It's Introduction Day!

[Guinea Pig Papa]

We are a couple of hours in now and...........Things couldn't possibly going any better. Didn't really realize how lonely Scooter had been, and Leo has never had a friend until now. No teeth chattering, lots of rumbling and mounting from both parties. Looks like Leo wants to be the boss, and Scooter couldn't care less.

They've been munching the hay together, and I'll be damned..........but Scooter is using the water bottles. Fingers are crossed! PS NOT my Star Wars blanket lol!

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

Both little men just really, really needed each other. Scooter has popcorned more in the last 3 hours than in the last three months, and Leo now has room to popcorn and has been doing just that.


They have now moved upstairs into their permanent home, and I am so shocked that already seem to be the best of buds. Just a few minutes ago, I caught Leo grooming Scooter, and Scooter just closed his eyes and let him. Leo has never, ever known this much room to run or the comfort of having beds or cozies, nor has he known a buddy.


This couldn't possibly have gone any better. One of the best Christmas gifts I've ever gotten.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

Well, their first night together and alone, unsupervised was a success. Poor Leo doesn't really seem to know what to do with himself, and seems a bit skittish with so much room. I saw him doing laps all on his own this morning and boy, did that put a smile on my face.

He also has no idea how to use the cozies, but I'm sure he'll learn from Scooter as time goes on. He's very quickly picked up on salad time. Scooter, oddly enough, has picked up the pace with his eating and I'm presuming that's because he is perceiving competition. He's been in the hay more, pellets more, and just seems to have perked right up since meeting Leo.

Leo seems to stick close to Scooter, and even though it breaks my heart terribly, if Scooter goes into one of the pigloos to lie down, Leo lies just outside of it. Exactly the same way Punkin used to.

There has been absolutely no squabbling over food OR treats. They stand together to eat hay, and stand together to eat their veggies. Ecstatic doesn't even come close to how this makes me feel.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

I am really happy to read about the successful introduction between Scooter and Leo. What a pair of handsome boys! Looking forward to reading more about Leo and the adjustments to his new furever home.

Seeing the Star Wars blanket reminds me I need to go watch the movie. Thanks for the reminder as I'm a huge Star Wars fan.

I'm a huge Star Wars fan too. (Too old to admit it) But that isn't my blanket. It was my sons.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

GPP, are your boys still getting along well I hope?

The difference in both pigs now is remarkable. Leo, who was pretty laid back and mellow, is now a bundle of energy who popcorns around the cage and wheeks. He lost a little bit of weight this week, but nothing worrisome. With the amount he's been active and the exercise he's been getting I expected it.

Having a buddy was the missing piece for Scooter, the final bit of recovery from his prolonged illness that he needed. My old Scooter has come back to me, but a new twist has formed. I think due to all the handling, and attention he received he's also become very attached to ME. It's very special for me. But Leo was exactly what he needed and while they don't snuggle the way he and Punkin did, he and Leo have become very close very quickly. If Scooter sleeps in a pigloo, Leo naps beside it. They run with each other and popcorn around the cage together, and just tonight when I walked in the door both boys started wheeking their heads off at me. Scooters long-missing eating habits have returned, just like a switch was flipped.

It's been said to me a couple of times that this was meant to be. I have absolutely no argument against that, because there just is no way this could have gone any better. I'm floored.