Maximus von Lichtenwalder - KiwiCavyAdorer's foster child-pig

Glad to here he's doing well. I don't know what I would do if that was my guys! He is a very cute piggy!

Oh my, what an ordeal you went through ! I am so sorry...but I am so glad that Max is fine now, whew ! What an INCREDIBLE scare. Great job in keeping your cool and not losing it, for one never really knows what they will do or how they will react when a crisis befalls them, until they are tested.

I too have been really concerned about the huge fluctuation in temperature the last few days, and am feeling the panic rise within me.... about leaving the windows open too long on Tuesday afternoon, when a cool front came in. I should have closed the windows before bed time, and now I am concerned that my girls may get a URI .

If they do, I will feel so angry at myself.. for being so incredibly ignorant!:weepy: So I will be watching very carefully for any signs of illness, especially those symptoms assoc. with a URI for the next several days. I think that for humans, it generally takes 7-10 days from exposure to a virus, to exhibit symptoms, but for piggies I don't know how long it would take. Plus, this would be from a "chill" in the air not from a cold virus.

Do you have pictures of your cage in your album yet ?

Hi Kath,

I have been taking photo's of the cage progression and have plenty on the camera to upload, good thing for me to do tomorrow during my breaks! I'll let you know and I'll take of the latest set up too with the heater if I can get it in.

There was some research done that never became commonly taught material, the scientists Enderlein and Beauchamp took it up seriously just prior to the rise of Pasteur. It talks about pH of the individual cells as opposed to the germ theory popularised by the powers that were behind Pasteur. The chill and shivers that Maximus von Lichtenwalder experienced would have certainly altered the pH of his internal cells, I am hoping that the fever that resulted successfully alkalised the cells again. If it did then a "virus state" cannot occur inside the cells, which will mean that an outside virus landing on his mucous membranes will die due to the unfavourable conditions of alkalinity. Virus's being needful of acidic environments to "catch" and explode their populations. Even so I will be watching the wee man like a full bellied hawk (so as not to alert him but to be observant enough to notice the first changes.

(Towards the end of his career Pasteur tried to point academia towards the "alternative" germ theory but the wheels were already well in motion for support his early works theory.)

It's good that he has started to make his little happy piggy noises and to dash about again. He has been at the food bowl quite regularly this evening...

Don't be angry with yourself Kathlaaron; we only know what we don't know when we've found out... learning is wonderful, now that you are aware, like me, you can prevent drafts, while not cutting off the supply of fresh air, and we'll be aware of temperature drops. I'll certainly keep the woollen goodies in his cage from now on.

Maximus von Lichtenwalder seems to be totally fine... he had a little crusty dust on one eye...

not enough to wipe off but it raised my alarm bells, I took him out to the warm playpen to eat fresh grass and...

He ate a eucalyptus leaf though... two days ago. I was so worried because I had read on the forum about eucalyptus essential oil being dangerous to piggies!! It was a fairly old dry looking leaf, I didn't see it when I put him out in his grass playpen until I heard him stamping it with his teeth. He ate only so much of it and then left it alone.

It set me to thinking and wondering if he was self medicating... I offered him a bay leaf to see what he would do. He snatched it and ran and ate a portion of it and then again he left it, like the eucalyptus leaf. Later I offered him purposefully a fresh eucalyptus leaf and he turned his nose away from it. I then offered him another dry bay leaf and he turned that down too. Then I offered him a cinnemon stick he sniffed it alot but just touched his tongue to it and did not try to stamp it with his teeth... mmm I thought, he might be quite smart. The crusty stuff on the eye has gone completely...

I keep a close eye on him, and a close feel because I noticed such a change in the "feel" of him when he was going through his hypothermia ordeal and in the next day... It's been interesting to note how he feels "more" himself.

He took a huge interest in yams following his drama, and now his interest in them is over too...
I find this all so fascinating! he is back to celery and lettuce and cucumber and fresh grass being his favourites. He wasn't even so interested in the red cabbage which had played the most exciting tune to him previously (thank heavens on that one!)

I think he really appreciated the time I gave him holding him because he has dropped the dashing off tactic he was begining to employ since the previous move.

I'm sorting the cage photo's into the proper progressing of improvement, so they will put up in my album shortly. I have to "re-inact" the first set up though and have more boxes to upack before I can have success with that. So shortly, in a wee while...

I adore your posts, can't seem to get enough of them! I'm going to start using that phrase about the full bellied hawk!

Thanks Hhbean - that was lovely to read!! That quote is one of my husbands favorites too; it just conveys SO much.

Hi folks, i am really excited that Kathlaaron has sent some U-Haul pads from the States! I can now begin the process of offering a different bedding system to Maximus von Lichtenwalder and see what his aristocratic self prefers.

Seem to be having some issues with getting my album sorted, and have deleted a couple of albums so far either between picasa or here as the order came out all wonky.

