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Post by dee12 on Sept 29, 2012 15:11:45 GMT
hi im dee and in the next few days im going to be looking for a little piggy and i was wondering if any of you had any preferances on the sex of a piggy for eg one being more friendly than the other thanks xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 29, 2012 21:58:55 GMT
Hello and welcome! For first time owners, just get pigs willing to do some snuggling with you. Hold them for a while to make sure they don't bite, which while rare, some pigs do. I've had wonderful boars and sows. It totally depends on the individual pigs.
Pigs are very social animals, and need another a piggy pal for company. Puberty, pigs behaving badly time, is from about 3 months old to about 10-12 months old. If you get a pig that age, get the second pig at least a year old or older.
Cages are extremely important to have enough space. There are no pet store cages big enough, but if you have to buy one, buy the biggest one possible, usually advertised for rabbits. In our Wheekerpedia section, there's a housing thread with a lot of great housing ideas. Boars need more space, sometimes much more space, than sows. The age difference helps, but if you have very limited space, perhaps sows would be better.
Have fun looking for the perfect piggies. You will know them when you meet them!
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Post by dee12 on Sept 30, 2012 8:34:37 GMT
thankyou so much for all your info and taking your time to reply i already have the housing all sorted just need the little piggy i had them when i was younger but that was a little while ago now haha i was just thinking of getting the 1 but might consider 2 just wanted to have little piggy tame for my boys xx
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 30, 2012 12:09:35 GMT
A very warm welcome to our happy family love; you have a lot to look forward to having piggies in your life again. They don't like living alone so two would be better. Please keep us posted.
Hugs
JO xx
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Post by dee12 on Sept 30, 2012 20:27:45 GMT
thanks well i got my little piggy today hes called fynn i will see how he does by himself and if i think hes not happy then i will get him alittle friend to play with hes such a cutie i cant wait for him to stop hiding and come to say hello and thanks seems a really warm and friendly forum xx
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Whimsy
Bronze Member
Posts: 400
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Post by Whimsy on Oct 1, 2012 8:50:38 GMT
I also just got one guinea pig and I thought he seemed fine, but the more I read about it, the more I realized he needed a friend. As I said, he seemed fine being alone, but when I got a second pig I saw the difference. He is so much more active and they both seem happier. I really recommend that you get Fynn a friend.
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Post by dee12 on Oct 1, 2012 9:44:52 GMT
thankyou whimsy i will defo get him a little friend to play with xx
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Post by yodelpig on Oct 1, 2012 12:10:38 GMT
Hi and welcome! Please get him a friend! Any youngster will feel extra vulnerable as they have nobody to hide behind and snuggle into for comfort - and nobody to show them the ropes of piggy life. Make sure that he has a soft (safe) cuddly toy to snuggle into for now. www.guinealynx.info/companionship.html |
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 1, 2012 16:24:30 GMT
Pigs make the most of whatever situation they have, tiny cage, no friend, etc. Doesn't mean they are happy. Youngsters also need an older pig to teach them the ways. You'll be surprised to see how well he does with a piggy pal, versus being alone.
Once you find a piggy friend, don't forget the 21-day quarantine period. Your new guy can be in a temp cage on the other side of the room from your current boy, though it's best to put them in separate rooms. That way any illnesses or conditions he might have will show themselves and can be treated before the boys start sharing a cage, and you have to get both of them treated. It also give you and the newbie a chance to bond.
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Post by dee12 on Oct 5, 2012 16:21:33 GMT
well i got fynn a little friend hes called woody and i bought him from the same place i got fynn so they are in together straight away and they are both happy but now when i put my hand in to stroke them fynn starts chattering his teeth so now im a bit wary of picking them up to start handling them xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 6, 2012 1:03:41 GMT
Two pigs require a dominance hierarchy to be established, and that's what they're doing. They will rumble, and do a little side to side dance called strutting. They will chatter teeth and make dominance gestures at each other, until one backs down, and dominance is established. For now, don't take just one out of the cage, as it gives the other one domain over the cage, and starts the dominance struggle all over again. Get a box, basket or something that will hold them both with extra space, and use that to get them out of the cage for lap time.
They will settle in and settle down, and then you can start bonding with both boys!
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Post by dee12 on Oct 6, 2012 15:00:20 GMT
THE THING IS HE SEEMS FINE WITH WOODY HE DOES THE CHATTERING WITH ME HE DOES TRY AND GET ON WOODYS BACK AS IF HES TRYING TO MATE BUT WOODY IS DEFO A BOY I HAD MY FRIENDS BOYF TO HAVE A LOOK AND THEY ARE BOTH BOYS XX
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 6, 2012 15:25:43 GMT
Mounting, chattering, chasing, rearing their heads with mouths open to show teeth, etc., all parts of the dominance dance. Let them sort it. Once it's determined, they'll have time for you, but they have to settle that first!
Once it's settled, don't forget to use a conveyance for the first month or so, to remove both boys from the cage at the same time. Once dominance has been solidly established, they can get on with life!
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Post by dee12 on Oct 7, 2012 11:08:02 GMT
ok thankyou so much for all your advice xx
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Post by Jeannine on Oct 11, 2012 16:16:33 GMT
I had three girls who never had any arguments; the little one was the boss and the other two never challenged her. I'm sure the dominance struggle is hard to deal with but they should work it out in their piggy ways.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 16, 2012 13:43:19 GMT
Mr Darcy and Mrs Lacey Jane have the odd 'matrimonial' but they always settle down again. Please keep us posted love.
Hugs
JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 16, 2012 18:30:54 GMT
Momo is my smallest, and my most feisty. She's definitely the boss. I also know Mia pushes all her buttons as often as possible. Then when Momo gets dominant, Mia runs away crying. They are so much just like children!
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Post by yodelpig on Oct 16, 2012 20:10:57 GMT
Chattering means "I don't like this". Give the boys to settle down. they have probably not had any human contact before they came to you, so please take it slowly and just talk to them, then lure them over with treats once they have calmed down. That way, they will learn to associate your hand not just with painful chases and rough handling, but with nice things.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 17, 2012 14:30:04 GMT
I give mine a syringe of orange juice every morning, so they are used to taking liquids from a syringe. It is their favorite morning routine,and they get a daily dose of C that way. They don't like a lot of the meds, they don't fight the syringe. The nice thing about the syringe it that they don't have to get really close to you to get it, so they might try that even sooner than they will take veggies from you.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 18, 2012 14:04:24 GMT
That is a great idea 3piggles love, getting them used to the syringe.
You made me laugh about them being like children. I have often found that with people too that the smallest are the most feisty.
Hugs
JO xx
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