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Post by emyliine on Oct 8, 2018 4:25:47 GMT
Well I made that frantic medical help post so I figured it was time to introduce my boys properly. PeaBee and Jay. (PeaBee is also PB, Peebs, Naughty Boy, and Dumper. Jay is Jay.) PB, if it wasn't obvious, is the one with some peanut butter colored spots. Jay is the black and white Abyssinian.  Here's a short video I took of their veggie feeding time: woodland-wisp.tumblr.com/post/178842822672 |
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 9, 2018 2:50:01 GMT
Aw, they're gorgeous 🤗
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Post by Bean on Oct 9, 2018 7:12:20 GMT
Aww they are total cuties!
The video is sweet, but I did have a chuckle at the filming style - nice feet haha!
How are they both doing? They certainly look well!
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Post by emyliine on Oct 10, 2018 19:07:53 GMT
They're doing better! Eating well, much more energy... they're still sneezing though, even Jay, who has been on his medication for almost a week. I don't know whether that should have stopped by now or not.
I tried to clip Jay's toenails yesterday and BOY... that did not go well XD he was nooot on board with the idea. I only managed to clip the nails on one of his back feet. I'm thinking I'll try again tonight but... I don't know HOW I'll clip Peab's nails oh lord.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 10, 2018 20:05:36 GMT
Great news about the boys' health. Did the vet find much mucus in Jay's nose, or do either of them have runny noses? If not, it is possible they have allergies. This is an allergy time of year, and after a pretty allergy free summer, I'm sneezing. One of my girls and one of my boys used to get hay fever. You could try changing the type of hay you're using. Just buy a small bag of a different type of hay. I know Bedford Gardens have bags of all sorts of different types of hays you can try. Blue Seal Feeds also has some different ones, such as meadow hay, hay with flowers in it, not timothy, and not alfalfa. I can't remember if Agway has hay assortments in small bags, but they might. Last time I bought one at Bedford Farms, which is the most expensive place, I think it was $3.99 per bag. That way you can get the existing hay out of the cage, try them with a different variety, and see if that stops the sneezing. Even if it doesn't, you've got some good specialty hay they'll really enjoy  Please take Jay back to the vet for a follow up visit, once all the Baytril is gone. The only pig I ever lost to a URI was one the vet never said to bring back, so I didn't  |
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Post by bazookagoof on Oct 11, 2018 1:16:35 GMT
They're doing better! Eating well, much more energy... they're still sneezing though, even Jay, who has been on his medication for almost a week. I don't know whether that should have stopped by now or not. I tried to clip Jay's toenails yesterday and BOY... that did not go well XD he was nooot on board with the idea. I only managed to clip the nails on one of his back feet. I'm thinking I'll try again tonight but... I don't know HOW I'll clip Peab's nails oh lord. This has been discussed before, and we've come up with various solutions:
1. Hold up some snack by the cage, and when your piggy stands up to eat, clip the nails that show through the bars of the cage. 2. Put the piggy on a tennis racket, and clip his nails from underneath. 3. Take the piggy to a vet and have them do it.
It's always a big deal at my house, and it takes a few days to get both piggies done. One piggy always fusses, and the other one has nails so tiny that it's difficult to trim them properly.
I also recall reading somewhere that someone (not on this board, I think) had some sort of rough stone place just under the water bottle, and when his piggies would climb up to drink, their nails would wear down from the stone naturally.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 11, 2018 20:52:12 GMT
With my lousy eyesight, I vote for taking them to the vet. It is expensive, though, and finding a vet who cares not to make bleeders can be really difficult. I've taken mine to the allegedly best cavvy vets in the state, and all of them caused bleeders, so the pigs weren't happy about it.
Hubby and I do their nails together. He holds the pig with hands and feet pointed toward me, and I clip their nails. Quick, relatively easy despite squirming pigs, and free.
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Post by Bean on Oct 12, 2018 7:46:10 GMT
Younger pigs often don't need their nails cutting much as they stay quite short and pointy for some months. So it's a good time to get them used to being handled and for you to get used to how them move too, so you can find a good hold that's comfortable for them but keeps them still.
A lot of it really is just practise. I've trimmed the nails of a few guinea pigs belonging to friends because they've sworn they have pigs that are impossible to hold for nail clips, but after a few decades or reading pigs, I've had them done in a couple of minutes with minimal fuss. (I think it annoys them, even though they're happy it's done!) Sometimes giving them something to nibble distracts them from withdrawing their paws!
Clipping a wriggle rabbit's nails though? No thanks!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 16, 2018 13:01:42 GMT
I always take ours to the vet nurse. they do a great job and it doesn't cost as much as the vet.
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Post by emyliine on Oct 17, 2018 2:28:45 GMT
Update:
They're doing better! PB (sometimes) lets me pet him without running away! He has to be eating something though haha. The two of them are still taking their medicine but that will end this week and then they're back at the vet on Sunday to find out if they're cured.
PB is so picky it's difficult. Jay eats everything but PB turns his nose up at kale, zucchini, and cucumber. The only thing I've gotten him to eat is green leaf lettuce and red pepper.