Maximus von Lichtenwalder has hit his teens.... It's a bit daunting. He's become a bit of a fuss pot over me touching any of his various beds. Suddenly things he appreciated me doing and was sweet about are now times to periodically exert discipline on me! he is very gentle but it's a very definite No! He will hold with his teeth, exerting absolutely no pressure, at the most extreme insistence that The Staff (me!) pay attention...

I've read about behaviour changes as dominance comes into their lives. I suppose I expected that dominance would be with other piggies... and since he lives by his regal self, well, I suppose it's perfectly reasonable that he would exert his 6 months age dominance over his Staff. ??.

He does not like me fussing with his blankets particularly and only after this hypothermia experience so I am wondering if the "result" of the experience has defined a preference within him that his bed is how he left it last time he was in it.

Having said all that though the behaviour is periodic, today for instance he he snuggled down in my arms and let me pull up a wooly blanket over his kicked out dangling leg, with nothing but a yawn several seconds later. Gosh I love him to bits!!

I have no doubt, that he is trying to show his dominance over you ! (I know for a FACT that certain male dog breeds will do this IF their owner does not show that HE/SHE is the alpha)

Plus, he has no other cage buddies to establish this normal Dominance process with, I wonder if maybe he is doing it with you instead ? I am not sure. ??

This is completely healthy and normal I would think. Since you have such a strong lovely bond with Max already, more so since his near death experience, that maybe he feels safe enough to exert his little independent side too.

Okay, now that was my "philosophical" answer. The more practical concrete answer would be that yes, he is going through adolescence. Typically adolescence is between 3mos-5mos, but can last as long as 12mos.

I think it is so adorable, that he is telling you.."no Mommy, that is MINE..please don't remove it.:sorry: " LOL. Boars do a lot of hard work in marking "their" territory, and "their things"...man he must be such a doll. Learning about Max through you, he sounds like such an amusing little character !

lol I've come to a conclusion about the snappy behaviour.... it's not just about moving the bedding after all, it's happening When the cage is at critical mass pee and poop.... Usually when Life behaves and let's me follow my nice tidy routine of spot removing pee patches in shavings twice a week, facecloths on fabric pee patches daily, and poop scooping once a day I have a wonderful contented wee mannikin.... When Life does not behave and gets me out of my nice tidy routines by throwing events and circumstances in the way, wee Maximus von Lichtenwalder gets snappy about me touching His stuff! :melodrama Boars!! You gotta love em.

Oh and a sneak preview of thoughts in the cooking pot.... Allan and I have been discussing how 2 piggies would work in our world - provided of course Maximus von Lichtenwalder approves and doesn't turn out to be one of Those pigs I've read about here who just decline to bond or share Anything with Anyone... space being a consideration here as where we are renting currently we could not have them in sight of each other and then that defeats the social point of it all....

Maximus von Lichtenwalder is proud to announce that he has completed his Sounds of Music Experiment initiated by Kathlaaron. It was posted in the About Guinea Pigs forum, under Behaviour colour coding.

Since I fail to navigate away to fetch a link to it without losing this text that's the best I can come up for now. Hopefully some wonderful person somewhere in the world might tell me how to type a reply and be able to access the links you want all at the same time. One can hope!

Our stories are coming along, with some wonderful progress on piggie pellets. I have found someone interested in providing a quality guinea piggie pellet here in NZ, since the law changes are likely going to omit any chance of getting Oxbow in easily.

Imagine the frustration of living in a country where only 3 vets say they stock critical care and two don't bother to reply to you...

Yes it pays to be healthy it would seem...

Maximus von Lichtenwalder would like to know what happened to spring:?:... the days have gone back to being as chilly wet and windy as winter!! which reduces his outdoor grass playpen time and full tilt sprint zooming possibilities...:melodrama

OH my !! I DEFINITELY think Maximus von Lichtenwalder would LOVE a buddy to play with !! Most piggies really DO get along, ONCE they have sorted things out. Teresa did a study...its' written here...let me go find it for you.

Read the part on this page about adding a 2ncd cavy..Guinea Pigs Social Life

KiwiCavyAdorer said:

Our stories are coming along, with some wonderful progress on piggie pellets. I have found someone interested in providing a quality guinea piggie pellet here in NZ, since the law changes are likely going to omit any chance of getting Oxbow in easily.

Imagine the frustration of living in a country where only 3 vets say they stock critical care and two don't bother to reply to you...

Yes it pays to be healthy it would seem...

Click to expand...

I cannot imagine the frustration that must be...we are VERY spoiled here in America !!:guilty:

By getting "someone interested" do mean a supplier ? Or do you mean someone like you like are you making a petitions list of some kind to advocate this up dated healthier plan ?

kathlaaron said:

By getting "someone interested" do mean a supplier ? Or do you mean someone like you like are you making a petitions list of some kind to advocate this up dated healthier plan ?

