Best Piggie in Kansas

[LindsayAnna]

Hey all,We (sir charles and I) are new here and we just wanted to say hello and tell you some stuff about our little family.We are currently looking for a new female family member to join our duo but for right now it's just charles and myself.Charlie is 2.5 years old now and he is a very famous pig in our area. I like to bring him on walks on his leash around the courthouse next door to our apartment. There he has met many people including lawyers, judges and business owners. He also has had the pleasure of meeting many cats, squirls, puppies, and large birds. And he enjoys all of those friendly animals except for the large birds and kittens. He used to have a best friend named calli co kitty who also lived with us but she became sick and had to go home to my parents for better care. Charles liked to cuddle with calli, follow her every footstep around the house, and groom her fur and now he has no one to play and sleep with. Which is why we are in search of a new friend.He is extremely smart. If i put his cage in one area of the house and then take him out and bring him on a walk then bring him back into the house he will immediately go to his cage even though it is in a completely different area. He also has a real talent for de-attaching anything that is attached to his cage like his food bowl, water bottle, hay holder... anything that is attached he figures out how to unattach. Which has made my life very interesting figuring out new and creative ways to attach these things. He loves running around and jumping over things. So i intentionally put obstetrical items in his way like shirts or old tissue boxes so he can jump over them and crawl into them and just play. He is potty trained, but i mean that literally he is ONLY POTTY trained, not poop trained. But as we all know guinea pig poop is a sinch to vacuum up. He will run into his little cage and potty then run right out which is probably the cutest thing ever. But he has the bladder of a champion and can go for quite a while without having to potty so if i want him in his cage because i am leaving the apartment or whatever reason the ONLY way i can get him in there is to bribe him with food. The worst part is he is picky about what food he wants what day. Some days he wants lettuce, and some days carrots or tomatoes. I call out his name and the food and he will follow me to the cage. If i put the food in he will jump in but if he senses at all that i lied and did not put any food in he will not jump in. He is too smart for his own good. I feel as though he has trained me, not the other way around.

 

[suzilovespiggie]

Welcome LindsayAnna to the world of piggies! Sir Charles does sound like one smart piggie!
Is there any paticular reason you want a female friend instead of a male friend for Sir Charles?
We love pictures here on the forum. With a name like Sir Charles we must see a picture! A knighted pig sounds very special. LOL. Again welcome!

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

He looks like the spoiled piggy he sounds like! =D Welcome to the forum!

 

[KristenMatejka]

OMG! That is just too cute! When I tried to put my piggies on a harness and leash they just puffed out and stood there looking all freaked out lol. so I threw it out! but looks like your piggy is fine with it!!! But anyways, welcome!

 

[LindsayAnna]

You know the key is to put them in a harness and put them in their cage for a day with it on. Then let them out of their cage to walk around and run around the house in it and get used to how it feels. Then finally put the leash on and go for a walk. But you gotta remember the pig walks you, you can't walk the pig. It's best to start on grass when outside because they are excited by all the food around them

Edited by bpatters: Leashes are not acceptable for guinea pigs. Their backs are very susceptible to damage if pulled the wrong way. Your pig could get startled, jump in the wrong direction, and wind up paralyzed. Please do not recommend that people use leashes for their guinea pigs.

 

[Hhbean]

He is adorable! Welcome to the forum and thank you for telling us all about Sir Charles.

 

[suzilovespiggie]

Sir Charles is one very handsome pig! Great pictures. I can not wait to see Ann Boyleyn.

Some rescues will let you have a date session. Let Sir Charles pick out his won queen.
He is one lucky pig.

 

[ellisa]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Your piggie sounds adorable! Just be careful with him around other animals. Dogs and cats are hunters and can be very unpredictable around prey animals. I would also chuck that leash before your piggie gets hurt!
Again, welcome and I hope you can find a lovely friend for your guy

 

[CavyMama]

I think someone already asked this but is there a reason you are looking for a female friend for Sir Charles?

 

[LindsayAnna]

He is neutered. And it is a waste of a surgery that is traumatic on an animal. He deserves a female after going through that.

