Hi - Francis and The Little One

[sarah_atx]

Hello, everybody! You can see this is pretty long, so feel free to skip to the end.

I joined the forum recently and would like to introduce myself. My name is Sarah, and I adopted/rescued two lady guinea pigs last month. I'm not sure which to say because while they were a healthy weight, ate veggies, and had shiny coats, they also lived in a 17" x 38" pet store cage with cedar bedding, alfalfa hay and one pigloo. I found them through Craigslist and the woman who owned them was not too knowledgeable. She talked about getting new guinea pigs once they moved to a house and getting an exercise ball, which I told her was definitely not good! She also said she was afraid of their "gross" feet and clearly never clipped their nails. It's taken some time but they are looking good now. She didn't know their ages, just that the one with the white stripe down her nose is the mom of the more patchy girl. They lived together with her for 7 months and I've checked it out so I'm fairly certain they are both girls. Her son cried when my boyfriend and I carried the cage out! We said they could visit but she hasn't contacted me in the month I've had them so I am going to send her a picture and tell her she can come -- mostly for her son, because she promised him they would visit! I hope they'll come and want to learn more about taking care of cavies.

Anyhow, on to their new life! I built a 2x5 C&C cage right away and added that upper deck kitchen just yesterday. I am glad they don't ever eat the hut after reading about its poor nutrition. I do like how it looks but it takes up so much space! I want to make different hidey houses and cozies but that is the pink pigloo they came with and they seem attached to it. They never go in that PVC pipe so I guess I should take it out. I just switched to the fleece yesterday and I love how it looks too! It's way easier to pick up poops than trying to sift through bedding.

Last night I also ordered 45 lbs of 3rd cut timothy hay from Kleenmama's because I haven't been able to find/understand the local hay yet. I'll make a different thread for that though. I hope I wasn't crazy to think the 45 lbs will fit under their cage table! The pet store hay they have mostly ends up on the cage floor because it's so stemmy.

I haven't had guinea pigs since I was in elementary school so I'm enjoying it. Unfortunately they really dislike being picked up (yes, I support their rears) and seem baffled by floor time. They chatter at me when they think I might pick them up soon. I usually sit them in my lap and feed them veggies but I think I'll try sitting them next to me for a while instead. They run around a lot more than at first and I know they're probably just shy. I don't think The Little One (I just keep calling her that, I'm not settled on a name yet but that might be it ) ever got handled in her previous home so I'm sure that's a big part of it. They never popcorn but do wheek when they hear bags in the fridge. Unfortunately they don't like bell peppers but I will keep trying little bits. They love romaine, cilantro, parsley and carrots, and think cucumbers and kale are okay. I hope they warm up to me more, which I think they will somewhat since I'll be in there picking up their poops a lot more frequently now. I think The Little One is definitely dominant over her mom, Francis, because she steals food from her mouth! They sometimes look like they're re-enacting The Lady and the Tramp spaghetti scene.

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I'm so glad to have found this forum! It definitely has the best tips and tricks for keeping cavies happy. My two girls seem happy and healthy and I hope they get more used to me in the years to come.

[pinky]

Hi, Sarah, I love your setup! If you're concerned about the dominant one taking food out of the other's mouth, cut the veggies into smaller pieces and spread them out a bit so each can have their fill without fussing over a single piece. Two things that help socialize them are holding the veggie and making them come to you to eat it from your hand and taking them out of the cage and feeding veggies to you while they're in your lap. I'm sure they'll start relaxing more once they get used to their new environment. Welcome!

[blackarrow]

Welcome! It sounds like you're off to a good start, and your cage looks great.

I'm concerned about the front edge of the upper level of your cage being only coroplast. It's flexible enough and low enough so that your piggies could fall over the edge if they weren't very careful - I see it's looking bent and floppy already. We have had members here have pigs break their legs or backs doing just that I'd strongly suggest running full-height grids along that whole front edge, right away.

Some other thoughts - I don't know if you're putting out things under which your pigs can hide during floor time, but if you're not, they would probably appreciate it. Sections of sewer drain pipe through which they can scoot (with a 4" or larger diameter!) are popular with my boars. Also, sprinkling favorite veggies hither and thither has helped them be motivated to explore.

It's not as spiffy as a hut, but my boars are very happy with cardboard boxes for hiding and chewing, and some other members have made glorious looking hideys out of leftover coroplast. If your girls don't like the PVC, you might try an oatmeal container with the bottom cut out - it could be the slipperiness of the PVC they don't like.

Finally - I've always liked the name Frances, and when you mentioned you hadn't really decided on a name for the little one, "Gloria" popped into my mind - Gloria's the adorable baby sister of a little badger named Frances in the Russell Hoban kids' book series (Bread and Jam for Frances being my favorite). I got a particular chuckle out of it because the "problem" in that book is that Frances is a picky eater, like your girls are, LOL.

[CavyMama]

Welcome to GPC! Congrats on your new little ones! You are right, the woman you got them from sure sounded like she was pretty ignorant of good guinea pig care. I'm so glad you came along and are able to give them the care that they need.

Your cage looks great! I'm sure, after living in a pet store cage, they are overjoyed at all the new room they have!

I agree with Blackarrow, I would get something to support the coroplast sides of the loft. Also, the carpet square you have covering the grids will become soaked with urine after a while so you might consider either making sure you have replacement carpet square or use something a little more absorbant.

As for hideys, I've got the igloos too but I also use plastic stools. You know the ones - square and open on all 4 sides between the legs. My pigs LOVE to hide under those. They feel secure but not trapped if one comes sniffing around one side of it.

It's a little difficult to see them in those pictures but what I do see of them, they are adorable and I'm sure they are so much happier with you than they were at their other house. I wonder if she ever will let her boy come to visit. Maybe if he does, they will gain some idea of how guinea pigs are SUPPOSED to live.

[sarah_atx]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Pinky, that's a good idea to cut the veggie pieces smaller. The Little One doesn't always steal food, just when she runs out quicker, which I try not to let happen. I am almost always watching/holding them when they eat veggies.

blackarrow, I will put some grids up there. I do have cardboard boxes to hide in and climb on during playtime. When I put veggies around for floor time but they tend to go find them and then sit but I'll keep at it. I also like the oatmeal container idea, and it'd be good for me to eat more oatmeal, haha. I might have enough coroplast to make some interesting houses, too.

CavyMama, I was hoping they wouldn't pee while they walk on their steps but this morning I saw the Little One just sitting on one of them, looking around our apartment. So they definitely will get soaked. The bath mat was only $3 at Savers, I might go get the second matching one later today. I used it because of the easy ramp instructions photo gallery on here. What else do you think I could use? I like that the mat is thick but I guess I could attach coroplast panels and do a small towel and fleece over that. Hmm. And thanks, they are very adorable! I do hope the previous owners will visit, I could update if they do, and with what they seem to think.