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PiggieJewel · Jan 26, 2010

I just found this site and have been reading many of the threads. I've been a cavy mom, though, for about six years. I have one piggie, Sloopy, who lost her longtime companion a few days ago. I had adopted both piggies as adults from a nearby shelter.

I have a C & C cage that has a layer of newspapers, two layers of towels, one layer of fleece. The cage sits on a big card table right next to my computer desk. I'm on my computer a lot so can watch and talk with Sloopy. I take her out of her cage every day for some cuddling and floor time. There is a hay rack , a pellet dish, water bottle, fleece sleepsack with a PVC pipe piece attached. Sloopy has a couple of toilet paper rolls that she loves to chew. She also just got done eating her salad of red leaf lettuce, cilantro, and green bell pepper.

Even though Sloopy is now alone, I really can't adopt a new companion for her. I've become HIGHLY allergic to hay and I really shouldn't have the stuff around or be handling it. Yeah, I take Claritin every day and it still doesn't help with my hay allergy.

It has been suggested to me that I might want to wear a filter mask when I'm handling the hay. I will see if this helps me to ward off the allergic reaction. I LOVE piggies, would like to keep being able to have them for company while I'm surfing the internet.

I have been feeding pet store bought pellets and hay, but I think next payday, I'll be ordering from the Kleenmamas site.

PiggieJewel

Piggynovice · Jan 26, 2010

Welcome. Good to hear you are doing a lot for your pig. I'm sorry for your loss and for your allergies. Hope you enjoy the forum.

Aertyn · Jan 27, 2010

Have you tried a Hepa filter? I've heard these can really help with allergies. Also, try switching Hay. I'm insanely allergic to Lucerne (which isn't good for them but it was nearly impossible to find anything else where I used to live...yet another joy of living in Australia), recently (in the last 18 months) switched to a Grass Hay and my allergies have all but cleared up.

If you live in the US, try Bermuda or Orchard from KM's, again these are reccomended for people with allergies to Timothy Hay.

When handling hay, I used to have to wear long sleeved shirts, a mask and gloves. Afterwards I'd have to shower, change clothes and immediately wash the clothes that I had worn. I still have to wash my hands thoroughly after filling their hay racks (and after handling the pigs) and take allergy medication daily, but after switching hays it's much much better.

Welcome to forums too, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your pig, it's hard having to let them go.

Discomite · Jan 27, 2010

Welcome to the forums and sorry to hear about the lost companion to Sloopy. Also, sorry to hear about your allergy as well. Hopefully the suggestions above will help you and your piggy. My girlfriend is allergic to hay and, well, to pretty much everything, so I'm the one who feeds our Neville hay, cleans his cage and refills his bedding.

akstrohm · Jan 27, 2010

Welcome! I'm sorry you lost your pig!

As for hay, Kleenmama's bluegrass hay is the best for people with allergies. It has very little dust and the pigs love it. You can also have someone put the hay in paper bags for you so you can just put a bag in the cage each time you feed. This should help keep the dust down.

Are you feeding your pigs more than just lettuce, cilantro, and pepper? Those are important staples, but pigs should have quite a bit more variety. It wasn't clear from your post if that's her normal meal or if she gets other things too. I would also get rid of the newspaper--it generally just gets smelly and messy and doesn't really do any good.

fieryone · Jan 27, 2010

Welcome! I second Akstrohm's suggestion of ordering bluegrass hay from Kleenmama. A lot of people with hay allergies have said that it's much less allergenic.

PiggieJewel · Jan 27, 2010

I am using Timothy Hay so thanks for the advice about getting a different kind of hay! For veggies, I do mix things up for variety. I change what kind of lettuce she gets, not iceberg, though. I also give her broccoli and carrots, change the color of the peppers. I very occasionally give some fruit such as strawberry or orange. She likes to have different foods since her pellets and hay is the same old thing all the time. I will have to do some research and see if there are other veggies I can give to her. She adores the cilantro, wheeks when I bring her the food. My other girl (RIP) did that as well. I loved to hear that sound when I brought the veggies!! I'm sure people who have a bunch of piggies get a chorus of wheeks.

