New in here!

[minniesmom]

I'm a proud mommy of Minnie (also called Minnie Roo) and my newest baby girl Piper! I have had my Minnie for almost a year. I got her as a baby, probably a month old. She is so comforting and loving ! But mostly just with me. She is calm where as my new baby Piper is feisty! And thinks she's an acrobat. Minnie is tri colored with silky hair. Piper looks like she stuck a finger in a light socket. Minnie is trained and I'm working on piper
Here are some pictures
I'm sad that they have to be apart in cages, Minnie is not very fond of piper. She bites her constantly!

 

[GiuneaPigLover]

Welcome to the forum. Here there is lots to learn about piggies as well as giving your own piggy experiences. I hope you like it here and by the way your piggies are very beautiful.

 

[minniesmom]

Thank you I just love ❤ my babies! They have totally different personalities! Just like people!

 

[GiuneaPigLover]

Yeah, they do. I have 7 four of which are pups but the adults a full of personality. Weezy is laid back and very calm while Brown and Coco are feisty and run but once you get them they want to snuggle. When I put them back they wheek, loudly to be picked back up. These animals are so wonderful.

 

[minniesmom]

Awwww! My babies still play chase me when I get them out. But I hum lullabies to them and they calm down. Piper wheeks so loud! We just look at her and say "where's that come from"! Where as Minnie sounds like her squeaker is broke!

 

[GiuneaPigLover]

Lol. I can tell you are the perfect piggy parentlol

 

[minniesmom]

LOL yes, I try to be!!!!!! They are my world! I sacrifice for them. People call me crazy, I just love them!

 

[CavyChrissy]

Welcome! I love Piper's crazy hair and her name. My Lucy was very close to being named Piper also!

 

[minniesmom]

I would like to thank everyone who wrote back to me I would like to know your opinion. I will say that I have never even held a guinea pig until my Minnie. And any time someone else would hold her I would feel so anxious about it, like they were doing it wrong or would break her. I always said "I have the best baby in the world"! She is so smart and has such a large understanding. So getting piper I had thought she would be similar to Minnie. I was so wrong! Minnie does bite and sometimes hard. I just tell her "no bite"! And she stops. Piper bites but its like she has razor sharp teeth! They both have logs to chew on. Piper spends all day chewing on the bars of her cage trying to chew her way out to get to Minnie. I've tried to put them in the same cage, Minnie is not having it! She literally will chase her and bite her! Or lay down and block her from getting to the food or water! So I keep them apart. I leave their doors open. Minnie can't get out of her new cage, but her old one (pipers cage) she would climb in and out whenever she wanted! Piper doesn't even realize that the door is open! She could get out! Which makes me shake my head and say she's a deet-ta-dee! I love them both but I feel like Minnie is my favorite. And I hate that feeling! Does everyone feel like this?

 

[PandaPiggle]

Did you just plunk Piper in Minnie's cage? If you did, there's almost no way they would get along. Guinea pigs are very territorial, so you have to follow a specific introduction procedure so nobody feels like their space is being invaded. This is a very good and detailed list of directions: https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html Also how big is Minnie's cage? If you want them to get on, then it's ideal to have about 10 sq. ft. of space (minimum 7.5 sq. ft.)

I've got five girls, and the way I manage to not pick a favorite is by finding something I absolutely love about everybody... Clarissa's long hair, Penny's calmness, Mira's eyes, you get the idea! I love asking people which one they think is the prettiest, but I'm an impartial mama. Just find the wonderful things about Piper, either things that are very pretty, or good behaviors, and focus on those, you'll start to see there's no reason to pick a favorite.

I hadn't ever held a piggie before my first either, and I'm always terrified when other people are holding the piggies, especially because I've got a couple really squirmy and jumpy ones! I think the fear just means you're a mama of an unusual critter and you know most people have no idea how to hold them. It's a lot easier on me if the human is sitting and I put the piggie on a towel (or two) in their lap. That way they don't have to hold the piggies, just pet them

 

[minniesmom]

Thanks! I definitely have done that before with mine. We had stayed with my cousin who has 3 kids! The 4 year old was so hyper and loud and I could just feel Minnie getting so anxious and annoyed. So I got to where I would cover her cage and say she was sleeping. That would work until Minnie would start to wheek when she heard the fridge door open or plastic. And I did try to introduce them in the yard and on the floor. I let them sit with me in my bed. Minnie likes to go to the foot of the bed and position herself to watch TV. She just doesn't like piper. And my poor piper, she just keeps trying to be friends. And Minnie is such a princess that she doesn't like her fur brushed up at all! Straight back! And she doesn't like anyone near her butt! Piper keeps sniffing her butt! We keep telling her to stay out of there but...and because their fur is so different I find that no matter how much I bathe piper her butt is stained yellow! And the poor girl gets bedding stuck in it. But she has blue eyes! Which just was baffling! I got them both from the same pet store, about 9 months apart. This time they had a completely different breed! And all babies!!!! And so since I had looked up how to tell the difference between boys and girls I hovered over the lady looking at each one carefully before choosing piper. They had a tan one identical to her but was a boy. I have been trying to get them to get along. But my Minnie is so stubborn! She absolutely wants nothing to do with piper! And she throws a fit when I hold her and piper climbs me! Yes piper is a climber! The girl thinks she's a Billy goat or something!!! My husband thinks it's hilarious! He scolds Minnie and I get after him because I'm her mother and I feel like I will deal with her! Both of us are bonded to Minnie. Even been evicted for her! Our attitude is "we got her as a baby! She's gone over the road through the U.S. with us. No way are we giving her up or letting someone else take care of her"! She is so intelligent that she actually put him on speaker phone with her nose when I was talking to him!!!! Piper tries to chew the phone. LOL! I try to take piper out and bond with her but she looks for Minnie. And I can see Minnie looking and I end up feeling guilty for holding one and not the other. How can I get Minnie to like piper? Stop biting her? Play with her? Minnie just seems like a loner.

