Another Guinea pig thread, URGENT

[Sookeh]

A friend of mine on a whim bought 2 boy guinea pigs who she has now decided she no longer wants. They have not been together long as she has only had them a couple of weeks and has said that she'd be fine seperating them. If they don't get picked up today she will take them to a rescue.

I would quite like to adopt them but am generally clueless. Should I split them up? The cage was bought at pets at home and looks only big enough for 1 but friend said all pets at home guinea cages are suitable for 2 as they usually are bought as a pair?

DP has said he'd prefer to only get 1 to keep costs down, is it really that much more to have a pair?

They are both males, could this cause problems?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as DD and I have sort of fallen in love and need to know what to do ASAP!

They are just like little peoples aren't they. They have much more noticeable personalities than other rodenty pets. We have one really soppy one who loves a cuddle, one gobby one who is bolshy and brave and always the first to try anything.. she has funny five minutes when she charges round popcorning! and one quiet sensitive girl who is super cute with a hoarse wheek. Awwww.

I just don't get how anyone can get bored of them!

You might gget used to the hay smell after a while. I love it but Im a country gal! :)

Sounds like they are settling well.

My two are separated at night too. They won't leave each other alone in the cage so separate bedrooms it is.
Although they were in there most of the day yesterday after big pig started a fight and little pig finished it . Big pig has a bloody nose. and i swear Little pig is starting his teenage arseness

I'm just visualising in years to come- these whiskerey old boars with raggetty ears and mahoosive bollocks ambling round their pens.
They'd think they were all Sean Connery when they meet a lady pig,(Well, Hellllloooo, Cutie) but IRL they'd be more like one of those gruff army generals with port stained teeth and bellowing "Hello! What?" in a loud voice.

They'd sleep all day and be all huggy and demanding.

Aaaaahhh

I have some very odd images in my hhad now 70

Can i ask a quick question about your pigs? Do they both rumble strutt and teeth chatter? Or is it just the dominant one?

GP1 (our smooth augouti) is the largest and has always been the dominent one.
GP2 Jet black (rough coat, not really Abasynnian, more fluffy) is much smaller, more shy, has a little fatty eye (which makes you go Aaahh!).

Apart from the coriander fight, it has always been GP1 who has been the No 1.

He rumblestrutts and popcorns. He goes into the Pighouse and goes in all the boxes.He goes into the hay first, then does a few drops of pee at each area to mark it.
GP2 doesn't mark areas, he just pees properly.

I've not seen any power struggle between them. GP2 just stands back while GP1 does his little tour round.
They'll sometimes barge past each other and there might be a bit of a spat (like two male seals ). But GP2 has never tried to do this before GP1.
I gave them a new wooden box for the run today. GP2 waited outside till his brother had been in.

They both grind their teeth (chatter) but when we cuddle them, so that's not at each other.

And GP2 purrs. GP1 doesn't.

But I got them as 1 yo. so I missed out on their Early Arsieness [phew emoticon] .They had all that sorted out before.
We always lift GP1 first as well (he's first out for food too)> IMHO, if they've established their order and they are happy, then I don't want to undermine GP1 (and possibly make him hostile towards GP2) by not treating him as GP1

There's 4 laps in our house (although DS isn't that bothered by his guinea GP2) it's not as if he's neglected for attention. 
<span class="line-through">I'm still working on it, for when he's mine. Mine I tell you</span> Mwah ha ha.

BTW the chattering is usually when they hear rustling but nothing is forthcoming. It sounds like being cuddled gives them a rage there

I started another thread. Don't want to hi jack.

Buggers have had two spats this morning.
I have had to split the pen :(

Big pig chatters on our lap but he does it whilst eating parsley .

Its either a ' Im so happy' chatter or a ' keep away from my parsley' chatter

grinding teeth is a sign of anger

chattering I understand as the little noises they make akin to talking

Ours will do the grinding noise when one is on the sofa and one is on the chair being cuddled.
It's a weird bottom jaw side-to-side sort of 'ticking' noise. They sort of sit up, with their heads high, front paws extended.

But this doesn't seem to be directed at each other, it's more "I can hear rustling. Is it food? I haven't got food. Have you got it all"
But each one is thinking the other has food, but they're 4 foot apart.

The chattering with parsley might be a "Get away" warning.
(Like a dog with a bone might do a low growl)

they do get majorly excited about food, even if it is just the daily hay

Staaaaaaarrrvved they are Guv'nor.

My GP1 should audition for Oliver!

They both seem to be settling in well and seem much more at home today and even picked some carrot out of my hand.

I read that teeth grinding is a warning sign and the more placid of the two is either doing this or chewing when I hold him and I don't know which. Is the grinding louder than it would be with chewing?

Yes, tooth grinding/angry chattering is a different noise to chewing.
The body language is different too.Angry grinding is intense, like a ticking sound.
Our two little boys will grind if they suspect the other one is being given a treat.Usually heads raised because they are looking out.

Sometimes if they are being arsey with each other -like not moving out of the way- their heads are up, sat back on their haunches and a teeth chatter noise.It's a Face-Off basically. Luckily they'll leave it and push each other out of the way.