Oh, that is good to know I don't have to use the newspapers! When I change out the bedding, the wet paper usually leaves it's black ink on the coroplast. I clean that off with vinegar, that's my all purpose cleaner. I hope I'm using the right stuff for cleaning the coroplast, I use vinegar in the laundry, too.

PiggieJewel · Jan 28, 2010

Sigh. I am officially addicted to piggies, as I've decided to go ahead and look for one to adopt as a companion to Sloopy. I have the means to expand Sloopy's cage again to 2X4, should I adopt another girl. I also can make a new cage to put beside Sloopy's cage, should I adopt a boy. I have contacted 2 local shelters that have piggies for adoption.

I would definitely put a boy in a separate cage as I don't want babies and Sloopy is way too old to be getting pregnant/delivering babies. The cages would be beside each other, but on different tables. The piggies could still see each other and talk, but not get too "friendly." I have seen a boy and a girl I like, but maybe it would be better to get the girl. Any opinions about this?

I have a pet store cage for any new piggie and can put it in a different room for quarantine. I am hoping getting the new hay will help with my allergies, but I'm prepared to just live with them if my allergies aren't helped. In any case, I will be getting really GOOD food and hay so I can quit getting them at the pet shops!

I know Sloopy misses Sweatpea, hope she can hang on for a few weeks to get a new companion. She and I "talk" a lot during the day, but she's alone at night. Any advice about all this is appreciated!

akstrohm · Jan 28, 2010

Definitely adopt another girl (or a male if you can find one that's already neutered). It's best for them to actually be able to interact, not just see each other. Good luck finding another pig!

Duffinvt · Jan 28, 2010

I'd say get another female. At some point I would love to adopt another, but it will have to be female or neutered male. I'd be devastated to have one of my females get pregnant and accidental pregnancies happen all the time, even to the most careful and experienced owner's guinea pigs.

PiggieJewel · Jan 28, 2010

I ended up doing a 80 mile round trip and adopting a girl at a shelter. I'll start a thread about her and update there as needed. Thanks for the advice!

akstrohm · Jan 29, 2010

Excellent!

In answer to your earlier question, 50% vinegar is perfect for cleaning coroplast.

There are lots of other veggies that you can (and should) add to their diet. Check out the nutrition charts and sample menus here in the diet and nutrition stickies. For starters, tomatoes, cucumber, corn husks/silk, green beans, pea pods, and celery are popular choices. These are not necessarily to be fed daily, so do check out the stickies section.

grace&piggies · Feb 3, 2010

Aertyn said:
Also, try switching Hay. I'm insanely allergic to Lucerne (which isn't good for them but it was nearly impossible to find anything else where I used to live...yet another joy of living in Australia), recently (in the last 18 months) switched to a Grass Hay and my allergies have all but cleared up.

Also from Australia, I have issues finding anything other than lucerne. Where should I try looking for grass hay?
Thank you

PiggieJewel · Feb 4, 2010

I got my order of Timothy pellets and Bluegrass from Kleenmama's Hay Loft today. Both piggies seem to really like both of them! I think they know the good stuff from the bad stuff, very smart girls. So far, Piglet is showing no signs of any illness or mites, etc. Definitely will keep her in quarantine for the prescribed time, I know many illnesses take a good ten days to incubate. Sloopy is getting very used to having the C&C cage to herself, sure hope the girls will get along after the introductions. If not, I have room and materials to give each girl a 2 X 3 cage next to each other.

LOL, right now, Sloopy is tossing a toilet paper roll around! She is really having fun with it.

kavykeeper · Feb 4, 2010

Have you tried different types of hay? I am extremely allergic to pollen and have found that timothy with the flowerets causes an allergic reaction. I have no trouble with oat hay, bunny brome or orchard grass. I don't use wire hay racks due to the possibility of them getting a foot caught. I bought plastic corner litter pans that I velcroed to the side of my cages for easy removal and fill them with hay. I use fleece pads in my cages. I fold a fleece pad as a ramp next to the litter pan hay bin. My guinea pigs love it.

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