First Timer and Newbie with a question

**riizu** · #1 10-30-06, 07:42 pm

At the beginning of October, we brought home a girl, Bean (1 year old) and then brought home a boy, Mocha (6 months).

We waited the three weeks, and had vet check ups, and did the introductions tonight. All went really well. They are being housed in a large C&C cage with a divider and they get along. Too well.

Mocha is in love

He just runs back and forth along the divider making happy squeeks and rumbles and lusty sounds and biting at the cage. I'm assuming this is normal, but we're worried about his teeth from biting at the cage. I was wondering if anyone had any advice. We're afraid to neuter him because we know how high the risks are, and we don't want to be irresponsibly pig owners and let Bean get pregnant. How do we ease his suffering?

Thanks in advance!

**nonamian_girl** · #2 10-30-06, 08:10 pm

Definitely get him neutered. If you find a knowlegeable exotics vet, it should be no problem

. Also, make sure to put an extra grid as a lid on the divider just in case he tries to climb over.

**piggy-lover** · #3 10-30-06, 10:15 pm

I think you should get him neutered. He wants to be with his girlfriend!

**twinkies** · #4 10-31-06, 02:18 pm

I had my male neutered. It was a somple procedure and he tolerated it very well. Only costed me $55. Having the divider there is got to be hard on the both of them. They need to be able to live together and play together with interaction together, not with a divider between them. But keep them apart or she will get pregnant.
So, please, look into getting him neutered.

**riizu** · #5 10-31-06, 04:48 pm

Thank you for the responses to my question so far. I agree that getting him neutered is probably the best solution, but my concern is that our vet told us that their clinic has a poor success rate so we're afraid of Mocha dying because of the procedure.

I am taking Bean (the female) to the vet on Tuesday for her check up, and I'm going to ask them what they think as well.

**piggy-lover** · #6 10-31-06, 10:20 pm

Wow, a poor success rate? Deff. don't take him there!! Maybe you could go to a different vet that's more expiercnced and specialized in small animals?

**strigercake** · #7 11-01-06, 08:44 am

I would definitely get him neutered, but not where you were told they have a poor success rate. Even if you have to drive a ways, it is well worth it. I had one of my guinea pigs neutered and all went well with him.

**Amber23** · #8 11-01-06, 11:58 am

Why did you get one of each sex? Just curious.

Definatly find a better place to get your male neutered though!

**riizu** · #9 11-01-06, 05:46 pm

Okay, we're reconsidering the neutering thing. We will keep looking for another vet to see if we can find one with a better success rate.

I agree that its probably not fair to them to keep them separate, so we'll have to wait and see what we can find in our area.

We got two piggies (different genders) by mistake. It was my own fault for not being able to tell that he was male when we got him. To be fair, the vet even had to get a second opinion because she wasn't sure. (His testicles were inside and she thought she felt them, but wasn't certain).

So, he's quieted down a lot since that first night, but I still feel guilty about them being apart. They really seem to like each other. Thanks again for all the comments!

**Amber23** · #10 11-01-06, 05:50 pm

I see. Well, good luck with everything.

**CBrewton5** · #11 11-02-06, 03:47 am

Definitely be picky with the vet, especially since these people told you that they have a low success rate. A friend of mine from another forum just had a boar die that she adopted from a vet with the stipulation that he be neutered. The poor thing got paraphemosis (the bits permanently protruded to put it G rated terms) and it went downhill from there, leading to an abscess and ultimately a URI because his immunities were so low....the poor lady was devistated.

**riizu** · #12 11-03-06, 05:17 pm

Just wanted to say thank you and let you know that I found a different vet. They sound a lot more confident which makes me feel better. I'm going to be taking him in for a check up in a month and talk to the doctor. Thanks for the advice!

**jdomans** · #13 11-03-06, 09:30 pm

Glad you have found a vet, but there are many members from Canada here. Ask in the Canada threads and see who lives in your area and which vet they use. Good luck. Oh also just calling the vets in the area and asking them will lead you to the right doctor (hopefully).

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