Stress in piggies

[RosieLily]

Hi all, hope everything's well with you.

Last night I got back from a 1,5 day trip. It was the third one I've been on, it's a small family getaway. Each time the pigs have plenty of hay, multiple water bottles, so food-wise they're okay. But they always seem to get stressed when I'm away - they bicker with one another, are a bit grumpy overall, Lily doesn't groom herself as much as she normally does and this time I'm noticing some tummy issues as well, in both of them (very faint complaining noises when using the bathroom).

I'm worried. Their diets have been very consistent, but I noticed that they didn't drink as much water as they normally do when I was away and their poos also gave away signs of dehydration (teardrop shape). So I gave them more cucumber and left other veggies wet from washing.

What experiences do you have? Should I see if their tummies pick up again or book a vet appointment? We had one right before my trip and all was well.. :/

 

[Piggies&buns]

A few questions -
Who looks after them while you are away?
Do they stay in your house or do they go elsewhere to be looked after?
Other than their poops, how can you tell they didn’t drink so much, if their bottles were refreshed daily.
Have you weighed them since you have been back and compared it to the previous weight check?

 

[RosieLily]

A few questions -
Who looks after them while you are away?
Do they stay in your house or do they go elsewhere to be looked after?
Other than their poops, how can you tell they didn’t drink so much, if their bottles were refreshed daily.
Have you weighed them since you have been back and compared it to the previous weight check?

The pigs were alone at my home, I have a baby cam that I constantly check up on them with. So if anything happened, I'd know.

The bottles I'd washed properly before the trip and filled to the top, I know how much they normally drink and they drank half of that amount.

And yes, they both were close to 30g lighter. Their weights are very consistent so the drop makes me feel uneasy as well.

 

[Piggies&buns]

And you were gone for 5 days, have I read that correctly?

Do you not have a friend or neighbour who can come in and check on them while you are away in future? Id be concerned leaving them for more than 24 hours without having someone come and refresh their hay and water daily - water which has sat for more than 12-24 hours would be less appealing to drink and they tend to pick out their favourite bits from hay so if it isn’t refreshed daily then it’s possible they didn’t fancy what was left.
I know they appreciate each other’s company more than human company but they will be so used to you being there and for you to be gone and nobody check on them may be a source of stress

 

[RosieLily]

And you were gone for 5 days, have I read that correctly?

Do you not have a friend or neighbour who can come in and check on them while you are away in future? Id be concerned leaving them for more than 24 hours without having someone come and refresh their hay and water daily - water which has sat for more than 12-24 hours would be less appealing to drink and they tend to pick out their favourite bits from hay so if it isn’t refreshed daily then it’s possible they didn’t fancy what was left.
I know they appreciate each other’s company more than human company but they will be so used to you being there and for you to be gone and nobody check on them may be a source of stress

No no, I'd never stay away for that long. I stayed away for 1,5 days. I've had them for over a year and my point was this is the third time I've stayed away for that long.

I hate leaving them and I was a nervous wreck the entire trip, but I don't really have anybody in my life who would go and check on them, unless it's an emergency. Hay wasn't a problem, I left plenty of it and most of it was stored away in hay bags I made for them that I hang from the top so it wouldn't get dirty. The water I 100% agree on, I genuinely didn't think it'd be a problem since they had plenty of bottles.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Oh sorry is that comma denoting a half (we would use a full stop!) so 1.5 days - a day and a half?

if they’ve lost 30g in a day and a half then that is considered a normal daily fluctuation. It may be out of character for them though so I would definitely keep an eye on them and weigh them daily now you are back just to see what happens.
If this happens every time you go away and never at any other time, then I would think it is due to the change they experience with you not being there

 

[weepweeps]

I think they just missed you. Piggies do like a routine. I’m away on holiday at the moment and I know my two will probably lose a little weight by the time I get back. Bless them. They are sensitive little souls.

 

[Black piggies]

If I've had a pet sitter go in feeding twice a day, usually just a long weekend, I feel the piggies are a bit nervous when we get back. When we're here it's as though we're a bit of a nuisance to the pigs unless bearing treats, but I think the piggies miss us when we're gone. Tricky to know how to avoid. Maybe TV / lights on a timer.

 

[Free Ranger]

If you're anything like me perhaps you feed veggie treats in bits and bobs throughout a normal day which they won't get when you are away. Might this account for a few grams less in weight? It's probably just the routine though... I don't think 1.5 days away is too long if their house is secure.
(I'd keep an eye on the faint noises when toileting just in case this is an unfortunate coincidence though!)