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shotokansho
11-08-16, 21:17
Hi guys.
Any of you own piggies? I'm confused about my piggies behaviour. His name is custard and he's a darling. He's very sociable and likes to come out and play. He seems healthy and happy but I'm wondering about the noises he makes and what he's asking me for. He's an indoor piggy and every time I go in the room he squeaks at the top of his voice. He's got food and water and some hay and toys but he just squeaks constantly. It makes me feel bad cos I know he must he asking me something. Any ideas?
P.S he's a lone piggy.
Kez xx

Fishmanpa
11-08-16, 21:46
I had them growing up and my daughter currently has two of them. My feeling on that is he wants to be out of his cage and with you :)

Positive thoughts

shotokansho
12-08-16, 07:44
Yeah that's what I thought. He does like a cuddle. Problem is if he's out too long he poos and wees on me lol. His friend died when they were babies so I guess he's feeling a bit lonely cos I know they like to be in pairs x

pulisa
12-08-16, 13:38
I would say that he associates you with giving him food so that as soon as he sees/hears you he will "wheek" for food-it doesn't matter that he already has some as g pigs will always want more and graze all day on hay.

It's good that he's so responsive to you. If he were lonely and depressed he would be hiding in his cage and not keen on interacting. I have 3 indoor g pigs-if I open the fridge door they make a hell of a din. They also have a very set feeding schedule and I'm sure they can tell the time!:D

shotokansho
13-08-16, 23:30
Thanks pulisa. What treats do you give them?

pulisa
14-08-16, 08:39
Mine get fresh veg twice a day-all low calcium stuff to avoid bladder stones. They have a very small amount of excel guinea pig mix and masses of timothy hay. I bring some grass in from the garden for them too. They never have pet shop treats as they are full of sugar!

Mojo61
14-08-16, 09:24
Hahahaha, you've got my interest now. I trained with Vedra Stanley-Spatcher at the Cambridge Cavy Trust, I'm chairman of the Canterbury & Coast Cavy Club and I write regular articles for Guinea Pig Magazine as well as being on their panel of experts.

Guinea pigs are very sociable animals so it is always best to keep them in either same sex pairs or a neutered boar with one or more sows. Are you able to get a friend for custard as that would keep him occupied and stop him thinking about food so much? He associates you with food so every time he sees you he thinks he's going to get fed, especially if you give him "treats" outside of his normal feeding times. Does he ever get to go outside for exercise in a garden or grass run? Guinea pigs are very intelligent animals and get bored easily so it is no surprise that he's wheeking - imagine being shut in a cage 24/7, wouldn't you be wanting to come out?

Hay should be available 24/7 and should make up 80% of the diet - it keeps the teeth in good order, aids digestion and acts as a boredom breaker. They simply cannot do without it.

So I would suggest getting him a friend, not feeding treats outside of his mealtimes, more exercise, more hay.

pulisa
14-08-16, 09:39
I'm pleased you saw this Mojo as I know you're very Cavy Savvy! I didn't realise you were quite such an Authority though so I will be coming to you with questions about bladder stone prevention!! Filtered water and low calcium veg appear to be helping so far and I've always followed the unlimited hay (not alfafa) regime!

Mojo61
14-08-16, 09:45
Guinea pig mad, that's me lol.

Do you have issues with stones in your pigs then Pulisa?

---------- Post added at 09:45 ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 ----------

It is very important not to completely eliminate calcium from the diet as this can lead to hypocalcaemia. Getting the correct calcium/phosphorus/magnesium level is vital if you want to avoid renal issues too.

pulisa
14-08-16, 09:45
Only with one who has always been on a low calcium diet. The filtered water is a new thing though brought in after the surgery. Our water is very hard. I see you are a Rodent Health Advisor-how great!! I love gerbils too but have kept cavies for years-I haven't got your Prestige though but know all about the CCT and how it was held in high esteem by exotic vets. I've been around the block with my pigs over the years!

Mojo61
14-08-16, 10:02
Have you heard of the Ratewatchers Diet? It is very good for pigs with urinary/stone issues as it is low in calcium whist also maintaining the correct cal/phos ratio :

http://www.guineapigwelfare.org.uk/ratewatchers/

MyNameIsTerry
14-08-16, 10:12
Have you heard of the Ratewatchers Diet? It is very good for pigs with urinary/stone issues as it is low in calcium whist also maintaining the correct cal/phos ratio :

http://www.guineapigwelfare.org.uk/ratewatchers/

I could do with losing a stone. Does this mean eating hay will help me? :D

I think the OP can't go wrong here, another piggy! Love the name, Custard, too. :yesyes:

pulisa
14-08-16, 11:18
Guinea pig mad, that's me lol.

Do you have issues with stones in your pigs then Pulisa?

---------- Post added at 09:45 ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 ----------

It is very important not to completely eliminate calcium from the diet as this can lead to hypocalcaemia. Getting the correct calcium/phosphorus/magnesium level is vital if you want to avoid renal issues too.

Yes, I'm aware of this too. I've studied the guinea lynx charts in detail and still include fresh greens etc. It's become a bit of a "thing" with me as I'm really worried that I'll get something wrong...

---------- Post added at 11:17 ---------- Previous post was at 11:14 ----------


Have you heard of the Ratewatchers Diet? It is very good for pigs with urinary/stone issues as it is low in calcium whist also maintaining the correct cal/phos ratio :

http://www.guineapigwelfare.org.uk/ratewatchers/


Yes, I've seen this. I'm a member of "the guinea pig forum" and look at the guinea lynx stuff. I find the guinea pig forum to be a bit obsessive though.