 

[Pretty Piggies]

Haha! Well go get him a queen! Welcome! Your pig sounds so stinkin' smart! I don't believeleashes or harnesses are good for them. However, I made a homeade one. Get a piece of fabric, cut arm holes in it, and there you go. Make sure the fabric is not skin tight, but tight enough so he doesn't run out. Make another hole towards the top, and tie a piece of ribbon inside for the leash part. I am pretty sure this is fine for pigs, considering it's made of loose (but not too loose!) fabric.

 

[ellisa]

When taking piggies outdoors we recommend using a safe enclosure or playpen away from other scary animals and that is sectioned off from foods that shouldn't be consumed. This way if your pig gets scared they can't escape and run away, and they are free to roam around the pen as they please.
Pigs can be startled in a harness and damage their spines. They can also easily slip out and become lost forever.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/threads/42852/

edit to add: A guinea pig does not have a flexible spine like a cat, dog, or ferret and they are not designed to wear a harness.

 

[Pretty Piggies]

What about a homeade one? It only requires one thin piece of fabric that is difficult for a pig to get off considering it is a bit tricky for humans.=)

 

[LindsayAnna]

Edited by bpatters: Leashes are not acceptable for guinea pigs. Their backs are very susceptible to damage if pulled the wrong way. Your pig could get startled, jump in the wrong direction, and wind up paralyzed. Please do not recommend that people use leashes for their guinea pigs.[/QUOTE]

You obviously own a home with a back yard. For city dwellers leash laws are enforced and needed in case an animal runs into a street. Even with wire fencing a leash is required. Please know your laws before making claims. Also if you do not know how to properly leash train a guinea pig so they do not run off or tug on their leash do not use one. I fortunately am in an area surrounded by animal specialists with doctoral degrees who have taught me and encouraged the use of a leash in a city.

 

[ellisa]

I still wouldn't chance it with a homemade harness. A pig could easily try to blot wearing one and it could damage their backs.

 

[Pretty Piggies]

Okay! what does blot mean?

 

[LindsayAnna]

I do like this suggestion. Thank you for the idea. This way i can still legally have my guinea pig outside but he can be comfortable. Thank you!

 

[ellisa]

Edited by bpatters: Leashes are not acceptable for guinea pigs. Their backs are very susceptible to damage if pulled the wrong way. Your pig could get startled, jump in the wrong direction, and wind up paralyzed. Please do not recommend that people use leashes for their guinea pigs.

You obviously own a home with a back yard. For city dwellers leash laws are enforced and needed in case an animal runs into a street. Even with wire fencing a leash is required. Please know your laws before making claims. Also if you do not know how to properly leash train a guinea pig so they do not run off or tug on their leash do not use one. I fortunately am in an area surrounded by animal specialists with doctoral degrees who have taught me and encouraged the use of a leash in a city.

I disagree with your claim of having your pig trained. What it comes down to at the end of the day is a guinea pig is a prey animal and totally unpredictable. You cannot read their minds so you don't know when one would get scared and try to bolt wearing a harness. If this happened your pig could break it's spine. Bpatters as well as the other people on this site have spent many many many many hours researching guinea pigs and they know what they are talking about so I would listen to her advice over some "specialist" who recommends a harness. This person probably doesn't even know half of what it takes to properly care for a cavy.

We are just sharing our concerns for your guinea pigs welfare. You sound like an extremely competent and caring owner, who loves her cavy dearly. We would hate for anything to happen to him. Please take our advice into consideration. We are just trying to help, not start a fight.

 

[ellisa]

Okay! what does blot mean?

I obviously meant bolt

 

[LindsayAnna]

This is too negative of a group for me or my pig to be apart of. Thank you but no thank you.

My specialist as you call THEM are trained vetrenarian groups of people from my vetraniarian doctoral program on campus that specialize in small animal care. I do not go to the students for help but instead the professors who have 30 years plus of knowledge on small animal care. Please take your guinea pigs to a vet before listening to the advice of a forum on a website with .com at the end.

Your comments are rude, and distasteful.