Click to expand...

First of all when Skylarnz contacted me about if I knew what pellets were good here in NZ and where she could get them, I thought we could get a club together to solve our own problem by bulk (not huge) importing and splitting it between the group, maybe even offering the surplus for sale. The freight is 3 times the cost of the product. It was just the two of us at first. Now that Wrongdecade has expressed interest I seem to have 3. It makes the pellets more achievable, but I've been warned that there is no guarantee they will make it through. I've been told sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Which is a bit much of a gamble. I'd rather know.

So what we did, Maximus von Lichtenwalder's official mum and I, was she wrote to the major pet store here in NZ and asked them why they included meat and meat products in their pellets. She received no reply. Now that I am settled in to our new place, I took up the question and wrote in again. This time I did get a response, and a blow off from the manufacturer. Which I shared with the manager of the store. His response just delighted me. He is keen to offer quality pellets, and has asked if I and others would go over the ingredient lists he is offered and make suggestions. He has taken notes from the long email I sent him and is on board, it would seem, to provide top quality pellets here in NZ!!

We have a real chance here to be part of major changes. I am very excited.

And beyond that good news is this, he asked me about indoor housing yesterday!!

Wow ! That is so very impressive and encouraging ! You are reaching people...really reaching people, and making an incredible, significant difference here. That's just too AWESOME....and very very COOL.

Kathlaaron thanks!! that's really nice of you to say.

well folks there is more news...

I went into a pet store recently, and while I was purchasing the lady asked what sort of puppy I had, I was purchasing puppy pads for a trial in Maximus von Lichtenwalder's abode. And so I began to talk to her about Himself. She was fascinated that a guinea pig COULD be kept indoors... well can you imagine ... something we take for granted as perfectly normal is like a life revelation to another person... wow!

she was completely fascinated with the concept of the c&c cage and asked me to take photo's and bring them in to the store... because... it sounds like something they would very much like to stock... how great is that!!??

suddenly without trying to get a result there is more interest... now to find or get the cubes here... next installment no doubt.

His small cute fluffiness is yawning his head off as I am writting this... enormous day the wee man had today, got to run around and munch his head off in the piggie veggie garden today, it's only got lettuces, cilantro, dandelion and shepards purse in it but gosh he can mow coriander faster than it can grow!!

We found a biodynamic grower, a holistic vet (unfortunately not cavy savvy) but we have lots of yummy herb, and veg just on our doorstep at 5 dollars a bag for a salad mix... piglet approves in total delight - he is now flat on his side eyes tight shut. Poor thing so much digesting....:shhh: don't laugh too loud, he might hear and have to wake uplol

It's like I'm in the room with him and can see "the wee man" slumbering away! I'm happy to hear about the pellet issue being addressed by the store manager.

KiwiCavyAdorer said:

First of all when Skylarnz contacted me about if I knew what pellets were good here in NZ and where she could get them, I thought we could get a club together to solve our own problem by bulk (not huge) importing and splitting it between the group, maybe even offering the surplus for sale. The freight is 3 times the cost of the product. It was just the two of us at first. Now that Wrongdecade has expressed interest I seem to have 3. It makes the pellets more achievable, but I've been warned that there is no guarantee they will make it through.

Click to expand...

How much were you looking to get? I get a steep discount on international shipping and would be willing to help if I can. I work for FedEx and can tell you what is and isn't allowed to be imported to NZ. There really is no reason it shouldn't make it through as long as its allowed to enter NZ. Also, as long as the value is claimed as below $70 usd and marked as a gift there's no tax.
Let me know what you're looking for, how much and what city it would go to and I can tell you what I can do to help. =]

LilPig said:

How much were you looking to get? I get a steep discount on international shipping and would be willing to help if I can. I work for FedEx and can tell you what is and isn't allowed to be imported to NZ. There really is no reason it shouldn't make it through as long as its allowed to enter NZ. Also, as long as the value is claimed as below $70 usd and marked as a gift there's no tax.
Let me know what you're looking for, how much and what city it would go to and I can tell you what I can do to help. =]

Click to expand...

I am SO excited!!!!! That is a wonderful:heart: offer, the city it would come to is Wellington.
WOW LilPig thank you Mam! (of course I am assuming you are a Mam and not a Sir... if I got it wrong just re-read Mam as Sir ok? lol)

Could you please check for us? I know the others will want to know what the freight is relative to the amounts that go with each freight category before they can make a decision and say how much they want. I don't want to get a big big amount because I am feeding just the one piggie. But if it's more cost effective I'll go with a bit of bulk and store it. So along with first checking to see IF we can get it through into NZ would you also make a small list of options and the prices that go with them?? I'll get that to the others via PM?

Thank you!! I'll be in touch via PM soon!