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Guinea Pig Papa

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She's going to gain weight quick regardless. My boys when we first got them, gained weight at a rate of 50-100 grams per week. Not sure how much your girl is going to gain per week, but you should weight her every week regardless. If you've already got a scale, just put her in a container that's high enough she can't jump out of it.
 

MerryFriarTuck

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Just like GPP said! And depending on the container, you can weigh it first to subtract that from her weight ( just like weighing a dog by weighing yourself, then weighing yourself holding them ) A veggie treat might help discourage piggy suicide, too!

My Robin Hood filled out big time after we got him. He was underweight and sneezy, and it was awesome to watch him fill out with a round little belly and his black fur become all shiney :love: I don't have any experience with pregnant piggies, though, so I don't know what her weight gain means for certain.
 

petluv

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Thank you GPP and MFT. I’m glad to know it may just be a normal growth pattern. Not that I wouldn’t still love her if she was expecting, but I know it’s so hard on them and am scared of anything happening to her! She is likely eating a more bountiful and nutritious diet than she’s ever had in her short lifetime. Also nice to know that piggies can be a little plump, even at a healthy weight and size.

She is still super shy and scared to be out when we we are anywhere close to her cage. However she is actively greeting us (my husband too) when come into her area, albeit from her pigloo, but still is sweet as can be!:love:

Today she actually greeted my husband when he opened the front door coming home from work! Normally she wheeks just for me, but looks like she happily knows his footsteps/voice too. How that just melted my heart today!:love:
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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You know what the best part of that is?


No matter how much they do it........ it never gets old. Ever.
 

petluv

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So both last night and this morning when I was filling up her hay, she got curious and her little head peeped in the tunnel part of her pigloo, big step in trust for her, while my hand was still in the cage. So I ever so slowly just grazed her nose with the tip of my finger both times for just a second or two. She didn’t run away! Just sat there nervously. But she allowed it! :love:
 

petluv

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Is it ok to heap a bowl full of hay alway refilling as needed throughout the day? Baby girl just doesn’t seem to get the hay racks. I think she thinks they are too much work for not enough return. lol She quickly gives up.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Is it ok to heap a bowl full of hay alway refilling as needed throughout the day? Baby girl just doesn’t seem to get the hay racks. I think she thinks they are too much work for not enough return. lol She quickly gives up.

I found hay racks are a waste of time. Every pig I've ever had just simply pulled out strands of hay until finding the one they want at that moment. I just pile hay in the corners now, adding a fresh handful every so often. Their bedding gets completely changed every 48 hours so they always have fresh hay.
 

MerryFriarTuck

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That's awesome progress!! Nose pets were the first thing Friar Tuck let me do, too :) From there I went to chin and chest pets, then up the bridge of nose pets, and for him it took about 6 months to truly enjoy head and cheek rubs and scritches...I hand fed him bits of veggies every time I pet as a reward, so he learned it not only felt good, but brought yummy food, too!

Hay on the ground/in a bowl is definitely a good idea--- that's what I do, too. I have a hay rack and pile of hay in the corner for each piggy. Friar Tuck still likes to eat out of the hay rack sometimes, but he loves to root around and lay in the hay pile. Robin Hood's favorite mischief is pulling every bit of hay out until the hay rack is empty, then walking away lol He only ever really eats it from a ground pile. When the hay gets soiled or mixed with too much bedding, I take out, and add more fresh hay every day.
 

petluv

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Robin Hood's favorite mischief is pulling every bit of hay out until the hay rack is empty, then walking away lol He only ever really eats it from a ground pile. When the hay gets soiled or mixed with too much bedding, I take out, and add more fresh hay every day.

Lol! This is SO funny! lol
 

MerryFriarTuck

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SSLee

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I put a bowl of short strands of hay in the cage along with two full hay baskets daily. The piggies do enjoy the hay in the bowl and whatever is left at the end of the day gets tossed into the compost bin.

As to Abby being a single piggy, my piggy Lily actually seemed happier when she was by herself. I don't know if it is because Lily is a submissive pig and the alpha has always been very aggressive. Lily was a single pig for about 4 months after her sister passed. During this time she seemed to be more relaxed and gained weight, as there was no dominant to steal her food. I adopted a new companion for Lily, Felicia, but they are always at opposite ends of the cage unless Felicia chooses to chase Lily out of the hidey. Both are silent which is very unsettling. Lily used to be vocal and wheek but no more. The new alpha piggy, Felicia, has been silent since she joined us, although I did hear one feeble wheek from her about a month ago. Other than that, she doesn't make any noise and is always sneaking up on Lily.

Enjoy getting to know Abby's personality and bonding with her, one nose pet at a time.
 

petluv

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So this morning I found that she is not at all a biter (some are when scared) so I can scoop her up from her pigloo by sticking my hand in through small opening in front. Holding her down gently, flipping over the pigloo, and then picking her up with both hands. The round back sort of traps her in (though she can escape during the process.) I won’t push her too much, but a couple of weeks ago I don’t think this would have worked at all. In some ways I think she is more comfortable with the giant hands in her cage all the time. They are useful to bring fresh hay and veggies after all. lol

Also so we bought a cheap wooden table at ikea that will fully support her 2x4 cage. We are putting it together this weekend. I think it will help a lot to not have to hear and feel the big scary giants and their footsteps. ;-)
 
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Guinea Pig Papa

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Scooter was never one to love being picked. Punkin didnt mind, and Leo still doesnt but hes improving. Punkin learned first during his illness and Scooter now also does this, because of the extreme amount of handling both received.

When I want to pick Scooter up, I make sure he can see both of my hands. I will bring one hand in, in front of him. He will see this and as it gets close he will put a paw up in the air and acknowledge it, and he will "step up" onto my hand. I can then scoop up his bum and lift him. Toward the end, I could put my hand down in front of Punkin and say, "come on buddy, step up" and he would step up onto my hand.

It doesn't always work for everyone, some pigs just will not like being picked up and won't get used to it. But it does prove that frequent handling is one sure-fire way to accomplish getting your pig used to it, and you.
 

MerryFriarTuck

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That's great!! I think having her up on the table will make a world of a difference, too. A nice method very similar to yours for picking a piggy up is a "piggy elevator" : use a cardboard box with a solid floor and hole in the side/tunnel/fleece cozy, wait for the piggy to go in, then block the entrance and pick the whole thing up with the piggy inside :)
 

petluv

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So every time I’ve reached in to her cage today she runs into her pigloo but stays still and let’s me pet her. She doesn’t run away, nip or chatter! I have a pet anytime I want zone now! Woo hoo!:love:
 

petluv

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So every time I’ve reached in to her cage today she runs into her pigloo but stays still and let’s me pet her. She doesn’t run away, nip or chatter! I have a pet anytime I want zone now! Woo hoo!:love:
 

petluv

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Sorry about the double post thing. :confused:
 

ItsaZoo

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She will love being off the floor. When I moved Lacey up on top of the dog’s cage she really liked watching everything going on. She still doesn’t like being picked up but will only nip if she is in a corner that she can’t see out of, like in a hidey or carrier.
 

petluv

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New pics of Princess Abby!
 

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