Reassurance needed re new baby Gp's

[Gingerbics]

Hi our gorgeous boys came to us yest, both around 6/7 weeks old. Understandably very very nervous. Both lovely funky haired boys, Jesse is black with a bit of gold and Puddles is white and sandy coloured.
Jesse seems less nervous and can be heard munching hay and occasionally moves but poor puddles has barely moved and seems v v scared. We're not attempting any handling and it's v v early days but they're obv traumatised by the whole thing. Please give me words of reassurance that I don't need to spend my day at work worrying about them. My dh at home with poorly ds so has texted me a few updates. Wondering how long we should we leave it a

Sorry sent too quick. Wondering at what point ( we're happy to wait as long as needed) should we introduce some handling. We have the snuggle nests from cosy cavies and a snuggle sac that they may feel more secure in when the time is right.
Really appreciate any words of wisdom, thankyou

Firstly - how lovely are their names! So cute.

Secondly, start by offering them treats (parsley, cucumber etc) from your hand. They'll soon realise you bring food and begin to be excited when you go past. I would start with some gentle handing so they get used to you. In the snuggle sac on your knee with a pile of parsley - that kind of thing. Just for a short time at first and you could always squeeze them both on a knee together at first so they have each other as well.

Take is slowly and gently and on a couple of weeks they'll be yelling at you for food.

Hi there gingerbics welcome to the lovely world of guineas, you will find lots of lovely people on here with loads of good advice for caring for these little critters.

Firstly very of your new babies, hope you have lots of fun with them. WHen you have time, do read through some of the threads which should give you some help and ideas, they may be small, but they are very interactive and become more sociable with time, plenty of time. They are very young, so will need time to adjust and get used to their new environment and life. It is temping to get very close to start with, but let them get used to their new cage, their food, everything in fact. Would agree with everything Fernie says, they need to associate you with kindness and most importantly, food. Everything is new to them and they are not the 'sharpest tools in the shed ' so you will have to train them to your ways. If they are inside with you, let them get used to the sound of your voices, the daily routine, strange sounds etc. I use a very special 'guinea' voice, much to the embarrassment of my kids, and in time they will associate you with food and kindness, and like Fernie says, will start shouting at you. But time is very important, don't rush it and scare them, go easy, easy, they will be your new BFFs !!

I also have a 'guinea/bunny' voice which I use for my boys . They know I'm talking to them and get excited. Glad to know I'm not the only one Guineapiglet.

As a postscript to the above -my DDs laugh at me because apparently (according to them anyway) I speak to the boys nicely in my special voice and without pausing for breath change my voice to tell my DDs off. They reckon the fluffy boys are my favourite children .

Gingerbics - hope your new piglets are happy this evening and have ventured out a bit more. It's all very new to them and they'll soon settle in and start bossing you around - bullying you to fill your supermarket trolley with veg just for them

Aw thanks Fernie and Guinea for your wise comforting words, you also made me chuckle with your special voices, we've started doing that without realising!
Well they don't appear to have eaten all day but they had a good feast last night so hopefully will do same tonight. Jesse has done a but if exploring and v skittish but seems ok. Little Puddles has mostly been still but has allowed us to gently stroke the bit if her bottom end that was poking out of her shoebox den so a bit of progress. DH went out and bought them corn on cob so hoping they'll enjoy that as midnight feast. Can't believe how many pops they've done, reassuring tho!
Thanks again wise ones. Will update tomor

It's always a good sign if an animal is pooping and weeing. I have to warn you, that you do become slightly obsessed. I check every day to make sure my lads deposits look normal . If it's coming out the rear then they are definitely eating. They may be eating a lot of hay which you may not notice as it's in their houses.

Your guineas sound gorgeous Ginger.
Yes they will be very wary. They've come from one familiar environment to their new house, new sounds, new smells.
There will always be a bolder one - but this might change in months to come..
If he's eating, weeing and poohing that's a good sign.
Let them get used to all that's going round about them. They'll be on High Alert and the slightest noise will have them scarpering.

They'll probably be a bit braver at night. Maybe put a cover over part of the cage (make sure if your cage is open topped it can't fall on them they won't take that in good humour)

Our piglet was 6 wheeks old when we got him. He spent 99% of his time diving under or next to GP1 for the first couple of days. He saw the adult as protection, (even though he was a 'strange' boar, not his familiar mum pig. Though ours was a breeder reject so probably away from mum a 4 weeks. He'd been with other baby boars so probably doubly terrifying for him)

Food is the way forward for these little boys. They'll get you into a food routine and let you know what they like to eat.
Then over the next few days they'll get to know you and you can cuddle and marvel at how light and tiny they are.

about the pooh obsession Fernie .
We could tell GP3 poohs apart from GP1 by the size. There was a tiny pooh nest in the corner full of mini-pig-droppings.

Now they are evenly matched but DD can tell the difference. GP1 does long, slightly curved magnificent poohs (said in a Brian Blessed voice).
GP3 is surprisingly 'normal'

70 - you are more obsessed than me if you can tell the poops apart

I am slightly more obsessive over Current Bun's litter tray as his poops vary a lot but that's a whole other topic that makes me think I should seek help .

Gingerbics - how are the piglets this morning?

70 is right, food is the way forward - they think with their tummies.

