piggy tumor
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Bookfan
- For the Love of Pigs
We got a new female today, 2 yrs. old. We let them be adjacent for a while without entering each other's space (in a neutral area). Both seemed excited. When we pulled up the partition, the new pig was asserting herself and our pig was trying, but she's just somewhat timid by nature. This went on for a bit, then we put the divider down again. Later we got them out on the floor (a part our original pig hadn't ever spent much time on). They mostly kept their distance with our old pig sort of cowering and chattering, while the other was enthusiastically exploring.
We do have a seperate cage for the new pig for as long as we need it. Just don't know if they'll be able to work it out, or if they do, if our original pig will be happy with such an assertive roommate.
We do have a seperate cage for the new pig for as long as we need it. Just don't know if they'll be able to work it out, or if they do, if our original pig will be happy with such an assertive roommate.
Have you read http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm#Introductions ?
Dividers and separating them frequently often does more harm than good. They usually have to work it out and interfering just means they have to do the dominance dance all over again.
Make sure the cage is big enough and there's at least 2-3 of everything.
Dividers and separating them frequently often does more harm than good. They usually have to work it out and interfering just means they have to do the dominance dance all over again.
Make sure the cage is big enough and there's at least 2-3 of everything.
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RavenShade
- Thanks for the Memories
Did you quarantine the new one? Where did you get her?
You should take her for a well-pig visit.
Floor time (neutral territory) is a good place to introduce them. When you put them in one pen, clean thoroughly first so it doesn't smell like one pig or the other.
I'm sorry for your loss. When Max developed a tumor, I was told that with pigs it's 50/50 that it's malignant. Max was on the wrong side of that scale, but Gopher later had a tumor on his back that was benign. Luck of the draw sometimes.
You should take her for a well-pig visit.
Floor time (neutral territory) is a good place to introduce them. When you put them in one pen, clean thoroughly first so it doesn't smell like one pig or the other.
I'm sorry for your loss. When Max developed a tumor, I was told that with pigs it's 50/50 that it's malignant. Max was on the wrong side of that scale, but Gopher later had a tumor on his back that was benign. Luck of the draw sometimes.
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Bookfan
- For the Love of Pigs
Thanks for all the input. We got from her from the Humane Society and their vet checked her out when they got her. She's been isolated since then. My husband jusst suggested we take her in for a vet visit anyway.
That's interesting about Max's tumor. The vet who saw Tildy (not a guinea pig vet) seemed to think there was a good chance her tumor was malignant.
That's interesting about Max's tumor. The vet who saw Tildy (not a guinea pig vet) seemed to think there was a good chance her tumor was malignant.
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Bookfan
- For the Love of Pigs
Update on the new pig, Elle. We gave them a buddy bath and had them out on the floor on towels for quite a while. Our original pig, Celia, ignored Elle and seemed a little tense, but they avoided each other. Tonight we put them both in the well-cleaned coroplast cage. It's big and has two houses, two food bowls and a covered area. I wouldn't say they're friends, and they had a few minor encounters, but mostly they're just staying away from each other and going about their business. Elle seems very excited about her new digs - probably didn't have such a large space before. If there are no major conflicts before my daughter (nightowl) goes to bed, we'll leave them together tonight.
Celia seems more lively than she has been for days. It's certainly distracting her from her loss.
Celia seems more lively than she has been for days. It's certainly distracting her from her loss.
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Bookfan
- For the Love of Pigs
Yes, she is helping us as well. Elle's an animated pig and had us laughing as we watched them tonight. Celia appreciated the extra attention from us after Tildy died, but Elle seems to be getting her out of her funk, one way or the other.
She was called Elle at the Humane Society and we thought that was just fine. But we're already calling her Ellie.
And thank you all again for the input and support since Matilda died. Most people who aren't "pigophiles" don't understand that you can grieve over a rodent. It's nice to hear from others who "get it".
She was called Elle at the Humane Society and we thought that was just fine. But we're already calling her Ellie.