 

[minniesmom]

Ok, so I looked at the site you sent me. I should just let Minnie bite piper and no matter how much she cries leave them alone? Bathe them together? They do baths good but never together. So should I set my project today to put them together all day long? How will I know when its safe to put them in the same cage?

 

[PandaPiggle]

I would really read the link I posted above... Well I got the memo that you read it after I posted this.. Oops! Guinea pig introductions look REALLY scary to humans, but they're necessary for piggies, and can include lunging and nipping (and showing teeth, chasing, and lots of other scary things) so you need a big indoor area like a big bathroom or the kitchen, or a large pen in another room. As long as no blood is drawn then you just keep going. It can take several hours sometimes but eventually they figure it out. If your cage is less than 7.5 sq ft then don't bother introducing them until it's bigger though.

I had a new piggie, Clarissa, who was introduced to my herd of 4 sows on Friday. She and Bridget had a giant tiff and were flying at each other and fighting with teeth, so I separated, checked for wounds, and seeing none I put them both back in. Clarissa and Penny did the same thing. Clarissa chased Mirabelle, and Lacey was cowering in a corner for a while. It's normal. Sniffing butts is also a part of the introduction process, and no matter how much you tell Piper to not do it, she will do it until she and Minnie can sort out the all important question of who is boss and then get on with their lives. As long as Piper isn't bleeding, you've got to keep her in the neutral area with Minnie. Repeatedly putting them together and taking them apart is very stressful for the piggies.

Also I think Piper's bottom is doomed to stay yellow, I had a black and white Teddy (which is the coat type I think Piper has) and her behind was always yellowed, bathing won't make it better so limit baths to once ever 2-3 months unless they really need it, especially for Teddies because they can be prone to dry skin.

 

[minniesmom]

Is that the breed piper is? Teddy? I guess I will give it another shot and just force them to spend the day together and not interfere. Its just so hard for me to hear piper cry! She already knows Minnie is the boss. And will cringe when Minnie turns towards her. I am going to give it another go. How will I know when its actually safe to house them together?

 

[minniesmom]

Ok so I got them out together. They are eating hay together. Minnie has bit piper 4 times already. Make that 5! So when will I know that their actually friends? I'm sitting away from them and being quiet. Minnie is still biting piper. I have not scolded her. I plan to clean the cage out of all smells. Can their wooden log houses be cleaned? I've switched them back and forth between them so they get used to the other ones scent. I've had piper for a month and a half. They see each other through their cages all the time and I bring them out daily around each other. I thought it would be easier to transition them to each other that way. I'm having a hard time right now not saying anything! My instinct is to protect piper! She's only 2 months old!!!! And her cries hurt my heart! How long does this take? And I still can't understand why they act this way when they are such loving animals!!!! I came to this site to help me understand my babies more and for advice and support. Nobody I know knows anything about these animals. And this is so new to me! What do I do?

 

[SquigglyPigs]

Is her biting drawing blood? She may just be trying to pull out hair, which is fine. Only separate when they draw blood. Intros are so hard, especially when you have one pig that cries the entire time. It took my 3 girls about 2 hours to establish who was dominant. After things calm down, you can put them back into one cage (make sure it's big enough for two). Clean everything in the cage first. New bedding, clean food bowls, water bottles, and take out any igloos or hideys that they can trap each other in. You can drape fleece over corners for temporary beds if need be.

How are they doing now?

 

[PandaPiggle]

Yup, @allisonj30 stole the words right out of my mouth! I know it's awful, I had 3 week old baby Lacey in the herd when I introduced Mira. Lacey just wanted to follow Mira everywhere, but Mira didn't like that and Lacey wasn't getting it so she had to be really mean, but they cohabitant nicely now It sucks right now, but if they can get along it will be so worth it

And as long as they've got unlimited hay then they don't need wooden houses to chew, so you can take those away no problem, that way they don't get territorial about them.

 

[minniesmom]

Well, I am so excited to say....their in the same cage getting along!!! Minnie is still trying to pick on piper but I took them out and had them together, Minnie has well established dominance! Piper is not even putting up a fuss. Minnie has never drew blood. Plucked some hair but that's it. I cleaned the cage, new bedding, new hay, cleaned the food dishes, new food the water bottles. And I put 2 bottles and 2 dishes. Minnie is still biting here and there. She's now is sniffing pipers butt then running away. They are both pop corning in the cage and eating together.

 

[PandaPiggle]

I'm sooooooooo happy! I hope it all subsides soon and they're happy together Yay piggie buddies and successful introductions!!!

 

[minniesmom]

I took them out. Minnie is still snapping at piper but piper is just excited to be in the same cage she doesn't seem to care! And Minnie is not even objecting anymore. She knows that she is the boss. And I see her deliberately showing piper by backing her to a corner. I'm so excited right now!!!!