New mummy to Ben and Jerry!

sparklykate · Aug 20, 2008

Hi everyone,

I'm Kate and I got 2 piggies on Sunday from a rescue in Hampshire, UK (a rescue I would very much recommend!). They are called Ben and Jerry - Ben is himalayan and Jerry has short brown, black and white hair. Ben is a year old, and Jerry is 1 and a half - they were bonded in the rescue about 6 months ago so they were friends already.

I have them in a big rabbit cage on a stand, which I bought online - it meets the size requirements on the website.

The boys were very scared on the first day but I think they are warming to me gradually, but they still worry me no end - I suppose that goes away as you get used to them? I've seen in all kind of guides that I've read that I'm supposed to handle them a few times a day right from the start so they get used to me and I've been doing that, I just worry because most of the time Ben runs away and chatters his teeth at me (a sign I know means to leave him alone, so I do). When I have handled him, he vibrates quite a lot when I stroke him - does that mean he's scared? I don't want him to become scared of me.

Jerry runs sometimes when I go to handle him but most of the time doesn't seem to mind (he did wiggle once because he needed the toilet), and doesn't vibrate like Ben does, in fact I heard the tiniest bit of a happy squeak from him yesterday. Jerry is now quite happy to eat veggies from my hand, but Ben isn't so sure - earlier he nibbled and then ran but mostly just runs

I don't want Ben to end up being scared of me - does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,

Kate

sparklykate · Aug 20, 2008

Have attached photos of Ben and Jerry to this post (hopefully!)

petal · Aug 23, 2008

Welcome from oz

your boys are gorgeous and NO you never stop worrying about them.
I have never heard it but are you sure Ben is not purring when you handle him? I would suggest when you have them out wrap them in a towel so they feel secure and know they aren't in any danger. Have plenty of veggies on hand so when you are holding them you can offer foods. Also when in the same room as them talk to them or to yourself so they get use to your voice.
But know some piggies never like to be handled, but give them time to get use to you it is early days yet.
Hoping they bring you many hours, days, years of happiness and joy.

PixieStix · Aug 23, 2008

Welcome, great choice to rescue. It's normal for your new pigs to be scared about the new people and surroundings. Giving them time and hand feeding veggies may help them warm up to you.

Are the cage dimensions the inner, usable space, or the outer lip? Often manufacturers will put measure the outer, unusable space, and the inner measurements are less. Does this rabbit cage have bars on the floor?

sparklykate · Aug 24, 2008

Thanks

They do seem to be warming to us now, taking food from me without trying to tug it out my hands etc, and Ben definitely prefers the Choob method of being picked up, as I mentioned in another thread. They're asserting dominance at the moment; Ben mounts Jerry every now and again and chatters his teeth a little bit at him, but Jerry just squeaks and runs, so hopefully it won't develop into fighting - they've been bonded for about 6 months at the rescue and got on fine there.

The cage measurement is the inner bit (it's 4ft by 2ft), and definitely does not have bars on the floor - I'd read about bumblefoot and was very picky about which cage I chose. I was going to build a C&C cage but it wasn't possible where I live, I couldn't seem to find any Correx (the sign companies I did speak to wanted to charge ridiculous amounts) and the cubes are expensive here, plus I don't have a car so wouldn't have been able to go and get them. For that reason, I decided to get the best cage I could - it's a big Marchioro one from Zooplus.

Obviously I'm going to give them lots of floor time and time out in their run for exercise, but they've popcorned a few times already in their cage and seem to be happy

I was a bit worried about Jerry's weight as he's a lot bigger than Ben (he is 6 months older than him though, I suppose), but I weighed him yesterday and he's 2lb, which is what a guinea pig should weigh, right? Ben is only 1lb, so I guess he will get bigger? Or are Himalayans naturally smaller?

pigsforlife · Aug 24, 2008

Most pigs naturally run away, especially if they are in unfamiliar surroundings. Most of my 5 pigs are pretty good, Lily is awful to catch but fine when in my hands. Just keep on working with them.

I can understand your problems with finding the things for a C&C cage, I hear that it is especially difficult in the UK. If I did the math correctly your cage is slightly smaller then the recommended cage sizes for 2 males. Generally males will get along better in a bigger cage so if you can find a way around it then I would go down that route. Otherwise they will need plenty of floor time.

1lb is tiny, are you sure that he is 1 1/2 yrs old? All of my girls are over a pound. In fact my smallest who is 5 months old and is still growing weighs 1.7 pounds. A couple of my girls are 2.42 pounds. My nuetered boy is a scrawny little fella, age unknown though I do not think he is very old, I imagine he will fatten up with time - but even still he is over a pound.

sparklykate · Aug 24, 2008

I will definitely make sure they have lots of floor time.

Ben is 1, Jerry is the one who is 1 and a half (and bigger) - is he still underweight though? He doesn't look skinny - in fact I think he was 1.1lb, not 1 - I will keep a close eye on it. The lady at the rescue fully checks the piggies all the time, and I have too in the last week and they don't seem to have anything wrong with them.

I guess there is a chance that when he was given to the rescue they gave his age as slightly more than it was, making him a bit less than a year. He'd definitely grown a hell of a lot since I went to reserve them about 6 weeks before they came to live with us.

pigsforlife · Aug 24, 2008

Oh sorry I got that mixed up. 1lbs is small, I wouldn't mind betting he is younger then 1 year old - at that sort of weight I would put him at a few months. Hopefully he will stack on the weight now he is in a lovely new home. Jerry's weight is normal, I think he will probably gain a bit too. Do you have any pictures?

What sort of diet to you have them on?

PrincessAngel · Aug 24, 2008

Welcome to the world of piggies! I recently adopted a little (I use that word loosely) girl from a shelter. She is slightly under a year old and weighs about 2.5lbs. Maybe your boy will get bigger with lots of love and lots of veggies. I've only had one pig over a year old (5 years) who weighed about 1lb and thats because she was old and sick.

sparklykate · Aug 24, 2008

They have lots of veggies, timothy hay and meadow hay, as well as pellets and lots of water

There are 2 photos attached above, and I have a video of them YouTube - Ben and Jerry fight over their peas! that you can see their sizes better on.

Am so pleased tonight, just now I had Jerry on my lap, munching on lettuce I was giving him and all comfy laid out on his side - he's never eaten on my lap until today

And he doesn't snatch food from me now, he's happy to just eat it without taking it away - one minor problem with him being so comfortable on my lap now is that he pooed on me

Never mind, have now learnt my lesson to put him on a towel...

Ben is getting there, still snatching food and not eating on laps but not shaking as much now.

Do you have any tips on how to find out what kind of petting they like? I know it's a weird question...

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New mummy to Ben and Jerry!

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