Behavior Had to buy a StayBowl.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 5, 2018

So after having two regular, heavy ceramic bowl for several years with no issues, Mr Punkin has learned himself a new trick.

He can physically pick up a heavy ceramic bowl in his teeth and stand it up against the bars, dumping his pellets EVERYWHERE.

Pretty pleased with himself.

I watched him actually do this, so I KNOW he picks it up with his teeth. And he's now done it several times. I have a problem child.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 6, 2018

sallyvh said:
I switched everyone to staybowls a few months ago and I don't regret it! Lol I had enough of there being pellets everywhere. A couple of mine became experts at flipping ceramic bowls and creating a lovely disintegrated pellet and pee combo all around the fleece. No issues so far with the staybowls.

I had a feeling it was coming to buying a StayBowl, watching him the last few months. He's decided he doesn't want the food bowl in the corner, as it interferes with his comfort. He prefers to curl up around the food bowl, and just turn his head left to eat, and to the right to drink.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 6, 2018

spy9doc said:
Stay Bowls are a clever idea......but why pay the price? Chip will rearrange anything in the cage that he can physically move. I have spent too much time trying to outsmart him already! I had to epoxy flat weights on the bottom of the litter pans to keep him from relocating them. Then came the issue of the food bowls, and last was the necessity to epoxy weights on the top of the lightweight wooden hidey so that he couldn't cover the food bowl.

On more than one occasion, I watched him pick up a heavy ceramic bowl in his teeth and either turn it over or drag it across the cage. I found the perfect bowl at Target in that the lip of the bowl is rounded so that it's impossible for him to pick it up with his teeth, and the bottom of the bowl has a rubberized rim so that it won't slide on the fleece. Never an issue since.

I notice that Target has either redesigned the bowls or has a new supplier, but now there are bowls in colors. You will find them described as Platinum Pets Embossed Non-Tip Cat/Dog Bowl with prices from $3.79 and up depending on the size. https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=cat+pet+bowls

I never thought of that, but then I never thought he could pick up a 250 gram ceramic bowl either!

Punkin is the same way, if it moves, he relocates it.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 6, 2018

Oh, he WAS very pleased with his accomplishment.

StayBowl arrived this morning. He curled up around it, staring at it. He's not as pleased now.....

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 6, 2018

@Kelsie, I got the small StayBowl. Mainly because I didn't know there were different sizes. That said, if I measured correctly a small StayBowl holds just under a half a cup of pellets, which is plenty for 2 piggies for a day. I prefer they eat their hay the most, as I believe I made mistakes overfeeding Pooper and Sly too many vegetables which probably contributed to the dental predicament that Sly is currently in.

Edit: double checked, and the small Staybowl IS a quarter cup of pellets, which is exactly 1/8th per pig per day. The larger StayBowls are 3/4 of a cup.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 7, 2018

So we've gone overnight with the StayBowl now. Not been tipped, and plenty of pellets still in it. But someone is rather PO'd about it.

I woke up to find EVERYTHING from their cage (pigloos and all, other than the StayBowl) relocated and tipped over out into their pen. Pigloos were on their roofs, of course.

My problem child strikes again.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 7, 2018

Spotakiss said:
My piggy spots loves to flip things. He flips his pigloo and then tries to hide under it he is very stubborn too

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Punkin will flip his pigloo, and then he'll lie in it like a bed.

He is a strange little man.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 13, 2018

Wonderful.

Just watched my problem child pick up his StayBowl in his teeth, and dump it.

Experiment deemed a failure.

Guinea Pig Papa · Jul 13, 2018

spy9doc said:
Serves you right! lol You should have followed my advice!

It appears that the StayBowl is plastic and probably lightweight. The bowl from Target is metal (SS), probably heavier, and has a rubberized rim on the bottom so that he can't drag it. I seriously doubt that he could pick it up in his teeth. But, he sounds like a very clever cavy, much like Chip. I've had great fun trying to outsmart Chip with all the mischievous things he does.

(broken link removed)

So then perhaps I shouldn't tell you, that a couple of days ago (before today when I watched him pick up the StayBowl) That I deemed the small StayBowl too small, and purchased a second, larger one. Which coincidentally arrived in the post about an hour before I saw him and his antics.

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