Lots of questions!!

1. piggies usually popcorn when they are happy!
2. NO!! avoid pellets that have corn as an ingredient
3. hmm... do they sway their hips from side to side when they "purr?'' if so, they could be working out a dominace issue, but as long as the "purring" isn't exccessive and they dont actually start fighting, then they should be ok, just keep an eye on them
4. Lots of reasons! my pigs wheek when they are hungry, when they they are happy to see me, when they communicate with other pigs, and for many other reasons aswell.
5. well, you've only had them a week, so they are probably still a bit scared. guinea pigs need time to come out of their shell. make sure that there are no other animals around when they are in floor time, cause that could scare them. maybe try feeding them some greens while they're in floor time, to help them feel more comfortable, also make sure you have plenty of hidey houses for them when they do get scared. Hope this helps! =)

Welcome to the forum! Hope you are enjoying your new fur babies.

1. Guinea pigs will popcorn as a sign they're happy or excited. It is a good thing and you should just enjoy watching them as it is quite cute (as is basically everything with piggies)

2. For all things nutrition related, please reference this OUTSTANDING chart: https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...y-nutrition-charts-poisonous-plants-list.html It should answer any and all questions you might have about what you can feed and how much. If it isn't on the list, then don't feed it

3. I'm not quite sure about the purring thing. I know I have heard a lot of different reasoning as to what it might be. Depending on the pitch, it could be an annoyance thing or it could be fear. Also, are they the same gender? I know a rumble noise can sound similar to a purr but that is more of a mating call. Don't ever take someone else's word for the gender of your piggies (even if they are from the same place and were housed together). If you need help sexing your piggies you can either go here: https://www.guinealynx.info/sexing.html or post pictures and have someone on the forum help.

4. The squeak or wheek can also depend on what is happening at the time and the duration of the noise. I know mine will basically scream if they think they are getting fed. One of my girls will run up to me and wheek for attention. But if it is short and high pitched, it could indicate pain.

5. Some piggies take a while to adjust to floor time as there are a lot of new things to take in and it can be quite overwhelming. Also, sometimes they are just not in the mood to exercise. This is why a large cage is recommended, it will allow your piggies to exercise on their terms and not just yours.

Hopefully this helps! And I'm sure others can help fill in any gaps I may have left in the answers. Again, welcome to the forum!

1. Oh good that makes me happy because they popcorn ALOT!!
2. ok I won't give corn, they love the outer greens, that's ok right?
3. Ninja does sway his hips sometimes and during "floor time" yesterday I saw him "yawning" twice. I was sitting right there with them in case anything happened. When they are in the cage they purr at each other but no hip swaying or anything like that. They even sit in the pigaloo together sometimes. I have started giving 2 different plates of food as I noticed that Charlie tends to eat it all if given on one.
4. There are not other animals around during floor time normally just me and the kids or just me.
5. Can they get along with dogs? I have noticied that Charlie runs along the cage with my little dog (Charlie inside the cage and puppy outside) They will run back and forth together for a good 3 minutes. If they can get along with dogs how do I introduce them?

Thank you!!

Emmaf520
I do enjoy them and just lay and watch them a lot. I love the popcorning it is soooo cute.
I have read and printed the list and it says yes to corn but a lot of people say no...I am so confused
It does sound like a rumble/purr (hard to explain) I read up on how to sex them and I checked myself, they are both males.
Charlie normally wheek's at me when I am getting dressed in the morning but also wheeks during floor time.
On floor time are there toys they can play with or do they just run around?

If he is swaying his hips and rumbling, that's called rumblestrutting. That means he's displaying dominance over the other piggie.
My piggie still does it all the time when teh other runs up to her, but they cannot live without each other. My rumblestrutter, Chalupa, goes nuts when she thnks Reeses disappeared. Stange little relationship they have.

galya137 said:

If he is swaying his hips and rumbling, that's called rumblestrutting. That means he's displaying dominance over the other piggie.
My piggie still does it all the time when teh other runs up to her, but they cannot live without each other. My rumblestrutter, Chalupa, goes nuts when she thnks Reeses disappeared. Stange little relationship they have.

