Any guinea pig lovers in Ontario??

[jennz11]

Hey everyone!! guinea pig lovers who live in ontario post here.!.

[tinkerbell]

hi where in Ontario do you live ? I live in Tavistock - do you have any idea where that is?

[jennz11]

i live in windsor, and i have no clue where tavistock is ~ Do you know where windsor is?

[tinkerbell]

Yeah i do ! i have never been there but i know where it is. It's not surprising that you don't know where Tavistock is many people don't ( unless you live here) But if you know where Stratford or Kitchener are then your close. Tavistock is right between the two. See, now you know! you learn something new every day

[jennz11]

I know where Kitchener is. Its not too far from Windsor, i hope you know where it is if you live there = P. Yep know i know where it is, you never stop learning!~

[tinkerbell]

I was wondering, i'm new to this wholeguinea pig thing and i'm getting two males on Sat. Do you have ANY advice at all about MALE piggies. I've read some where that you have to do swabbing but i haven't been avle to find out what the heck that it- any ideas?

[jennz11]

Oh well, swabbing is like getting them neutered. just ask your vet. But if you're getting two males then you do need swabbing because i dont think two males can mate. You're gonna love having guniea pigs!! what are you gonna name them?¿ What kind are they?¿ if you have any other questions dont be afraid to ask!! and post as soon as you get your piggies!!

[tinkerbell]

So then I don't need to get swabbing done? because on the website i was on the people that posted the chat said that they hated having to do the swabbing EVERY day an dthat it really smells bad and thngs like that. Well I haven't even seen them yet because i have to go to Guelph to get them- I wasn't going to go there just to see them so i hope that their cute ( their all cute thought i'm sure they will be) Any ways I'm going to name them Melmen and Joey and from what i've been told (from the girl that i'm getting them from) she says that their are long haired but are really soft.

I can't wait. I have a cat proof C&C cage but i'm still a little worried my cats getting at them. ( i have two - Nemo and Whiskers- both females adn one dog named Misty- which i know she will be okay with seeing as she loved my hamsters) What kind of shaving do you use? because i'm going to be using a mixture of Yesterdays News and Aspen shavings with a layer of newspaper on the bottom . does that sound ok? I was wondering though- are they loud at night or are they usually quite - unless they need something- because i was hopeing to have them in my room?

Any other advice would be great thanks so much for all your help if you want you can e-mail me at popcron13142004@critterpost.com And yes I know that popcorn is spelt wrong but that's the way it goes and no one else has the same thing do they LOL

[Sylorna]

Hey there!
I'm from a small town called Midland. It's an exciting place...we even have a bowling alley
I think I know what those other people were talking about in terms of "swabbing". I have heard that many people who have males find that they get compacted with feces and have to take a q-tip to the males bum every once in awhile. I think they're more prone to it with old age, and for sure not all males have that problem. I've only had girls, so I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty positive that's what they're talking about.
Cheers,
Jess

[tinkerbell]

so then swabbing is sort of like impaction? well then i guess i don't need to worry about that yet because i just got my guinea pigs last night and they are only 11 weeks old. When i talked to the girl i was getting them from she said that they were long haired, which i didn't really want but when i saw them for the first time last night i was sooooo happy that they weren't reallly long haired but actualy they were short hair with the little swirls on them !!!!! i love them so much ! LOL But i already had a problem with them -becauce they (both male) keep "fighting" - but not really just running after each other and chattering- mostly Melmen does the chattering and Joey does the chasing- i really don't want to seperate them - so do you have any tips on what i can do ?

[jennz11]

Ya i've only had girls too. So when it comes to swabbing im clueless tinkerbell sorry!!! Welcome Sylorna, never heard of midland before but it sure sounds super exciting!! Bowling alleys! PARTY! anyways hmm tinkerbell i really wish i had some male piggies so i could help you out more. but you should wait before you seperate them you just got them and i think they're fighting for dominance. Give it time. If the fighting gets serious than you have no chose but to seperate them.

[tinkerbell]

so will they at some time astablish a "pecking order" or will one of them always be picked on? thank you so much foor all your help P.S my cats last night were checking out the cage and when they climbed on top it caved in!!!!!! so at 2 am this morning i was up and re-designing the cage and now i think it will hold both of my fat cats weights. But i've been having trouble with holding them- when ever i want to get near either of them, to pick them up they run all over the place and seem to hate it. also last night when my little sister and brother were holding them Melmen and Joey desided that ( and at the same time) to pee all over them LOL i couldn't stop laughing

[Sylorna]

Yeah, sounds like general "I'm bigger than you" stuff. My girls used to do it all the time. Unless it gets really physical (you'll know the time if it happens, fur goes flying and they turn into a moving squeeling furball) I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially since they're both young and will have time to grow together.
GP's take a little while to learn how to "hold it", I found that folding an old towel twice (so there's 4 layers) and placing it on my lap protected me from most accidents, although Elora used to like to stick her bum over the edge just to be extra annoying.
Have fun with your gents,
Jess

[tinkerbell]

hey! thanks for the tips! ha i stasrted to use the towel last night and now it's a lot better. I can't belive that they are so skidish, i feel bad picking them up because they seem to really hate being picked up. they run all over the place. is this normal or is this just an individual piggie thing?

[Sylorna]

Originally Posted by tinkerbell

hey! thanks for the tips! ha i stasrted to use the towel last night and now it's a lot better. I can't belive that they are so skidish, i feel bad picking them up because they seem to really hate being picked up. they run all over the place. is this normal or is this just an individual piggie thing?

Some piggers may be more shy than others, but in general it just takes some time for them to get used to you and being handled. Stay persistant and gentle. A treat while holding them goes a long way as well!

[tinkerbell]

ok i'll do that then- not now of course because i'm school right now ( not suppost to be in any non- educational website- but the teachers don't care when your in grade 12

[jennz11]

niice going with your cats there tink. Do you have a C & C cage?? Sorry but they have to fight over dominance. Ya you just got them so like i said try to give it them until they find out which is the tougher one . Oh my gosh tinkerbell dont feel bad. you're being silly = P They are just knew its all just that they have to get used to you and they will dont worry but it can take a while. Spend alot of time with them and they'll get used to you no problem . Lol im in grade 9 and like all the un- educational sites are blocked. It sucks!!!

[tinkerbell]

thanks for the support I cleaned their cage last night and i let them run around abit ( in a little cube cage so that the dog didn't get them) and when i reached down to pet them they only ran around a bit which was good. but when ever i pet Melmen he cmakes the same chattering noise that he uses on Joey- is he trying to be agreesive with me or is this like purring sort of? When ever i pet Joey he makes a little sqiuek- i don't pet them hard or anything. Yah i hate it that the schools block all the sites even if they are educational. but i'm glad that this one isn't

[cavylover]

Im From the big city of ottawa ohhhhhhh .

[jennz11]

welcome cavylover. Ottawa must be exciting. : D Tink is the noise melmen is making like a purring, soft noise and does he vibrate while he does it?? because if thats the case, it means hes happy and relaxed. I think Joey just squeaks because hes a little scared. I dunno though...never encountered that problem. ; ) At my school like all the sites are blocked then the teachers are like you can have free time and im like and do what??!