Also both of them chew the bars of their cage INCESSANTLY. I've gotten them a few different chewing toys but they ignore them and just want the bars! I even got them a willow bundle thinking the small sticks simulated the bars and they would like that but nope. Anybody know good chewing toys? Preferably something vertical, maybe that will stick to the side of the cage since they seem to prefer chewing there.
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Post by Bean on Oct 17, 2018 7:41:19 GMT
I'm so glad your boys are doing better, and hope they get the all clear at the weekend. It's good that Jay has a good appetite and hopefully PB will eventually try things - some pigs just are more reluctant. It sounds like Jay hoovers everything up, so it's easy enough for you to keep offering them both things without there being any waste. Do they just bite the cage bars when you're around and they think there might be food, or is it pretty much non-stop? Cage biting can be related to boredom or lack of space, but unfortunately, some do just like the noise it makes, or the attention it brings! If there's one place they tend to chew, you could hang a hay rack up there? Mine like chewing pine cones (bake them first if you're worried about what might be in them!) so you could hang those up? Or if you have something like an apple tree that hasn't been treated with anything, a branch from that would be very pleasing for them to chew! Most of the things I give my lot are free, but I do buy them these wicker tunnels as they absolutely love chewing them to bits.  Balls made from similar stuff go down well too (although someone gave mine some of those willow sticks once, and mine ignored them too!). The thing mine spend the most time chewing is probably the upturned cardboard boxes I use for hideys. Where I cut the doorways out apparently begs to be nibbled! Hopefully you can distract them out of this habit. |
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 17, 2018 20:19:44 GMT
Excellent news about the boys health! I hope emthey both get a clean bill of health from the vet!
Bean is right about boredom chewing. My Oodles chews the bars when I'm taking too long (in her opinion) to get their treats to them.
I agree with the suggestion to put a hay holder or something where they chew. Also, if that doesn't stop the chewing, try covering the cage bars with something like Lexan, they can't chew through.
Pigs love toys they can hide in, chew, and play through. I have a cardboard box in the cage with doors cut in each end, and windows for light. They bounce that box all over the cage, chew it constantly, chase each other through it, and sleep in it.
You can also drape a towel over part of the cage, so they can hide under it or play through it. Maybe put a small cardboard box in for them to chew, or string together toilet paper rolls, and hang them on one side so they can chew them.
There are lots of ways to keep them busy, and if they are chewing out of boredom, try some different things. They'll let you know what they like 🤗
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Post by bazookagoof on Oct 18, 2018 1:30:09 GMT
Also both of them chew the bars of their cage INCESSANTLY. I've gotten them a few different chewing toys but they ignore them and just want the bars! I even got them a willow bundle thinking the small sticks simulated the bars and they would like that but nope. Anybody know good chewing toys? Preferably something vertical, maybe that will stick to the side of the cage since they seem to prefer chewing there. One of my guys always chews the bars when he gets impatient for snacks or food. The other one just sits there placidly.
I suppose if all they want is the bars, that'll save you money on chew toys!  |
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 18, 2018 16:41:06 GMT
Same with mine, Baz. Oodles does the bar chewing. Noodles just lets her do all the work, and reaps the rewards |
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Post by emyliine on Oct 19, 2018 1:34:43 GMT
Hmm... I don't have a hay holder, I just dump their hay in the cage haha. Speaking of which, I do think some of their sneezing is from the hay dust because I just got (as I only recently realized) a rather bad brand and it IS very very dusty. I read about avoiding dusty hay but, having never really thought about hay, I thought it meant literal dust, not the minuscule hay bits that get everywhere. So I'm gonna finish this bag but then I'll probably get an Oxbow brand next because that looked nice and clean.
I'm honestly not sure about when they bite the bars... they're in their own room and I work most days for a big chunk of the day. I've certainly never walked in on them chewing, they seem to only start once I sit by the cage and I think they realize food is nigh. But they could also be doing it throughout the day from boredom. Hm. Wish I had money to put a video in there or something.
I have a cardboard box and they do chew that, I also recently put a little wooden shelter thingy that I hoped they would have fun chewing but looks like they haven't touched it yet. I've seen those wicker tunnels, maybe if they work for your piggies I'll try one out for mine. Pity about the willow bundle, it wasn't cheap for a bunch of sticks xD. Google suggests rabbits love it so maybe I'll give it to my friend's bunnies.
I'm really bad about taking pictures, but they've already nearly doubled in size! I hope they get big and fat huhuhu. My mother was saying how they were only cute because they were babies... CRAZY TALK. I think adult piggies are way cuter and you can cuddle them more easily.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 20, 2018 18:25:14 GMT
Yes, hay dust is all the tiny bits of hay usually found as at the bottom of the bag or box. It's worth buying a good brand, as there is less hay dust. Some with pellets. Oxbow is on of the best available in stores, as their pellets hold their shape, and don't disintegrate into a mass of dust at the bottom of the bag or box. While more expensive, you save money by having less waste.
You can try piling the hay against the bars where they chew. I don't have a hay holder either, so would have to do that.
Don't give up on the chewable house. It may catch their fancy later. I have a chew log I've had forever. Some loved it. Some totally ignored it.
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