the piggies were all speed running around the cage having a mad moment. It’s like same time as yesterday. Overall they do seem quite happy.

they were all sleeping when I went out earlier. 1 seems to love the chewable tunnel. Other 2 were in seperate houses. Having a space each can go does seem invaluable.

I thought I heard a bit of teeth chattering bit might have been a leg scratching fast or something else . I have observed and didn’t see anything. May have misheard. Again I’ve not witnessed anything that appears aggressive as the ones being dominated just seem to accept it And then move away
then all is calm.

I guess it’s no different to when I exerted my authority over my younger brother growing up. In a different way of course.

I’m glad I figured out who the piggie who wants to be dominant is. I am guessing if there is ever an issue he would be the one that would need to be moved?
 
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