New and eager to learn :)

Spadillio · Sep 17, 2012

I adopted Diesel yesterday from a shelter. It was love at first site, for me anyway. He is still very scared and hides under the second level. He doesn't seem to know how to climb up there yet so I've had to move his food to the bottom of the cage. I hope he learns soon so he can have a bit more room in his cage. Also I'm not sure of he knows how to drink from the water bottle, so he currently has both a bottle and a bowl. He will be going to the vet tomorrow for a check up. His previous owners: I know nothing about. I don't know what fruits and veggies he likes but so far he loves his lettuce and timothy hay. He wasn't too interested in the orange but I will try again tonight after some floor time. I'm mainly worried that he isn't getting enough water so I gave him a little extra lettuce to be sure.

Dee_E · Sep 17, 2012

Welcome!

You will find lots of helpful people here! He will settle in and come out of his shell but it will take a while.
You can just sit and chat with him for now, that is how I started with my Poppy.

I would also consider getting him a buddy, they do best with company. While I do have a Lone Boar, Poppy is the exception
not the rule.

You mentioned Lettuce, are you giving him Romaine, Red or Green Leaf Lettuce? Iceberg Lettuce is mostly water and
has very little nutritional value.

Spadillio · Sep 17, 2012

Romain lettuce

and I'm thinking of a cage mate maybe in a couple of weeks after i build him a bigger cage. I can't wait to learn all I can for him.

Spadillio · Sep 17, 2012

This just in: Diesel is happily drinking from the water bottle... after I showed him where it was

Dee_E · Sep 17, 2012

Wee Hee! Can't wait to see pics!!!!!

It is amazing how quickly they learn! When I got Poppy the poor guy didn't know that veggies were good to eat.
I started by chopping them finely and adding to his Pellets, he got used to them and realized how yummy they are!!

By the Way, welcome to Piggy Slavedom!!!!!!

OllieandFriends · Sep 17, 2012

Welcome to the forum! We would love to see a picture of him! (Is that him in your avatar? He's cute)

My boys mostly hid for the first week or two. Slowly as we held them, gave them veggies and talked to them they started to come out more.

Have you seen this veggie and fruit chart? It's got lots of things they can't and can have and how much they can have of them. https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...y-nutrition-charts-poisonous-plants-list.html

Dee_E · Sep 17, 2012

Here is a good link to vegies... https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...-charts-poisonous-plants-list.html#post254730

RodentCuddles · Sep 17, 2012

Spadillio said:
Romain lettuce and I'm thinking of a cage mate maybe in a couple of weeks after i build him a bigger cage. I can't wait to learn all I can for him.

Just be careful with Romain lettuce, if you see any white patches of extra calcium in his pee stop feeding it to him.

Spadillio · Sep 18, 2012

RodentCuddles said:
Just be careful with Romain lettuce, if you see any white patches of extra calcium in his pee stop feeding it to him.

I did notice white patches, guess I'll cut down on it. Day 2 went pretty well, I was nervous about leaving him home alone so he got to visit my grandparents for the day where he got lots of love and tv time

when we came home he had some floor time. I set an appointment today for the vet on Thursday. There is still so much more I have to learn but I am very excited and eager to learn.

Also, special thanks for the veggie post. I printed it out and will be doing some better shopping tomorrow

And yes, that's him in my avatar

I'll post more pics soon

He still hasn't learned the second level other than how to get down from it. I put some goodies up there in hopes he will explore more.

Dee_E · Sep 18, 2012

When I put a loft in Poppy's cage I cupped my hand under his butt and guided him up the ramp. Now he races up and down!!!

CavyLover1234 · Sep 18, 2012

I had to lead one of my pigs up and down the ramp with a carrot a few times, then she got the hang of it.

Welcome to the forum!

madelineelaine · Sep 18, 2012

If you have a ramp, when he gets more accustomed to you, it's a good idea to teach them how to use it. I found that one I had taught izzy and she was using it (that was a fun afternoon .. not) felix simply followed. Now they both understand that food is up the ramp, and when it's veggie feeding time they both scurry up the ramp and beg for veggies in the kitchen.

All I did to teach her was place her halfway up the ramp repeatedly, and I offered her a chunk of grape etc every time she went up or down. After having her go up and down about 7 times each, she got the picture. Then I started lurring her up and down multiple times with food. She's been using it just fine since.

porkchophamster · Sep 18, 2012

It took a week before both of my pigs would use their ramp! Try covering it with a towel to make it dark and putting his lettuce on it. That's what worked for me

MrWhistles · Sep 18, 2012

Welcome to the forum!
Mr. Whistles needed encouragement on using his ramp as well. But soon he was creating earthquakes in his cage!

Spadillio · Sep 18, 2012

MrWhistles said:
Mr. Whistles needed encouragement on using his ramp as well. But soon he was creating earthquakes in his cage!

Diesel had a lot of fun running around the spare bedroom today for a good 2 hours while I sat a watched a movie in the room with him. I'm working on getting him up the ramp slowly but surely. I took some lettuce and out little bits all the way up leading to a fresh pile of hay. Here's hoping for the best

deardulcie · Sep 18, 2012

welcome! It's great to have you here, and you boy is Faboo!

boofp · Sep 19, 2012

Yeah, I just left it to the pigs and they started using the ramp. I did place them up there a few times. Also, I do the loft half of the bottom grid tall so its not to far and they prefer to hop up and down even though I use the wooden bridge things as tunnels by the loft so they can climb on them to get to the loft.

boofp · Sep 19, 2012

deardulcie · Sep 19, 2012

This is really a nifty set-up, but I do have one question. My pigs chew on everything. Do you Forum folks worry about having so much fabric, fibers, and plastics in their enclosures? If I"m holding a pig, they are chewing on my shirt, decorations, watchbands...anything they can get their little teeth on.
What say you?

MrWhistles · Sep 19, 2012

deardulcie said:
This is really a nifty set-up, but I do have one question. My pigs chew on everything. Do you Forum folks worry about having so much fabric, fibers, and plastics in their enclosures? If I"m holding a pig, they are chewing on my shirt, decorations, watchbands...anything they can get their little teeth on.
What say you?

Mr. Whistles chewed on everything as well. I'll admit I was scare he'd eat the fabric. But he didn't. A few nibbles here and there, but that was it. He only showed extreme interest in eating the fleece forest. Why, I do not know. I soaked his fleece forest in a 50/50 vinegar and hot water solution and BAM problem solved xD

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