cavies for the first time

[cavypaulita]

Hi !
I finally adopted 2 cavies yesterday! They are so cute and funny.
It's the first time I have cavies, so I don't quite know what to expect in terms of behaviour. I've read in this site and the links, but I wanted to make sure:

I put them in the cage yesterday, at first they were scared, and hiding together in a box but then they slowly explored it and ate.
They also chased each other everywhere, doing bird-like sounds.
Are those sounds normal ones?
They sounded like doves, birds
and one of them as if he were purring but quite loud

They made these sounds while eating, running, and sometimes when they were together inside the box.

They slept together.

Also, the smallest one, apparently is around a month and a half old only, maybe two, but at 6 am in the morning I was surprised to find him OUT the cage, on top of a bag with food next to the cage. I dropped him back in, and now I've made a provisory extra band of coroplast so he can't get out.

Are these sounds normal?

It means they are playing, right?
Thank you!!
pauli

 

[VoodooJoint]

The sounds are all normal. Some are playing, some are contentment some may be what we call rumblestrutting which is a test of dominance.

If you see the GPs making a chittering, rumbling/purring almost teeth clicking sound and as they do it they kind of walk in slow motion with their butts wiggling back and forth a little they are rumblestrutting. It's their way of saying "I'm boss". It's normal and usually doesn't end in any violence.

As far a getting out of the cage...that must hav scared you to death. It seems more likely that the baby fit through the cubes then went over them. Did you add the cubes to the others? Kind of doubled up to make the holes smaller or did you just add a layer to the top to make it taller? If you made it taller take it down and use the cubes to make the holes smaller instead until the baby has grown a bit more.

 

[laura220]

Congrats on your new piggies!!

You could put the coroplast or cardboard at the sides to make them higher so the baby can't get through.

How big is the C&C you've got?

 

[cavypaulita]

Hi!

unfortunately I could not find Cubes here where I live, but I had the cage done, similar to the ones I saw here- It has coroplast - I had the structure done.
The size is 1metre 35 cm x 58 x 45 (a bit tall).
What I'm thinking of doing is adding a band of coroplast, the coroplast I put covers 4 squares. I was thinking of adding another one so they can't get out.
The small one went out through one of the squares.
Thank you!
After they adjust a bit I"ll take some photos

Thanks
Pauli

 

[Binas Cavys]

Where did you get your pigs? And where do you live? Walmart and Bed bath and beyond( If you are in the us) sell cubes.

-Bina
(Sorry if I sounded bossey)

 

[cavypaulita]

Hi,
I live in South America, Argentina,
believe me, I searched a lot, and there was nowhere I could find that. I spent a lot of money on the cage they made for me (It is not a shop cage, the guy who did it is the same who did the table for my fish tank). It was expensive to have it made, but believe me I spent a long time searching for the cubes. It was even difficult to get the coroplast, but fortunately I could.
I travelled to other places near my city, but it was really impossible. So the only choice I had was to design one and ask someone to do it for me.

It was also difficult to get ginuea pigs here, there are no such places as shelters, and guinea pigs are not so common pets here. There aren't many accesories,etc, or places to buy things.

I adopted the two guinea pigs from someone who had, and these were the two that she hadn't found a home for.
ACtually, I'm amazed to see all the products you have for guinea pigs, in the States and other countries. If I wanted to find a pigloo here or some of the things you have, it would be impossible.

Thanks
pauli

 

[TheQueen]

You can always buy stuff online. You can get cubes from Target too. Just go to Walmart or Target's website and order them. You can order food, hay, pigloos, other toys, etc, all online and have it shipped to your door. You might have to pay extra for shipping, but you'll be getting the stuff you want!

 

[cavypaulita]

Hi,
Thank you for the suggestion,
yes, I know I can order things online- so far I'll have to manage with what I have here- I don't have that high a salary, and here our currency is "pesos".
-a dollar there is around three pesos here (the equivalency), so imagine the amounts of money I'd have to pay for shipping, products etc. Iam not in the best finantial situation. Cubes would be incredibly expensive for me to get, as they are big and shipping is really expensive plus here we have to pay a tax for everything we buy abroad. The cage I designed and bought - I spent a lot of money on that, considering the salary I have (I'm just a teacher).
I used to be able to order things, but it also takes along time (a month or so) and sometimes they get lost along the way. It happened many times when I ordered books, aquarium stuff, and when a friend I have in the States sent me a package.
I would order online if it weren't for the money and the time it takes to get here. It's a long distance..and things in this country don't work so well as they should, unfortunately.

Thank you, I might do that if I find a place that is affordable to me.

pauli

 

[Percy's Mom]

For the metrically challenged (like myself), I found a conversion calculator http://www.onlineconversion.com/length_common.htm and covernted the meters and cms to inches on the cage. It's approximately 53inX23inX18in tall, so slightly longer than 4 cubes and slightly narrower than 2 cubes, but 4 inches taller (about a 1.5X4.5 maybe).

Were those measurements inside or outside Pauli?

