Behavior Tell me about your new pigs' behavior/experience

[RufussMom]

I adopted two adult boys earlier this week and while I know that it has only been a few days, some of their behavior makes me want to know about your experience with new pigs activity. What did they act like at first with you and how long do you think it took yours to behave comfortable and like themselves?


Right now, my boys have a 2x5 cage and while I don't expect them to be running around, I also don't think they are getting enough water or really moving much at all. One will take food from my hand and acknowledge my presence, acts a little curious, but he is always in the same spot in the cage. The other one stays in a hidey and will not take food from me. He also just sits near the fresh veggies while the other pig eats them which is what most puzzles me. I have only tried to hold the more social one once, but otherwise just talk to them. I haven't had to refill their two water bottles and they have been using them for 3 days, does that seem normal? They look, feel, and sound normal and healthy so I am hoping that they will start taking advantage of the cage space and fresh veggies one day!


Thanks for sharing your experiences! I like reading about other pigs behavior to understand my pigs.

 

[bpatters]

Drape a cloth over one end of the cage to protect them from the house eagles, and put their food, water and hay under or just outside the cover. That will give them some protection, and they'll gradually begin to explore the cage.

Hold them, weight them, give them yummy treats from your hands. Ar first, cover them with a light cloth while you're holding them -- more protection.

Pigs can take drinking by spells, but if you put the bottles under the cover, they may drink more.

 

[Bambi5826]

I am going through similar, but with young sows.
I am also worried about water intake, so I started spritzing their veggies with some water before putting in their cage.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[FuzzMom]

my 2 girls took a minute to adjust. Cupcake sort of guarded the food but didn't eat it; I think she's more dominant anyway. cocoa hid. She pretty much took over the house for the first 2 days. Neither one would even squeak or make noise. Neither had ever had any veggies other than lettuce. do your boys know what they are? Now both will eat in my lap no problem, but Cocoa still wants to be under a fleece throw blanket. She's actually the cuddlebug, and when I got her they said she was shy and didn't like people. Cupcake wants to explore and will nip if irritated. My boy PeanutButter Bar hid for about the first night, now he .climbs the cage to see you, and really wants to get to the girls, not happening. I don't want babies. Did covering one part of the cage make them feel more secure/ If they are super bonded, hold them together. After a few days of holding them together, Cocoa now feels ok with being held alone. The first few times she needed her sissy to help her feel more confident.

 

[RufussMom]

Thanks - I had ordered some grids that are frosty plastic which arrived Friday and rebuilt their cage with them, while adding some over the top to provide an extra feeling of cover. This and rearranging the cage does seem to make the shy one stay out of the hidey and relax, but he still doesn't show as much interest in veggies as the other one.

That is probably a good idea to wet the veggies to help them get more water.

 

[bpatters]

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/105287-How-to-teach-a-guinea-pig-to-eat-vegetables