And thank you all again for the input and support since Matilda died. Most people who aren't "pigophiles" don't understand that you can grieve over a rodent. It's nice to hear from others who "get it".
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Bookfan
- For the Love of Pigs
Elle and Celia are getting along pretty well, but Elle keeps licking Celia's ear ... and licking and licking. Celia finally gets annoyed. Does anyone know anything about this?
Also, I have a question about one of our past pigs. In her last few months (she was about 3 when she died) she was having sort of soft poops and kept getting them mashed into her feet. Her cage mate never had any on her feet. The vet couldn't figure out what was causing the soft poops and suggested stress from her cage mate. They weren't fighting, but never got along very well. They seemed to irritate each other somewhat. Any ideas as to what could have been wrong?
Also, I have a question about one of our past pigs. In her last few months (she was about 3 when she died) she was having sort of soft poops and kept getting them mashed into her feet. Her cage mate never had any on her feet. The vet couldn't figure out what was causing the soft poops and suggested stress from her cage mate. They weren't fighting, but never got along very well. They seemed to irritate each other somewhat. Any ideas as to what could have been wrong?
Wow the ear-licking sounds like what my girls did. I first noticed when Sabi was sick with cancer. I asked two exotics vets about it but they had no idea. I thought mine were unique and crazy ;) I haven't seen it in a while, but then, they have their own room so I'm not around much most of the time (we keep the door shut, we have two cats--but since I miss them we're planning to remodel the house when we have the money, so I can be closer to them with windows/screens to see them while keeping the cats out).
There was one thread I remember, https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23644 (thanks tracis), where the only symptom of cancer for a while was messy poop. How long were they together when she started having the soft poops? You might want to consider necropsy when you next lose someone, although of course I hope that won't be for a very long time.
Just like with humans, sometimes gpigs don't like every other one they meet. Sometimes they fight, sometimes they learn to barely tolerate each other and at least keep each other company, sometimes they grow to love each other. You never know. I liked HRS's idea of bunny matchmaking and if I ever add more gpigs, ideally I'd like a good rescue to do multiple introductions to see who bonds best. I'd rather have somewhat-decent company than be in social isolation, but I'd much rather live with someone I love and get along great with.
For Celia, what sort of hideys do you have? When she gets bothered, can she go in a house and does Elle leave her alone then?
Oh yeah, and for two weeks before Sabi obviously deteriorated, my housemate claimed Sabi was a little slower to wake up and come out for meals, then ate a little slower. She used to be slow relative to the other two, and I couldn't see any difference when I looked--I wish I had taken his observations more seriously. We called her the "garbage disposal" since she used to be the least picky about veggies and would eat almost anything, even stuff the other two wouldn't eat. It's so hard to guess correctly whether things like that are just food preferences or something medical.
There was one thread I remember, https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23644 (thanks tracis), where the only symptom of cancer for a while was messy poop. How long were they together when she started having the soft poops? You might want to consider necropsy when you next lose someone, although of course I hope that won't be for a very long time.
Just like with humans, sometimes gpigs don't like every other one they meet. Sometimes they fight, sometimes they learn to barely tolerate each other and at least keep each other company, sometimes they grow to love each other. You never know. I liked HRS's idea of bunny matchmaking and if I ever add more gpigs, ideally I'd like a good rescue to do multiple introductions to see who bonds best. I'd rather have somewhat-decent company than be in social isolation, but I'd much rather live with someone I love and get along great with.
For Celia, what sort of hideys do you have? When she gets bothered, can she go in a house and does Elle leave her alone then?
Oh yeah, and for two weeks before Sabi obviously deteriorated, my housemate claimed Sabi was a little slower to wake up and come out for meals, then ate a little slower. She used to be slow relative to the other two, and I couldn't see any difference when I looked--I wish I had taken his observations more seriously. We called her the "garbage disposal" since she used to be the least picky about veggies and would eat almost anything, even stuff the other two wouldn't eat. It's so hard to guess correctly whether things like that are just food preferences or something medical.
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