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so they should be ok?

kclightfoot said:

so they should be ok?

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Yes, I wouldn't be concerned unless they actually began to bite each other and draw blood.
I have girl piggies, and they rumblestrutt even more when they are in heat. So I would say it's normal behavior.

@kclightfoot. you can give corn husks and silks, but cut off the dark green outside husks and the brown ends of the silks. Corn is grown with a lot of pesticides, and you need to get all the outer layers off before you give them to the pigs. Corn itself can be given fresh, but is too sweet for anything other than occasional usage. I do occasionally shave the kernels off and give them a wheel of cob, however.

Rumblestrutting is normal -- let them alone unless it escalates into an all-out fight. I assume both of them are males? How large is your cage? A cage that's too small will result in squabbling pigs, and it's usually worse with boars than with sows. See the Main page of this website (button above) for recommended cage sizes.

@bpatters - I got a C & C cage, it is big...it holds a litter pan, 2 large pigaloos, a hidey house with room to move still. I have been thinking about adding a second level but have not figured it all out yet

How many grids wide by how many grids long?

Also, if they're sorting through dominance issues, I'd take the pigloos out and replace them with something that has both an entrance and an exit -- upside-down shoe boxes with holes cut in the end, fleece forests, towels clipped over the corners of the cages, whatever. That'll relieve one possible cause of contention -- one pig taking the other's favorite hidey, or blocking one pig in or out.

Pigs need room to run, so the less furniture there is in the cage, the better, unless you've got a really large cage. Step stools that they can both go under and get on top of are good, also -- I got mine at the dollar store.

bpatters said:

How many grids wide by how many grids long?

Also, if they're sorting through dominance issues, I'd take the pigloos out and replace them with something that has both an entrance and an exit -- upside-down shoe boxes with holes cut in the end, fleece forests, towels clipped over the corners of the cages, whatever. That'll relieve one possible cause of contention -- one pig taking the other's favorite hidey, or blocking one pig in or out.

Pigs need room to run, so the less furniture there is in the cage, the better, unless you've got a really large cage. Step stools that they can both go under and get on top of are good, also -- I got mine at the dollar store.

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I took a picture of my cage but I can't figure out how to load it. How can I get it to you?

If it's a C&C cage, just count the number grids in the width and the number in the length. I don't need a picture.

Welcome KCLightfoot! I won't repeat everything that's been said here, with only 1 exception. My young female Fiesta popcorned SO big the first time I took her outside, she did a flip. THAT'S a happy pig!

bpatters said:

How many grids wide by how many grids long?

Also, if they're sorting through dominance issues, I'd take the pigloos out and replace them with something that has both an entrance and an exit -- upside-down shoe boxes with holes cut in the end, fleece forests, towels clipped over the corners of the cages, whatever. That'll relieve one possible cause of contention -- one pig taking the other's favorite hidey, or blocking one pig in or out.

Pigs need room to run, so the less furniture there is in the cage, the better, unless you've got a really large cage. Step stools that they can both go under and get on top of are good, also -- I got mine at the dollar store.

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Ok, I figured out I don't have a C & C I have a [h=1]Midwest Expandable Guinea Habitat it is 47 x 24 x 14 inches[/h]is that acceptable?

How do I make a forest?

kclightfoot said:

How do I make a forest?

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The easiest and cheapest way is to take little bits of scrap fleece and tie them to the roof of the cage or the floor of one of your balconies, like this:


You can also buy or make hammocks that come with forests, like this:

Or if you don't like having to cut out lots of different bits of fleece you could do this:


EDIT: Here is a link to instructions on how to make this type of fleece forest:
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/accessories/76054-easy-pesy-fleece-forest.html