Day one and needing advice

[KinkyDorito]

Hi all

Right, Tony has managed 24 hours of stealth. He is hiding in his bed and sticks his nose out to get food, then heads back in again.

I put him a veggie selection in this morning - a bit of carrot, a bit of celery and a couple of outer cauli leaves. He left most of the celery and some of the cauli.

When I got home, I de-poo'd, freshened his water, hay and put in new pellets (which I don't think he's really eaten). I then put him in a little bowl with some kale, parsley, a couple of slices of cucumber and a couple of pieces from the top of a red pepper. He appears to have eaten all of that without us seeing him.

That seems like a lot of veg for one small furry mammal.

Should I just be putting veg in once a day even though his cage looks barren with just pellets and water? DH thinks twice a day might be overdoing it.

Also, we haven't really held or stroked him yet; he seems so nervy. At what point do I do this? If we are relying on me coaxing him out, I suspect this could take ages.

dotty I just bought a pop-up child's ball pool from Argos. It was £9.99 and I lined it with a fleece, then bought a straw house and a tunnel for it. It works okay, not that Tony has even attempted to leave the straw house when in it for the first time today.

I can't believe how messy his hutch was after 3 days. He is a mucky little piggy! I've been emptying poo as I go, and it was still pretty full. He's also weeing loads. Anxiety aside, he appears to be functioning well .

I had another brief hold, but he struggled a lot. Will wrapping him help to calm him down? DS is desperate to give him a little stroke, but he's not had much of a chance yet. However, Dsis is coming over tomorrow evening and she is mad for guineas. She claims she will use her charms on Tony. We shall see...

How many grapes do you give them 70?

Thank you for the paddling pool tip - good time to buy one so will get one in, in anticipation. Not been to look at any actual GPs yet - we are away for half term so definitely can't get them before then, and don't want the DDs to die of excitement/anticipation. Also it's good to be forewarned about possible anxiety at first - so I need to warn the DDs that they won't be getting cuddles for a week or two in all likelihood.

Only 1-2 grapes Dorito between the two boars.
They are quite high in sugar
Have to be seedless or seeds removed.
I got strawberries and grapes yesterday.
They have to fight DD for the fruit (though I don't cut hers up, she's 11)

Wrapping does calm them too, gives you more bulk to grab too.
When we got the boys, my DD would sit GP1 on her lap in a towel (it took her a while to get the nerve up to hold him herself. She'd cuddle him on my lap)
Now she picks him up, helps with nail cutting, checks bellies and teeth.

Lol at father Dougal face!! We love father ted here....

Do try cuddle cloths, it will make him secure and you can distract him with grass etc on your lap. Could you put his cage in yr daughter's room so he can get used to her smell and voice? Just go little by little, it is early days yet and he has got to get settled ~ he will, just a bit time consuming at the mo ...