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Post by 3piggles on Jan 9, 2021 20:22:44 GMT
Ooh, I love when they act that way, so full of life and personality Happy Birthday, Tissue
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Seffy
Tin Member
Posts: 116
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Post by Seffy on Jan 18, 2021 1:27:00 GMT
Oops! Sorry about that! It was probably my lack of sleep. LOL.
Happy birthday Tissue!
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Post by Bean on Mar 31, 2021 7:15:22 GMT
The pigs had their first afternoon outside on the lawn yesterday, and were happy as Larry about it! It looks like they'll get another run today (and then not for a while from the looks of it) so I'll charge up my camera and try to remember to take some pictures.
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Post by 3piggles on Mar 31, 2021 20:35:03 GMT
Glad they had a chance to graze on the fresh grass I can't wait to have some grass for them to graze on! I hope tomorrow is another chance for them to get outside. Some bad weather coming after that, I figure, if you don't think they'll get out again, for a while.
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Post by Bean on Apr 1, 2021 8:19:40 GMT
I didn't have time for a proper session, but managed to grab a couple of quick shots. Reginald when I got in the run "What are you doing in here? You're clearly not a guinea pig." The closest I got to one of the trio together. I think Biscuit's sending me a clear message by staring at the wall behind her! Tissue (always the most excitable about outdoor time!).
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 1, 2021 20:45:55 GMT
Tissue still looks like a baby. She just has that fluffy look about her <3 Great to see them outside enjoying themselves They are a gorgeous group <3
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Post by Bean on Apr 2, 2021 7:48:07 GMT
When I was carrying her outside, I did think she seemed especially fluffy!
Part of me still wishes they could all be together, as when she looks longingly at them running around together, I feel sad for her. But then I remind myself she'd make them all cry and fly at their cute little faces with her teeth bared, and I reassure myself things are as they need to be!
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 2, 2021 23:10:32 GMT
Some just don't have the social skills, as my Momo didn't. Not much can be done, unless they can be matched with someone new. I'm getting too old to keep adding to my herd and cages, until I have everyone settled with the right piggies. I've been lucky. Momo was my only social misfit, and as a single pig, she was such a lovey girl <3
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Post by Bean on May 16, 2021 7:49:58 GMT
So we had a theory that now the other girls are firmly bonded in their group, it was worth a try with Tissue as the dynamics might be different in that they might not let her push them all around.
Set it all up yesterday with a big area with lots of hay piles and veg. For an hour or so things were calm. Tissue would occasionally see someone off, but it was all pretty low key. It was Reggie I was most concerned about as she's definitely the alpha pig of the group. Biscuit's a wuss and Bertie's just very laid back, so I didn't see either of them actually coming to blows with her.
Anyway, Tissue finally started to up the ante and was chasing them all round, occasionally snapping at them when she wanted them to move. At one point she was chasing Reggie, who was just moving away from the aggro rather than challenging her. But then Bertie came flying out of a box where she'd been getting some peace, and started puffing herself up and fronting up to Tissue as if she were defending everyone else! Things escalated pretty quickly in a manner requiring dustpan intervention, and we knew we needed to call it a day (or call time on the whole idea of Tissue ever learning some social skills!). After a generous serving of freshly picked grass everyone calmed down. But yeah, Bertie surprised us there!
So not really a success, but worth a go!
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Post by 3piggles on May 18, 2021 19:49:10 GMT
That's too bad Tissue did so well for so long. I wonder what set her off? Bertie was the boss pig when it came to dealing with Tissue. Sometimes the quiet ones really surprise us. The general opinion was that once a meet and greet went all wrong, the pigs remembered, and wouldn't be willing to give it another try. Mia definitely knew she's had it with Momo. That never changed Morty was always wiling to have a conversation with Momo through the bars, but I think he was the problem. I think the girls came to blows over being with him singularly, and Momo lost Sad, because he liked having both of them around. He was getting older, and they were younger and full of pep. He liked that. Kept life interesting. Do you think you'll try again, or did this tell you it's not going to work? I just wish I knew what set off Tissue?
