Widget is terrified and we don't know why

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:11 am


We managed to get him to explore the walkway, but poor Widgy really struggled with it. He stretched his little piggy head as far as he could without moving his feet and sniffed like crazy to make sure there were no monsters around. He did stay halfway in the walkway to eat a Critter Berry and munch on some hay.

I begged him to tell me what caused his fear, but he just stood there and let me pet him.

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rshevin

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:12 am


Poor little man. That's a big step though. I hope he continues to improve.

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Sonaa

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:59 am


Question: Anything change at all? Maybe something near the cage outside of it? Lighting?
I have read that animals tend to react to the smallest thing that we don't notice. Like a bunch of cows wouldn't enter a barn because on a fence many yards away, there was a yellow raincoat that someone left a few days ago. No one noticed but the animal psychologist.

So it could be the way you put down the bedding possibly? A sweater you left nearby on that side of the cage? Any other animals that could jostle that walk way?

Wish there were more guinea pig whisperers :)

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whittibo

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:03 am


:( I hope he gets over his terrifiedness soon. Poor little guy.

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:52 am


Sonaa, those are very good questions. We have not knowingly changed anything as far as lighting or cage content, and while I have cleaned around the cage, that was almost two weeks ago, which was way farther back then when Widget first started to fear one side of his cage.

I did notice a binder clip missing. The walkway is lined with a piece of non-slip rubber hallway runner, and on top of that I put handtowels so it doesn't get gross.

The runner is held to the grid with binderclips. We noticed one clip was missing. It is on the 2x2 side of the walkway. We have no idea how long it has been missing, but I could see if maybe one day Widget became curious about it, and started messing with it, and it snapped...you get the picture.

That's just a guess.

Meanwhile, I just found a sludge pile in Tom and Linus's cage. *sigh* The fun never ends.

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MotaroRIP

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:58 am


No it doesn't.

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Sonaa

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:10 am


Hm that's a possibility. It's the small things right?:) Poor Widget! Now to figure out how to get him to like that space again...

A pile of sludge? Do you mind ever posting a picture of it? Just curious!

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Bethie
Still supporting in 2014

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:01 am


Poor Widgey. I hope he recovers and can enjoy his lovely home again. And sorry to hear about the sludge. Poor guys.

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RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:32 am


Ugh. You can't catch a break!

If he got pinged by a binder clip, that's probably what's wrong.

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TWP_2

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:44 am


He is gradually working his way back into the hay loft. I was by their cage all night rebuilding our workstation and network server, and as the night wore on he moved further and further out of the end of the walkway.

He manages to get a little more than 1/2 of his body out of the end of the walkway. At this rate, he'll be back into the hayloft completely by the weekend.

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rshevin

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:09 am


Sonaa's been reading Temple Grandin.

Poor little Widget. That binder clip could have done it.

cat22woman

Post   » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:33 am


Is his cage near a window? I would suspect maybe a cat or bird scared him from the window. They are really strange like that though. Especially when food doesn't cure the fear!

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