 

[JennG]

First of all you are not JUST a teacher. Teachers are very important to our future. YOU teach our future. You should be paid waaaaay more than you do. The children benefit from your knowledge. So, be proud that you are an inspiration to the children. Ok I'm done w/ that. And by the way, I'm not a teacher (I work w/ children birth to 3yrs of age who are developmentally disabled or just need alittle extra help as a caseworker who link them w/ therapists) but I'm also a parent w/ three children. So from us parents, thank you for your dedication.

Now on to the cavies. Congrats on adopting your new ones. They are soooo much fun. I have three and will definitely be getting at least one more. There are alot of things around the house you can use. I've take plastic baskets from Dollar stores, cut them and used zip ties to fasten them into a tunnel. I have several toilet paper rolls that they love to chew on. I also have a kleenix tissue box I cut the bottom out of and used it as a hidey house. My last "invention" I used a small travel pillow and wrapped a piece of fleece material around it for a nice cushy bed. You just have to get creative and they'll enjoy whatever you can supply them. Good luck and enjoy your new piggies!!!

 

[widallas]

Hola, Cavy Paulita!

Bienvenidos a Cavy Cages. I was in the Peace Corps and lived in Uruguay for two years, and have spent some time in Argentina, especially in the South. You have a beautiful country, and boy do I miss yerba matte!

I impressed with your ingenuity -- so many people would have taken the easy road out and just bought a store bought cage. I'm sure your cavies will thank you for it! It is amazing how many things you can buy for pets in the U.S., maybe too much.... Often times, they enjoy homemade toys or tunnels just as much as store bought. (It's amazing what you can do with cardboard and plastic, and fleece!)

https://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1714&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

https://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=3173&password=&sort=1&cat=all&page=1

https://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1018&password=&sort=1&cat=all&page=4

Mucho suerte con sus nuevos amigos!

Hi,
Thank you for the suggestion,
yes, I know I can order things online- so far I'll have to manage with what I have here- I don't have that high a salary, and here our currency is "pesos".
-a dollar there is around three pesos here (the equivalency), so imagine the amounts of money I'd have to pay for shipping, products etc. Iam not in the best finantial situation. Cubes would be incredibly expensive for me to get, as they are big and shipping is really expensive plus here we have to pay a tax for everything we buy abroad. The cage I designed and bought - I spent a lot of money on that, considering the salary I have (I'm just a teacher).
I used to be able to order things, but it also takes along time (a month or so) and sometimes they get lost along the way. It happened many times when I ordered books, aquarium stuff, and when a friend I have in the States sent me a package.
I would order online if it weren't for the money and the time it takes to get here. It's a long distance..and things in this country don't work so well as they should, unfortunately.

Thank you, I might do that if I find a place that is affordable to me.

pauli

 

[Cherryrosed]

Congratulations on being a new Cavy Slave! I am an educational assistant here in the USA and this year I will be teaching life skills IE cooking, shopping, woodworking, social skills, etc to developmentally disabled 7-12 graders. With the ingenuity you showed in designing your own cage I can tell you must be an awesome teacher.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Is there a Home Depot type place near you? You can make a cage out of shelving units usually.

 

[dropping_head]

Hi!

unfortunately I could not find Cubes here where I live, but I had the cage done, similar to the ones I saw here- It has coroplast - I had the structure done.

I don't use cubes. I have a board from an old peice of furniture that keeps the front side sturdy where the water bottles are.

 

[cavypaulita]

Hello!
Thank you for your responses and suggestions!

My piggies seem to be adjusting very well to their cage and to my house/life.
They are so funny to watch. At first they were terrified, but now they play and ask me for food when I get near the fridge or take their food bag.
I still can't hold them. I guess it is normal,right?
it takes a little time to earn their trust...they are taking little steps, at least now they don't run away to their hidey house and they ask for food and eat with me near.
I should give them time to get them to trust me, right?
I wish I could hold them, so I could also check on them, and see how they are, but they run like crazy when I try to touch them.
I did manage to get them eat from my hand.
and I saw them popcorning too .
they are really sweet.

Thank you for your responses, I'm reading through the site and finding a lot of helpful advice and tips.

Thanks!
pauli

 

[cavypaulita]

hi! Just sharing that I could hold them for 5 minutes. I'm soooo happy that they let me. I'm trying a fleece bedding (for the past days) and so far, it's going great.
Very easy to clean, and the piggies seem to love it. It takes just a little while to change and clean and I'm quite happy with it so far. No smell at all and they are running all over the cage.
so they are adjusting quite well, fortunately. I will ask my vet to check on them to make sure everything's ok.
This site is great, it's helping me a lot.
Thank you
Pauli

 

[Ly&Pigs]

If they run when you try to pick them up, that's very normal behavior. They are prey animals and it's built in instinct to run away when they see the big human coming to get them out for laptime or floortime. Just scoop them up as quickly as possible when getting them out of the cage and they will be fine.

I am glad they are adjusting well. Keep up the good work Pauli.

 

[cavypaulita]

Thank you!
Here I am, sharing some pictures of my babies. The smallest one is so sweet and looks for protection near the other one...I hope you like them.
They are adjusting very well, fortunately.
thanks
pauli

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/mpauli/comiendo.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/mpauli/ChocoyKrispi1.jpg

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