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Post by Bean on May 19, 2021 7:06:02 GMT
I thought the best chance of Tissue integrating was if they all largely ignored her bullying really, and she just had the chance to get it out of her system and then find a new way of interacting. If someone challenges her, she'll not back down and she's a big pig who's not afraid to use her teeth! It was worth a go, but it just feels on a different level to my previous introductions.
Tissue was more subdued for a couple of days after the ruckus and there's been less mixing at the border since too. Usually I feel like they all get a lot from that. It was niggling me thinking we could be missing the chance of her having company with the new set up (she'd never met Reg and Bertie before, just all the old ones) but I think I can put that to rest!
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Post by 3piggles on May 19, 2021 13:21:36 GMT
Sounds reasonable. That's the way I felt after trying to get Momo back with Mia and Morty. The more Morty was friendly with Momo, the more resentful Mia got. Not going to work
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Post by Bean on May 24, 2021 7:46:10 GMT
At the same time we did the intros, we removed the low correx wall to make it easier for them to mingle, and could probably have used leaving it until after they'd settled down!
Biscuit, who is usually totally intimidated by Tissue, is taking advantage of the grids dividing them and keeps going up to her and chattering aggressively - she'd run a mile if you took it away! So Biscuit and Tissue have spent a while chuntering discontentedly and chattering at each other up at the border.
Bertie sometimes hears this commotion and flies out of her box to see if there's anything she needs to do, but she and Reginald have been okay with Tissue since, although they didn't seek her out as much for some time. Anyway things seem to be getting back to normal, but it definitely stirred things up!
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Post by 3piggles on May 24, 2021 16:20:11 GMT
Anything that happens to them out of the ordinary shakes things up, so it's not surprising. If anything, it's surprising Tissue waited as long as she did to act out. I wonder what, if anything set her off? They're back where they belong. Once they've gotten passed the 'issues' everything should sort out. I think it's funny Biscuit is taunting Tissue, knowing she's safe. Little brat, lol Glad everything is getting back to normal
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Post by Bean on May 25, 2021 7:45:26 GMT
Haha! It's probably therapy for Biscuit, exorcising the demons caused by years of being bullied by Tissue! I didn't see her doing it at all yesterday, so hopefully she's made progress.
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Post by Bean on Jul 10, 2021 7:09:38 GMT
Reginald has been driving Bertie nuts for the last couple of days with her hormonal prowling and mounting. Reg is ignoring Biscuit but poor Bertie spends much of the day with Reggie on her back and from her vocalisations, she's quite clearly unimpressed! It's funny though, after seeing Bertie go ape attacking Tissue, I thought she might lose patience with Reggie, but she's all bark and no bite there, and will happily snuggle with Reg when she's having a few minutes off pestering her (which of course I'm pleased about!).
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 2, 2021 14:46:41 GMT
They definitely respond to things we can't see, hear or smell, but they can. A lot of guinea pig behavior is probably perfectly normal to them, but really odd to us. It would be interesting to know what made Bertie go off on Tissue that way, though. It might be something you could change, if you knew what it was.
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Post by Bean on Aug 3, 2021 7:01:14 GMT
I'd still have the other two to deal with (in terms of getting them to accept Tissue) and I think that boat has long sailed!
Reg hasn't been harrassing Bertie again, and we're back to lovely interactions between Tissue and the group - they go to see her lots and she joins in with any zoomies, popcorning and rumbling going on in the main cage. Tissue and Biscuit quite often snuggle up in the corner to sleep, and I've seen them grooming each other through the grids too (one of them has to be lying right up against them for the other to poke their noise through!). So all is well!
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 3, 2021 20:19:44 GMT
I think you're right about that ship sailing. It would just be so much easier for us to help them, if we knew what they were thinking and feeling. Not going to happen, obviously, but nice wishful thinking Aw, it's nice they cuddle up and groom each other. Those grids don't pose a huge barrier to pigs who want to spend time together, but protect all the pigs from anyone with emotional problems.
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Post by Bean on Aug 4, 2021 6:44:04 GMT
We have some other grids (I have way too many in the shed, I should pass some on!) where the gaps are much smaller, and some which are more like mesh. The current ones are definitely the best for this set up.
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