General So apparently we're picking up a pig tonight - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**fieryone** · #1 07-09-09, 01:52 pm

I came across a pig that sounded like it was going to be dumped if it didn't find a new home ASAP so my husband and I discussed it. We were going to wait until we found out if we were going to move or not, but I'm a sucker for a cute face

Anyway, I have some questions. This guy is 2 1/2 and from the sound of things, I would be very surprised if he was fed any veggies with any regularity if at all. My other pigs were younger when we got them so while it took them a little while to accept variety, it wasn't too bad. So my question is, should I start this guy off on smaller than usual amounts at first or jump right in and give him a cup of veggies tonight and then put him on the same schedule as my girls? I'm going to start slow with just some lettuce, a carrot, a small piece of pepper, and a little cilantro to see if he'll eat it, but I'm not sure of how much to give. I don't want to overwhelm him!

Also I will be bringing him to the vet soon for a check up and to have him neutered (if he is in fact male like the person says), but in the meantime what are some signs of scurvy or the like? I worry about him being this old and maybe never having any or many veggies in all that time. I don't know for sure, but call it a hunch.

Maybe I can use the exercise ball they're going to give me as a planter

**rabbitsncavyluv** · #2 07-09-09, 02:01 pm

I'd get vit c supplement and slowly introduce veggies to him. If he hasn't had them before, too many can upset his digestive tract. thanks for rescuing him.

**fieryone** · #3 07-09-09, 02:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by rabbitsncavyluv

I'd get vit c supplement and slowly introduce veggies to him. If he hasn't had them before, too many can upset his digestive tract. thanks for rescuing him.

Good idea. I will look for something tonight. I usually order supplies online, but I'll have to make an emergency stop tongiht for more bedding anyway. Do I remember correctly or not, can they have a human tablet? It's probably on guinealynx but I'm at work and can't really poke around on the 'net and I'm getting him right after work. This guy is determined to get rid of the poor guy like yesterday!

**PiggieMom** · #4 07-09-09, 02:14 pm

If you can find liquid vitamin C, it's the easiest to measure. Otherwise, get a sugar free vitamin C tablet (that's just vitamin C). You can break it down to powder and mix it with water to syringe feed it. Under diet Guinea Lynx suggests 100 mg tablets.

**fieryone** · #5 07-09-09, 02:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiggieMom

If you can find liquid vitamin C, it's the easiest to measure. Otherwise, get a sugar free vitamin C tablet (that's just vitamin C). You can break it down to powder and mix it with water to syringe feed it. Under diet Guinea Lynx suggests 100 mg tablets.

Thank you for the link so I didn't have to poke around! I try to make my trips to the internet very brief while I'm at work, hehe. I'll pick something up when I get more bedding for the litter box. Thanks!

**4callmemama** · #6 07-09-09, 02:32 pm

Don't forget to share some pics of your new lil guy.

**Froggirl009** · #7 07-09-09, 02:38 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiggieMom

If you can find liquid vitamin C, it's the easiest to measure. Otherwise, get a sugar free vitamin C tablet (that's just vitamin C). You can break it down to powder and mix it with water to syringe feed it. Under diet Guinea Lynx suggests 100 mg tablets.

When I got my pigs they never had veggies before and they wouldn't eat them at first. I went to 4 different places before I found liquid vitamin c. I would call around to local vitamin and health food stores.

**Skeetersmom** · #8 07-09-09, 02:46 pm

Awww! Did you find him on craigslist? Just wondering if I saw that ad. Make sure to put up some pictures! Good luck. The new boys that I had gotten a few weeks ago hadn't really had fresh veggies either. They loved romaine and have started to nibble on peppers. I just keep trying a little at a time.

**fieryone** · #9 07-09-09, 03:04 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skeetersmom

Awww! Did you find him on craigslist? Just wondering if I saw that ad. Make sure to put up some pictures! Good luck. The new boys that I had gotten a few weeks ago hadn't really had fresh veggies either. They loved romaine and have started to nibble on peppers. I just keep trying a little at a time.

He is from craigslist. There wasn't a photo in the ad, but the guy emailed one to me. Looks like he's been kept in a garage or unfinished basement or something by the looks of it, eh? Ugh. Poor guy. And the tone of the emails is heartbreaking to me. At least he has hay in this picture, but it just seems like these people can't get rid of this sweetie fast enough! Here is the picture that was emailed to me. My husband says he looks like this guy from Planet of the Apes

**momof1kid3piggi** · #10 07-09-09, 03:05 pm

I would get the Vitamin C supplement, they do make it for guinea's. I had gotten some for my pregnant piggy and she ballooned fast.

**PiggieMom** · #11 07-09-09, 03:29 pm

Oh, he's a cutie. I love his little piggie lips.

**CavyMama** · #12 07-09-09, 03:35 pm

For as bad as this cage is and this location is (insulation??) he did do some things right. The piggy has a water bottle, hay and what looks to be aspen bedding.

He's a cutie though! He even has a little handlebar mustache! LOL Thanks for sharing the pic. Please post more when he gets settled in.

**CavyMama** · #13 07-09-09, 03:38 pm

I just noticed something, with that mustache, he looks a bit like Hulk Hogan.

**rjramer06** · #14 07-09-09, 04:14 pm

Haha, Hogan would be an awesome name for him then.

**Skeetersmom** · #15 07-09-09, 04:19 pm

He's so cute!

**akstrohm** · #16 07-09-09, 04:59 pm

If he hasn't had veggies, I would start with lettuce and pepper in small amounts before giving him carrots. A lot of piggie owners just feed carrots, so he might eat those before the green stuff. And the other veggies have more nutrition anyway. Let us know how it goes!

**fieryone** · #17 07-09-09, 07:00 pm

We picked him up and he was in much better shape than I expected and the couple was different than I expected. I guess he's just kind of abrupt in emails.

The pig is very personable and a little chatty and he dug right in to his veggies. He ate the green pepper and everything so maybe I didn't need to buy the C drops. What do you think, before I open them?

He came with the name Oliver. My husband has decided that he's calling him Dr Zaius (from Planet of the Apes) whether I like it or not

He's so much bigger than my girls! I put 2 pictures of him up in the gallery. He's just gorgeous if I do say so myself! And without getting in there, it's pretty obvious that he's a boy! So I guess I'll need to read up on cleaning the anal sac and all that fun stuff

**Skeetersmom** · #18 07-09-09, 07:12 pm

Was this his ad? Free to good home - Guinea Pig

That does seem like they wanted him gone right away if it is.

**3piggymomma** · #19 07-09-09, 07:39 pm

Congratulations on your new addition! I saw and commented on his pic in the gallery. He is so precious and I love his unique coloring. I am glad he has found a good, caring home.

**fieryone** · #20 07-09-09, 08:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skeetersmom

Was this his ad? Free to good home - Guinea Pig

That does seem like they wanted him gone right away if it is.

Yes. And when I emailed him to find out the sex of the pig, he responded back within about 3 minutes saying he was male, I could have xyz along with him and he could meet me anywhere along with a picture. I was like "Whoa! I just asked if it was male or female!" It really sounded as if he was going to dump him if he didn't get rid of him right now. But I don't think so. He's a VERY friendly pig and a whopping 3lbs 4.8 ozs!!!

He's over a pound bigger than Ethel, our biggest girl. So he wasn't neglected by any means.

Oh, and since my son wanted to keep the name Oliver, I wanted to name him Fenway, and my husband was going to call him Dr. Zaius no matter what anyone said (funny guy, that man), his name is Dr. Oliver Fenway Zaius. haha

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