Morning! You lot and poos eh ( must admit I was also checking out the poo situation this am too!) on that note, they've done plenty so that's good!
They seem to have had a good night ate almost every kernel on a corn cob and some of their dried food. Not keen on red pepper or cucumber at mo but could've been stuffed with corn!
They're not tending to eat during day but make up for it at night thankfully. They're snuggled up together in their house and we managed to stroke Puddles as she was in her house this am. Going to attempt a quiet cuddle later with the snuggle sac ( god I never knew such things existed, it's a whole new world!) hope you and pigs all having a good day. I'm at home with ds age 3 today who's got a temp so keep peeking in on them
Between peppa episodes!

Welcome to the world of guineas. Its very much like having a human baby - are they eating, and poo obsessions

Do treat them like toddlers. Try them on as many foods as possible so you don't get fussy eaters. They may not like peppers now but may in a few weeks time. My girls came from a pet shop and would only eat carrot at first. They had to learn from watching my Old Boy what was good to eat. More recently my remaining Naughty Girl has been joined by two rescue girls who have introduced her to peppers and tomato.

When you cuddle them both on your lap don't be surprised if they try to bury themselves under each others tummy. This will make the one being hidden under squeak probably. As guineapiglet said they are not that bright. They think if they can not see something scary it doesn't exist.

BTW I can't decide between Peppa Pig or Ben and Holly. I'm a fan of both

Thanks 70 and Fortified for your top tips, your right 70 they def prefer it at night and I have now on your advice covered part of the cage with a blanket which they seem happier with.
Fortified I'm all cbeebies out after today but I agree peppa and B&h are def 2 of the better ones. Isn't nanny plum the same voice as miss Rabbit!

Yes same voice. Nanny Plum is Awesome!

Nanny Plum was the first recognisable picture DD2 drew and I treasure it

I just cleaned the boars indoor run and found some weird terracotta brown droppings.
(Instantly you think - blood? )

But, they've had a salad bag with beetroot, red leaves and red pepper. So it's all coming out the other end

Don't know what their pee is like, they are sporting a Blokey Black Towel and BathMat look at the moment.

Ooh thanks for the heads up 70 I was going to try the boys on some beetroot soon.

How are the piglets settling Gingerbics?
They should be getting used to all your voices and the sounds from your household. And settling you into your new routine of guinea-pig feeding and automatically getting things from the fridge when you make tea.

(I wake at 6.30 and wander down the garden to put the heater on in the Pighouse. They had to have their big heater today because we had ground frost. Then by the time we're all ready to leave the house they can go out to their snuggly outdoor house)
You can see how they take over

DD used to cuddle our pigs in a towel when we first got them (GP1 was huge and she was a bit worried about handling him. He's the type that runs straight up to your neck -and pulls out earrings, little gitmagpie)
When we got GP3 he was 6weeks old and tiny. She was fine handling him but his bladder control wasn't the best.

Now they are very good and give warning - restless stampy dancing and constant noise. Though GP3 is never quiet so I rely on the dancing.

They are lovely as piglets, so light and fragile. And baby guinea-pig fur smells lovely.

Sounds lovely 70 - I have never had the piglet experience. My boys were all grown up at 6 months old when they adopted us. I can, however, say that grown up pig does not smell so good

the 'piglet' (Dill) is well niffy at the moment.
If he even changed out of his Judgey Pants and let my run them through the machine with some Ecover , it would help.

(I washed all their towels yesterday. My 14 yo DS smells lovely compared to GP3 )

Must be bad

Let me run them through the machine

I'm going to have to go for it and give them their Christmas bath. We have a Christmas tree in our kitchen so they can be bathed under the tree - maybe the twinkly lights will mesmerise them into behaving.

Morning all!
Thanks for asking 70. I think they're actually doing ok, they seem
Less terrified now and we've handled them for past few days when we've managed to catch them! They seem less frozen with fear and more like 'hang in, how can I escape off this knee/snuggle nest' etc
Things I've learnt is.....
Wow they poo so much
And wee... But in cleaning them out last night it seems to def be more at one end than the other which is good.
They're v v fast!
We're loving having them already, even DH but he wouldn't admit it. He really wasn't that keen in getting them but texts me from work for a GPU ( guinea pig update) and refers to them as 'the lads'!
Was reading about the smelliness, Fernie and 70, is bathing something I should do to keep on top of pony pigs or just when they really whiff? Your bath with the view of a Xmas tree Fernie sounds very festive but not sure 'the lads' would be impressed!

Pongy pigs not pony pigs, now that would be a rare breed!

If you look at the Gorgeous Guineas Website they have lots of different shampoos and ointments (sample bottles are a couple of pounds).

Some are treatment
Some are conditioning
Some are for making manky boars smell acceptable ( Just for Boars)

But double double check because alot of them have a minimum age to use (and some can't be used on pg sows but that's not a problem with two boars)

We used to wash our boars when GP1 greasegland got claggy and he had a 'tail'

It's drying them that's the problem. Luckily mine could be towel dried, a quick waft with a cool hairdryer and into a box of hay. But I'd only do this if they were in at night or if I knew it was warm enough outside.
(They are meant to be washed every three months, So far GP1 last washed in July before he met GP3. We haven't washed GP3 )