GP2 does a tooth chatter when he's being cuddled sometimes but it's all show

(Couple of good You Tube videos- one is "Angry GP" and the dozy bint keeps prodding the GP to make it respond. Deserves to be bitten but she doesn't.
Another is "Ginger is Angry" )

Good to hear they are settling in, they are little characters. You'll find out what their favourite foods are and you can bribe them.
GP1 likes a bit of toast crust now and then. He shared my Mothers Day toast and marmalade (no marmalade for him though) and he was "Oh, don't mind if I do, ta" -nom nom nom

Thanks for the Youtube link 70! Yes it must be chewing Ned is doing because his body language is totally relaxed and it is just a chewing sound even though he's not eating anything

I'm a bit annoyed at myself, I was stroking their head when he raised his head up and I thought it must mean he liked it so I did it some more, turns out that's what they do when they want you to stop stroking their head. Stupid mummy pig I am!

I've been searching the house high and low for some way of making their cage bigger or making one of my own but to no avail. Finances are so tight and I just can't afford all of the bits to make a c&c cage etc this month. I also don't want DH to have another reason to moan.

Tyrion seems to favor DD and purrs when she strokes him to her total delight, she just loves them .

GPs will flick their heads up if you stroke their face - bit like horses do do if stroke their forehead rather than their neck or nose.
Animals with side on eyes don't see so well directly in front of them.

I think you have to get them used to being handled even if they don't really like it. I know you won't hurt them (and your GPs will be different to handle than my boars because they are little and you've only just got them. And they're skittery) .
But when we cut their nails, (GP2 flippin hates that) we have to get them wrapped in a towel and hold the foot fairly firmly. I tend to do hind feet one day and front feet a couple of days later. But he still gets a bit bitey and I'm never so aware of how delicate they are than when I'm holding his little paw and he's fighting.(I am a State Registered Chiropodist but my qualifications cut no ice with him )

We check their bellies (again they don't relish it) because GP1 had a lump that has mysteriously gone. DD used firm fingertip pressure to feel them all over. Check bums for loose pooh and risk of flyeggs (bleurgh).

If mine flick their heads up, they don't walk away so I don't think it really bothers them. They might give you a warning if you touch their greasespot though (base of spine)

We gave them a bath and nail cut in the space of 24 hours recentl. How much parsley and cuddles did it take to get back in their good books.
And it was Gorgeous Guineas Just for Boars shampoo, not Vim or anything.

WRT the cage have a look on GumTree- lots of used cages, they'd need a scrub and some pet cage cleaner ( I use a steamer on mine)

BUT DON'T READ THE GPs FOR SALE PAGES

selling because we're getting a dog

selling because we're getting a cat
selling because we're having a baby
selling- but only to a good home- but I want £25.

Don't hold your breath will you, people

Rant Over

Try Freegle too.

I also find gumtree hard to stomach.

Ned just died in my arms :(

I'm a bit traumatised and don't know what to do next. I'm worried Tyrion is sick too.

Please help

I'm sorry, can't offer practical advice, but bumping for someone who can

Oh no. I'm so sorry to hear about Ned. Somehow I'd missed this thread completely. Guinea Pigs, being so low on the food chain, rarely show any symptoms of illness until they are really quite unwell. Otherwise, they'd be picked out more easily by predators in the wild. It's difficult to say what might have happened, although I just noticed you said he wasn't eating, and even a small change in dietary pattern/poops could mean something is amiss.

If you are worried about Tyrion, try and get him to a vets asap. There is a list of recommended guinea pig knowledgeable vets here www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1788. I'm not sure if you have to register with the site to see the list, but if you send me a message saying whereabouts you are, I can try and find a recommended vet near you. Many vets sadly don't have much of a clue about what to do with guinea pigs, as they don't learn much about them in college. Actually, I was personally really disappointed with the treatment my boar got at the veterinary college, which supposedly had specialists in "exotics" like guineas.

Sorry for that mini rant.

In the mean time, I'd suggest putting Tyrion in a plastic box or some other enclosure that's been thoroughly cleaned, keep a close eye on him and make sure he's eating and drinking normally. Sundays are a bugger for finding a vet, but if you are worried or his condition declines, seriously try and get him to a vet. Take care and keep us posted! Rooting for you and Tyrion here.

Thanks weekend, I'll post in chat too.

DD is so upset

Do you think it could have been the cage Krit?

I know it wasn't bought brand new with the pigs but that it had been cleaned very thoroughly.

So scared now

Sookeh, it's so hard to tell what might have happened. Ned might have had a low level infection or some underlying illness that only suddenly came out and wasn't connected to the cage or anything you did at all. Is Tyrion showing any symptoms that anything is wrong? He'll be missing his companion, so possibly rather subdued and perhaps a bit confused, but is he eating, drinking and pooing okay? Showing any signs of pain or distress? The idea of moving him to a new enclosure temporarily was just in case Ned died of something contagious that might still be in the bedding, just to reduce the risk if that was the case (but of course might have nothing to do with that.)

I'm about to go out, so if you are worried at all, definitely try a vet, or join the guinea pig forum (link in the post above) where there tend to be lots and lots of people who know lots about guinea pigs on line round the clock who can advise. Take good care and so sorry again to hear of your loss.