New to forum, new to piggies (cavy), new family member

[truerobotech]

Hello everyone,

My daughter brought home her new family member 2 weeks ago. Violet (or Ms. Violet as I call her) a female, she has sucked us all in.

I wasnt privy to selection of house store vs adopt etc so I'm learning a lot and fast. The forum and site has been a valuable resource. So here is where we are and where we are going.

The store bought apartment is pending demolition in leu of new C&C home construction.

At the same time we are going to make the move to fleece. We have caught a rare sneeze and have appt w/ the vet. From info on this site and lynx site, dont want to take chances. Plus we want confirm sex to insure the future companion possibilites are targeted correctly.

Current bedding is a white clean and free the expandable type. So the move to fleece and C&C is high on the list with a target as soon as end of the week.

Our cubes came in today so coroplast is the next purchase.

The companion possibility - With care and concern for both our cavy and our daughter we are leaving the companion possibility out there. Should have been obvious cavies being social would be happy with a room mate. We need to be sure the care shown for our one would translate to two.

We have ordered extra cubes so should the companion outlook start to seem certain I want to be able to expand the C&C or provide ample room for both should they be better neighbors than room mates.

Adoption would be our option in the companion possibility.

Look forward to digging through the site and threads

[tabikat55]

Welcome to the Forum! And your correct in that those fur babies will suck you in. I think many have made many wrong choices whether it be adopton vs pet store, tiny cage vs c & c and so on. I think your on the right track by reading and rereading this site.

[schavarry]

Welcome to the forum! I love how you worded every thing A word of advice, don't "demolish" the store bought appartment, it can come in handy for trips to the vet!

Can't wait to see pics of your new cage and Ms. Violet!!

[madelineelaine]

Hi! We are first time piggie owners (only 7 days) and we are debating bringing back 1 of the 2. Fluffy the older piggie (6 mos?) bosses Cinnamon, the little piggie (3 mos) around quite a bit but research is telling me that's typical. They are still learning to get used to us, although the little one is doing much better at it. When I walk in the room, the older one will either run and hide or come out of hiding to find or 'round up' the little one. She 'purrs' and sometimes twitches as she does this. This is NOT popcorning because she is definitely not happy or used to us yet. What is going on? Should we return the older piggie (we have one week left to do so) and get a younger one that may be more compatible?

you already made a thread, why post here, on another thread, too.

Congrats on the pig ! She sounds super cute. Just a suggestion, but why not make the cage big enough for two to begin with? That way you won't need to expand when you get a second pig ? Welcome to the forum.

[truerobotech]

Thanks everyone!
I agree Tabikat! We are fortunate as Violet has a great temperament. She is pretty calm. ShavarryWe will be keeping the store bought cage for the Vet purposes. Its a collapsable kind so storage is easy. Madelineelaine we think the same! I purchased more cubes than needed with that future expansion in mind. Regardless getting just a 2x3 in a good spot in her room is going be interesting. So im in to google sketch up to start redesigning and laying out the ideas. If the space can be used right I will build the 2x4. We picked up the cubes off walmart.com for $21.95 a set ship to store for pick up. Ill get some photos up of her soon.

[truerobotech]

Been thinking this part over and looked around the forums where to ask but didnt find much.
Topic Divorce Piggie Visits?? not what you might think. Unique family dynamics these days huh.

My son has Wallie (not sure of sex), and he has had Wallie for about two years. Opinions on visitation? We live across town from each other and trip with traffic is about 45 minutes. With the above in mind Im wondering about the following:

Provided proper space but kept separate could these two visit each other?
Since Wallie would be the traveler is there more stress on him/her vs the social time he would get over a weekend and extended summers?

Does separation of these two after an initial visit just be hard on them both?

Quarantine? with the threat of illness or disease would we (piggies and humans alike) be better keeping things as they are? as quarantine would eliminate the short times anyway. (ill read up on the quarantine.)

My son will be with us for the coming month and Im sure he would prefer Wallie be with him. Maybe I just build 2 piggie houses and put one in each room. that would serve quarantine but w doors open nothing saying they wont hear each other? Maybe I need the Sigmund Frued of piggies?

