The Tale Of Luna The Guinea Pig

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Cavy Lover

Cavy Lover

Adult Guinea Pig
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Some of you already know that I recently got another piggy called Luna so I am going to share with you her story.

So I was originally planning to adopt but when I walked into a pet shop to get hay I noticed that there was two 5 week old guinea pigs. But the store owner was smoking right next to their hutch. I instantly didn't like her. I understand some of you guys may smoke but smoking in her own shop in front of animals is what I didn't like but she also didn't know much about guinea pig she didn't know what the boar was doing when he was rumble strutting and so on. I know I shouldn't have but I instantly said that I wanted to buy the female guinea pig. The guinea pig hadn't any pigloos or hideys just a pile of hay. She hadn't even sexed them properly and I had to tell her which was the girl and which was the boy. I really wanted to get all the animals but I obviously couldn't. I know I shouldn't have bought her but I just wanted her to have a proper life. The lady didn't even ask about where the pig would be living ( my hutches are clean and hygenic ) but still. I fell in love with her on the way home and decided to call her Luna.
Anyway she is getting on fine here. I have had her since Saturday and tomorrow she is going in with the other pigs for good. She is in the middle of being tamed and today I wrapped her up in a towel and chatted away to her like a lunatic. She also nibbled a little bit of cucumber from my hands. So she is definately progressing and I am quite confident that she will be a good little piggy. She is also a long haired and has a crest so she is shedding lots and likes tickles on her crest.
I don't know if I did the right thing but I love her and will never regret it.
I will post some pictures on this thread later as they are on my phone and I'm on the computer.
Do you think I did the wrong or right thing?
 
It's always hard trying to resist taking in a piggy from a shop especially when you can see they just aren't being cared for properly. Sometimes you just have to jump to get a piggy out of a bad situation, everyone is different. At least she now has a better chance at life.

I wouldn't put your new girl in with your others just yet. Most members will recommend quarantine for 10 days, separate living quarters and ideally a different room to ensure any signs of illness are given a chance to show up and can be dealt with. I'd agree with that too, as I've done this on all occasions at the urging of members here, it's very tempting to say oh they will be ok, but always worth erring on the side of caution, especially considering the environment your new piggy has come from.

Can't wait to see photo's too, have you thought of a name yet?
 
Her name is Luna.

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@Wiebke said she should be ready to put in with the others in another thread as she actually is getting along with them.
 
Cavy Lover said:
Her name is Luna.

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@Wiebke said she should be ready to put in with the others in another thread as she actually is getting along with them.
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Luna is a cutie - and there is sadly not much in the way of rescues in Ireland. :(

Once you have committed to an introduction and the guinea pigs have made it past the initial acceptance phase (which lasts about 15-30 minutes) into the dominance phase, you have to commit and sit it out unless the dominance phase is not going well and the whole group is very tense and getting anywhere, but there is no outright aggression. Otherwise you are being counterproductive and interrupting the bonding process which is already in full swing. ;)

I would recommend to open a thread in our pregnancy section and to read the guides in there, as there is a good chance that Luna could be pregnant if she was not kept gender separated.
 
Wiebke said:
Luna is a cutie - and there is sadly not much in the way of rescues in Ireland. :(

Once you have committed to an introduction and the guinea pigs have made it past the initial acceptance phase (which lasts about 15-30 minutes) into the dominance phase, you have to commit and sit it out unless the dominance phase is not going well and the whole group is very tense and getting anywhere, but there is no outright aggression. Otherwise you are being counterproductive and interrupting the bonding process which is already in full swing. ;)

I would recommend to open a thread in our pregnancy section and to read the guides in there, as there is a good chance that Luna could be pregnant if she was not kept gender separated.
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I know there isn't much rescues in Ireland. I didn't know guinea pigs could get pregnant at only 5 weeks. I will have look though. I have had accident pregnancies before and she isn't showing any signs.
 
Cavy Lover said:
I know there isn't much rescues in Ireland. I didn't know guinea pigs could get pregnant at only 5 weeks. I will have look though. I have had accident pregnancies before and she isn't showing any signs.
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Sows come into season for the first time between 4-6 weeks, boars come into their own between 3-5 weeks. You won't see anything until the last ca. 3 weeks of a roughly 10 week pregnancy. Until you know one way or the other (and a vet won't be able to tell you reliably any earlier either), you will have to treat her as potentially pregnant. We see a fair number of baby mums on this forum due to not separating early enough or to mis-sexing. :(
 
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