---------- Post added at 11:18 ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 ----------


I could do with losing a stone. Does this mean eating hay will help me? :D

I think the OP can't go wrong here, another piggy! Love the name, Custard, too. :yesyes:

Depends on whether Custard is male or female though. Males are tricky to pair up as adults.......

shotokansho
17-08-16, 19:49
Hello there.
Wow so many replies. Custard is a boy. He did have a friend I bought two boys together but his friend died quite quickly. I was unsure about putting another piggy in there with him as I heard they were territorial and they can fight?? I do get him out as often as I can but he sometimes bites so my son won't play with him for long. He also gets out on the grass. I love him to bits and just wanted to make sure he was happy.
P.S he's called custard because he looks like a custard cream lol

Mojo61
17-08-16, 21:00
He will be fine with a baby boar as an adult won't attack a baby.

pulisa
17-08-16, 21:51
You could call the new piggy Bourbon or Garibaldi?!:D

Just make sure you get the new baby pig properly sexed-mistakes have been known to happen..

shotokansho
17-08-16, 22:11
Ok thanks for that I'll try and find him a friend, I was really worried about putting another in there with him because he's quite confident and bolshy. Would I have to introduce them slowly or can I put the new one straight in? Was also wondering about a girl one and getting custard done or is that to risky?
Haha thanks for the name suggestions pulisa I like bourbon xx

MyNameIsTerry
18-08-16, 04:51
Or a whitish one called cream. Or a reddish brown one called rhubarb. :D

pulisa
18-08-16, 09:28
Mojo is the expert on this but I would suggest introducing them on "neutral" territory and definitely away from Custard's current living quarters. Watch them carefully-there will be a lot of sniffing/examining the new baby but this is quite normal. You will have to watch them closely to begin with when they are put back together into their hutch/cage but things should be fine if you choose a young male baby (from 6 weeks of age-from 12 weeks of age or so things can be a bit more tricky with puberty etc)

Castration is not routine and there can be complications. You would also have to wait at least 6 weeks for the op to be effective. A neutered male and 1 or2 females is always a good mix though.

Personally I've gone for the 2 males pairing. There have sometimes been bonding issues but I've never had to separate mine. My current pair are 2 years old today and one is particularly feisty but there is always a dominant pig and a submissive one. Happy Birthday Fergus and Zebedee! :D

shotokansho
18-08-16, 18:33
Awww bless. Hope they have a fab birthday!!!! Custard isn't 1 yet x

Mojo61
18-08-16, 21:09
Pulisa is correct, but be prepared for lots of chasing around and mounting each other. This is normal and shouldn't be mistaken for aggression.

Signs of aggression: teeth chattering, "squaring" up to each other, raised hackles, teeth baring, lunging at each other. This is extremely unlikely with a baby, I've never seen an adult attack a baby in over 45 years of keeping piggies, but if it does happen at a later date never, ever, try to separate them by attempting to pick them up because you will get a very nasty bite. Instead you should try to part them with something like a dustpan or rolled up newspaper and leave them to calm down separately for about half an hour before handling them again.

Personally I'm not a fan of neutering unless absolutely necessary (testicular cancer for instance, or when every attempt to paint them with a same sex piggy has failed) because they don't deal with anaesthesia and surgery at all well, and to be perfectly honest there aren't many vets who I would trust to operate on my pigs, they just don't have the experience.

pulisa
18-08-16, 21:26
I'm lucky in that I use an exotics and guinea pig savvy vet who is not that far away but I still wouldn't opt for castration now unless for medical reasons. I know people tend to opt for a female pairing but I've always enjoyed having 2 males as they've mostly got great characters!

Mojo61
18-08-16, 21:30
I prefer boars to sows. Those sows can be moody mares at the best of times lol!:roflmao:

---------- Post added at 21:30 ---------- Previous post was at 21:29 ----------


I'm lucky in that I use an exotics and guinea pig savvy vet who is not that far away but I still wouldn't opt for castration now unless for medical reasons. I know people tend to opt for a female pairing but I've always enjoyed having 2 males as they've mostly got great characters!

Who is that vet if you don't mind me asking. Not Amir Khashiv by any chance is it?

pulisa
18-08-16, 21:31
Awww bless. Hope they have a fab birthday!!!! Custard isn't 1 yet x

Thank You!

Custard will still be pretty hormonal. They say that males calm down once past the 14 months mark but my feisty male at 2 is still pretty fired up! All the more reason to choose a young baby and not an "adolescent" pig who could be viewed as an "intruder"

shotokansho
18-08-16, 23:05
I get ya. Thanks guys I'll defo be getting custard a friend, hopefully he'll be a lot quieter.
Something else I've noticed with him...he gets highly excitable when I put his hay in, he actually jumps in the air and hops and runs all over his cage...quite comical lol.
How do you know if a piggy is upset? Also I've heard they don't show pain?

pulisa
19-08-16, 08:21
I prefer boars to sows. Those sows can be moody mares at the best of times lol!:roflmao:

---------- Post added at 21:30 ---------- Previous post was at 21:29 ----------



Who is that vet if you don't mind me asking. Not Amir Khashiv by any chance is it?

Anne O'Meara at Goddard's Practice, Ewell. Surrey. People come from miles away to see her apparently!

MyNameIsTerry
19-08-16, 11:01
My current pair are 2 years old today and one is particularly feisty but there is always a dominant pig and a submissive one. Happy Birthday Fergus and Zebedee! :D

Happy birthday Fergus & Zebedde!!! :birthday1::birthday:

...and not forgetting, best wishes to Mandril too! :yahoo:

pulisa
19-08-16, 13:37
Thank you Terry! "Mandy" is doing well after his bladder stone removal-no sign of a recurrence yet!