[schavarry]

Been thinking this part over and looked around the forums where to ask but didnt find much.
Topic Divorce Piggie Visits?? not what you might think. Unique family dynamics these days huh.

My son has Wallie (not sure of sex), and he has had Wallie for about two years. Opinions on visitation? We live across town from each other and trip with traffic is about 45 minutes. With the above in mind Im wondering about the following:

Provided proper space but kept separate could these two visit each other?

They can be in the same room but separate cages

Since Wallie would be the traveler is there more stress on him/her vs the social time he would get over a weekend and extended summers?

The summer would be fine, but I'm not sure I'd stress Wallie out by taking him/her if the visit is going to be less than 72 hours (3 days) - with the assumption that someone else would be able to take care of Wallie while your son visits you

Does separation of these two after an initial visit just be hard on them both?

You shouldn't let them play together if you're going to separate them - this WILL stress them greatly but they can be in the same room in different cages so they can talk to each other *Stacked cages are awesome if you're lacking on space*

Quarantine? with the threat of illness or disease would we (piggies and humans alike) be better keeping things as they are? as quarantine would eliminate the short times anyway. (ill read up on the quarantine.)

As long as Wallie hasn't been sick at his current home, hasn't been exposed to other sick guinea pigs and Ms. Violet isn't sick and has been away from possibly ill piggies for 3+ weeks, you shouldn't need quarantine. Now, this doesn't mean you should put them in the same cage, or have them play together but they can be in the same room in separate cages while your son visits for the summer If one of them is ill they should be kept in separate rooms to avoid contaminating the other one.

My son will be with us for the coming month and Im sure he would prefer Wallie be with him. Maybe I just build 2 piggie houses and put one in each room. that would serve quarantine but w doors open nothing saying they wont hear each other? Maybe I need the Sigmund Frued of piggies?

I personally think it would be a smart idea for Wallie to come with your son for the extended summer visit! Good luck!!

[truerobotech]

Thanks Shavarry, Just in th possibility of male and female separate cages would be a must. Thanks for all the info, we will consider it heavily. Either way visit or not its the health of both piggies and the happiness of my kiddos that these two furry family members stay safe an healthy.

[NewPiggyMommy]

Sorry! I didn't realize this was an individual thread, thought it was the Newbie section. That's how new to all this I am. Our cage is a C&C 2x4 so they have lots of space. I think time will settle things out.

[truerobotech]

Sorry! I didn't realize this was an individual thread, thought it was the Newbie section. That's how new to all this I am. Our cage is a C&C 2x4 so they have lots of space. I think time will settle things out.

No worries NewPiggyMommy! Im sure you will have an answer to your questions shortly. Hope all works out with your piggys. I hope you can find a way to keep them both, depending on where you got them you good be the best chance they have at a good life! Who knows over time even in separate or a large enough cage they may warm up to each other? Im sure the more seasoned owners will chime in on your thread with great advice.

[MishImpossible]

Hi

I feel you were in a similar situation to me. There's not many places with guinea pig rescues around here. It's mostly breeders and and two pet stores. But at least you know the right thing to do is adopt and that is completely the right attitude
Everything about your attitude is awesome, right down to building a new C & C cage when the time comes. So many people I know have been looking at me weird when I say the store bought cage is not good enough.
Would love to see pics when you have everything sorted out Or maybe just picture of the piggie? xx

[truerobotech]

Thanks MishImpossible sorry for the late reply. Ill add the CC pics shortly and one of violet too. We are a week out from her first Vet trip and move in to her CC. She was sneezing and had a watery eye. The vet gave her meds I listed the trip details in the Vet section thread started for Violet. She loves her CC it has to be a contributor to her health. Fleece now vs that "bedding" along with the vet visit she's a very happy family member. Your right, would be nice if people could see the difference in a piggy that goes from living in a store bought cage to a CC. She now has the room to race track and does so when excited. Our CC will get some modification, smaller walls maybe (we have 8in), relocation of the second floor kitchen to help with cleaning etc.

[Kota12]

Welcome to the forum! Can't wait to see some pigtures of Violet!