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Small pets

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Original poster

Why is our gpig sitting under the water bottle? !

27 replies

lborgia · 03/03/2016 03:39

Just that really - we've had him 4 weeks, so he's now about 5 months old. Seems happy, squeaks alot, eats and drinks well. ..but spends a lot of his time with his tail/rump under the water bottle with the drips making his back wet.

He's not itchy i don't think (seems to clean but not mindless scratching), so assume it's just preference.

It's hot here at the moment but he was born into that and I've been known to have the air con on just for him :-)

Clues?

OP posts:
FernieB · 03/03/2016 08:27

They're contrary and not overly blessed with brains. No other reasonConfused. Or it could be a ploy to make you worry and therefore more likely to throw lots of cucumber at him.

Solasum · 03/03/2016 08:29

Is it possible that he is looking for a small space to squeeze himself into, and that is the only one?

FernieB · 03/03/2016 08:51

Also, is he an 'only pig'? They are very social animals and he may be happier with a friend.

Original poster
lborgia · 03/03/2016 09:07

Well it's certainly working on the cucumber front Grin He is an only pig and I'm in a dither about that. We were rehoming him because he was snarling at his brother and were told that he needed to be "a lone wolf"!!!

There's someone around most of the time but I'm not convinced it's enough. I've also been told the only solution is to get him neutered before adding a female. Seems a very dramatic thing to do to him to make him sociable!

Any ideas?

Meanwhile will gladly put the water thing down to his querky character. I've moved the bottle around so i think it's about bathing!

OP posts:
FernieB · 03/03/2016 11:28

You could have him neutered and then pair him up with a female (go to a rescue and make sure they get on first). Or, find a rescue and see if they have a boar he gets on with. Most boar pairs go through the terrible teens, so his snarling at his brother may have just been the usual establishment of dominance. My original boys bickered daily but mainly got on well. When we lost one last year, I got a baby boy via a rescue (went there to get them matched up) and they've been fine together ever since. They do occasionally bicker but not as much as the original pair.

I have had my baby neutered since acquiring him as the older boy is getting on in years, and I'd like the option of finding him a wife when the sad day comes.

EastMidsGPs · 04/03/2016 07:42

Why is he sitting under his water bottle?

According to EastMidsGPs: "because he can" GrinGrin

EastMidsGPs · 04/03/2016 07:45

Although we wouldn't as water of any kind on our fur constitutes having a bath AND we don't do that willingly or without a great deal of protest and noisy complaining

Original poster
lborgia · 04/03/2016 09:37

Grin can i just say reading posts on small pets is lovely! I suspect there are a fair few old cat guinea pig ladies here but that's a relief. Given how much energy I'm expending on these pigs, I'm quite relieved to know I'm not the only one Blush

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/03/2016 09:57

Grin Abso-bally-loutly bonkers guinea-pig Grin

If it's very hot where you are, can you give him a ceramic tile to sit on?

It'll be a while before Small Pets has to think about "Hot weather Super Furry Tips" but in years gone by, I've given my pigs a couple of spare ceramic floor tile, hay off the floor so they can't bury them selves and cook (they aren't the sharpest tools in the shed) , frozen chill packs or plastic water bottle in newspaper.
They have a fan in their Pighouse too

Maybe give him a bath to see if it eases him, he might be a bit dry'n'itchy.

Neuter then females would be a good plan. My sows would shriek "Oh for the Love of Jeff, get away from the water bottle GP6, we want some too"

Though mine studiously ignore the water bottle Hmm unless it's 4am and they want to wake me by clanging it off the bars.

Quoteunquote · 04/03/2016 10:05

You can't keep a guide pig on its own it makes them very unhappy,
Switzerland it is illegal

EssentialHummus · 04/03/2016 10:15

Quote, that link takes you to an article titled "India will soon say good bye to one of their big problems…"

Hint: that problem is not guinea-pig related Grin

I want to know more about the Swiss ban, please!

Quoteunquote · 04/03/2016 10:23

here
www.guineapigtoday.com/2011/09/20/rent-a-cavy-wins-in-switzerland/here

They provide a rental system so if you get down to one guide pig you can rent a buddy for it's old age.

EssentialHummus · 04/03/2016 10:50

Quote that has made my morning, thank you. I'd like to be a guinea pig loan broker in my next career!

Quoteunquote · 04/03/2016 10:56

All herd animals shouldn't be raised in isolation, it slowly kills them.

EastMidsGPs · 04/03/2016 11:12

I'd say the same for himans QuoteunquoteSmile
Would also love a career as a gp broker ... but probably wouldn't be able to let any go out on loan
Or would turn up in the wee small hours just to 'check they were ok' 😶😶

EastMidsGPs · 04/03/2016 11:12

Doh humans ... these fat fingers of mine

Quoteunquote · 04/03/2016 11:36

Guinea pig social services elite squad, like the Olympic drug testing, we will turn up unexpectedly night or day.

EssentialHummus · 04/03/2016 11:50

Guinea pig social services elite squad, like the Olympic drug testing, we will turn up unexpectedly night or day.

With cucumbers! Grin

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/03/2016 14:18

When the GPSSES turn up chez 70 they will find three lardy adults crammed into a tiny space (about 2' square) looking judgey.

The GPs will fail to mention that they have a massive space, haybox,floor space and the 2' square is one section of 3 in their Bookcase run (made from a bookcase obvs) that they retire to.

Like my GP1 and GP2 used to cram themselves into a trug full of hay and look up at us pretending to be the boar that was rescued from a hoarder who kept it in a bucket. Sad. "We're guineas in a bucket. Poor guineas"

They will look whistfully at the empty salad food dish while conveniently ignoring the fresh hay, readigrass and pellets.

PurpleDaisies · 04/03/2016 14:23

One of mine does this. He sits with his forehead against the ball of the spout so he gets a wet head. He definitely isn't unhappy-he just likes it. Weirdo. It's a good thing we like him or he'd be out with the bins.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/03/2016 15:43

When GP3 was a piglet he always walked through the water bowl. Not round it. Not past it. No, through it. Why?
They really are as thick as mince , but sooooo lovely with it.

Imagines the local refuse collectors reporting an alarming increase in waterlogged rodents being put by the kerb on a Monday morning Wink

FernieB · 04/03/2016 18:30

Scruffypig never goes near the waterbottle - I'm not sure he knows what it's for. Gingerpig drinks copious amounts and always has. I think it's more to attract my attention with the noise than for rehydration as the water seems to run straight through him and out the other end instantly.

Original poster
lborgia · 04/03/2016 20:06

I'm now very scared of quote, but will ferret out a new gp post haste (although i think we can all ignore the other swiss legislation that says we must sweep our front steps every day).

it may take me a while to get use to gp meaning guinea pig not grandparent. Grandparent in a bucket. ..

purple, thank you! A relief to know he's barking, not sick.

Where we live they would take the wet cavy and send you an invoice for £10. DH forgot to put bins out and I rang the council. Not to report him; obviously. They sent the truck round and billed me. Wet cavies would be £2.5 I think.

Harry also seems constantly surprised. He freaks out every time we walk past, one hurtle round the cage and then into his cave in case we're am eagle. It won't be loneliness that kills him, it will be adrenaline overload.

OP posts:
Original poster
lborgia · 04/03/2016 20:12

Forgot to ask - how did Scruffypig drink water then?

Also, very relieved to know I'm not imagining the baleful, judgemental stare... when he only has a huge handful of hay left. They can really turn it on can't they? Grin

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