From 1 to 5 .. Help

[Isabeau]

My husband bought me 1 female that was returned to the pet store when my hamster died. She was pregnant !!!!! Store traded me her 4 babies (which looked like her) for 1 other. It was "outside", tripped on a bump in the lawn, rolled & broke her neck after 1 week. : Meanwhile, the mama (Pippin - crested) was lonely, sulking in corner, no popcorns or noices, like with her pups, so I hunted down a breeder and brought home a female, (Oreo - crested). I visited my breeder later and brought home 2 more (Chloe, tri-texel & Lilly, grey & white teddy) as she said my cage would hold them all (extra large Hagen). That's 4. Meanwhile, I rescued another female (3 years old) as the owner was allergic ?!?, I call her Snowball, she came with 1 Large Hagen. I kept the babies & Pippin in the x-lrg, but Pippin was strutting & growling & chasing everyone, as she did with Oreo. Oreo was also being aggressive to the other babies, chasing & nipping, & she was only 4 weeks older than the other babies. I figure Pippin is dominant, so I removed her to a large cage, and the babies outside for a couple of days together. The 3 babies are now in the x-lrg getting along. I know this won't hold them as adults. Pippin is beside Snowball in a lrg Hagen & when they wheek, they go to the edge to see each other. I clean their cage every day, and they have no room to run. It's almost winter, & too cold for outside runs. I would like to build a C&C home for the babies, or all if possible. Question time .. do I try to introduce all 5, and how? That would decide how big I make the C&C. How do I know if they would use a 2 story? Snowball seems gentle & friendly, purring & easy to pick up. The babies are skittery, how do I calm them. Pippin is skittery, but now likes to be held. She was real wild when I got her. Oreo seems to have kept her dominance, that I feel she learned from Pippin. Should I intro the 2 adults, then the babies, or one adult at a time, starting with Snowball, the friendlier one. They are all different and cute, and I wonder if I should adopt out the ones that don't get along, would it be better for them. The x-large Hagen seems big enough for one piggy, but I'd rather clean only 1 cage, and the bigger the cage, the easier to keep clean. Special note, I have 5 Jack Russell terriers, so a floor or open cage is out of the question. Any help is muchly appreciated .. please. Many thanks.

 

[mncavylover]

My husband bought me 1 female that was returned to the pet store when my hamster died. She was pregnant !!!!!

Why did you return her? Because she was pergnant?

Store traded me her 4 babies (which looked like her) for 1 other. It was "outside", tripped on a bump in the lawn, rolled & broke her neck after 1 week. :

What is the : for? Just wondering. I hope it's not a smiley face. That's sad about the pig! What do you mean they traded 4 for one other? Sorry, but I don't get it. You mean for the one you gave them?

Meanwhile, the mama (Pippin - crested) was lonely, sulking in corner, no popcorns or noices, like with her pups, so I hunted down a breeder and brought home a female, (Oreo - crested).

Please don't get a pig from a breeder, no matter what. They are just contributing to the pet overpopulation. Please adopt. Why did you need another anyhow?

I visited my breeder later and brought home 2 more (Chloe, tri-texel & Lilly, grey & white teddy) as she said my cage would hold them all (extra large Hagen). That's 4.

Again, please adopt. Also, if the breeder said that your cage would hold them all, she's got to be kidding! The minimum for ONE pig is a 2x3, for four pigs it is a 2x6.

Meanwhile, I rescued another female (3 years old) as the owner was allergic ?!?, I call her Snowball, she came with 1 Large Hagen.

Oh, how sad! I'm glad you could take her in.

I kept the babies & Pippin in the x-lrg, but Pippin was strutting & growling & chasing everyone, as she did with Oreo. Oreo was also being aggressive to the other babies, chasing & nipping, & she was only 4 weeks older than the other babies. I figure Pippin is dominant, so I removed her to a large cage, and the babies outside for a couple of days together.

This seems like some normal dominance issues. You can't just throw them in together, you need to quarantine them all for three weeks before doing anything. You then can introduce them all. See www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm for more info.

Question time .. do I try to introduce all 5, and how? That would decide how big I make the C&C.

See the link above.

How do I know if they would use a 2 story?

I've never heard of a pig with one that doesn't use it after a while.

They are all different and cute, and I wonder if I should adopt out the ones that don't get along, would it be better for them.

If you adopt them out in pairs, this may work. They need to be housed in twos though, so make sure your adopters know what they're doing. Make checkups as well.

The x-large Hagen seems big enough for one piggy, but I'd rather clean only 1 cage, and the bigger the cage, the easier to keep clean. Special note, I have 5 Jack Russell terriers, so a floor or open cage is out of the question.

Ok, usually people keep them up off the floor anyhow, to reduce drafts, vibrations, etc. so that's fine. You can build a stand out of grids, or use an existing table. The Hagen isn't even big enough for one, actually, as the minimum square footage is 7.5 square feet.

Good luck, and I hope this al helps you!

 

[Isabeau]

Why did you return her? Because she was pergnant?

I didn't return her, someone else did. I didn't know she was pregnant for awhile.

What is the : for? Just wondering. I hope it's not a smiley face. It was supposed to be a sad face. That's sad about the pig! What do you mean they traded 4 for one other? Sorry, but I don't get it. You mean for the one you gave them?

I took the 4 babies to the store and they gave me 1 little tri colour. She was actually whe-wheing after a couple of days when I walked into the room. It was the worst thing I've seen, the baby dying, it wasn't instant, but probably no more than a minute. My husband actually had to pick me up. We buried her under our maple tree.

Please don't get a pig from a breeder, no matter what. They are just contributing to the pet overpopulation. Please adopt. Why did you need another anyhow?

I wanted another piggy to keep Pippin company, she seemed depressed, sitting in corner, and her whe whe's were long & slow, almost like a cry.

Oh, how sad! I'm glad you could take her in.


This seems like some normal dominance issues. You can't just throw them in together, you need to quarantine them all for three weeks before doing anything. You then can introduce them all. See www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm for more info.

Thank you for the link, looks involved. Everyone has been quaranteened now for over a month. I'll try the introductions next Saturday when we are both home. I think I'll bath everyone, give them their drop of Advantage, then onto the kitchen floor for the day. If things go well, I'll have a new pen ready for them, so there are no smells of previous ownership.

See the link above.


I've never heard of a pig with one that doesn't use it after a while.


If you adopt them out in pairs, this may work. They need to be housed in twos though, so make sure your adopters know what they're doing. Make checkups as well.


Ok, usually people keep them up off the floor anyhow, to reduce drafts, vibrations, etc. so that's fine. You can build a stand out of grids, or use an existing table. The Hagen isn't even big enough for one, actually, as the minimum square footage is 7.5 square feet.

My husband just brought home a 30 x 78 inch sturdy table to build the cage on. He said design away .....

Good luck, and I hope this al helps you!

 

[mncavylover]

I didn't return her, someone else did. I didn't know she was pregnant for awhile.
What do you mean, someone else? Sorry I'm sort of lost here.

It was supposed to be a sad face.

Oh, I get it. Sorry.

I took the 4 babies to the store and they gave me 1 little tri colour. She was actually whe-wheing after a couple of days when I walked into the room. It was the worst thing I've seen, the baby dying, it wasn't instant, but probably no more than a minute. My husband actually had to pick me up. We buried her under our maple tree.

I'm so sorry for your loss, I hope you are ok.

You took them to the store? Oh my. You have no idea where they'll end up. You could probably have taken them to a shelter if you didn't want them.

I wanted another piggy to keep Pippin company, she seemed depressed, sitting in corner, and her whe whe's were long & slow, almost like a cry.

Yes, but you can always get one from a shelter. There are so many out there. See www.cavyspirit.com/breeding.htm.

Thank you for the link, looks involved. Everyone has been quaranteened now for over a month. I'll try the introductions next Saturday when we are both home. I think I'll bath everyone, give them their drop of Advantage, then onto the kitchen floor for the day. If things go well, I'll have a new pen ready for them, so there are no smells of previous ownership.

Good luck, I hope everything goes well! Glad to hear they have all been quarantined.

My husband just brought home a 30 x 78 inch sturdy table to build the cage on. He said design away .....

Ok, sounds good.