We had an issue when one of our mid-aged (3 years) pigs got sick and had to have an operation. She had to be separated from her sister for a few weeks, and then when we tried to put them back together they could not get along. They would chatter teeth and the healthy one would follow the sick one around. It sounded like they had turned from guinea pigs to rattlesnakes with all the constant chattering.
We finally did the partner bath and that worked. I'm not sure if it was jealousy, or the healthy one now wanted to be the alpha, but it was certainly stressful!
Jealous Piggies?
This is insanely stressful, we're not sleeping because of this. Last night, same thing all over but this time Bullwinkle actually broke through my barrier and as huddled where Peanut was. It's bizarre. It's like he wants to be with Peanut, but he is just insistent that he follow him around and rumble at him and try to hump him and poor Peanut's got the worst end of this! Bathing...how in the world do I go about doing that? This from the woman who will bathe 3 cats in one night no problem and it scared of two little pigs. haha! Kitten shampoo? Do I have to dry them with the hair dryer (and wouldn't that scare them)?? Both of them together in the bathroom sink? A small amount of water in the bathtub? I'm willing to try anything at this point and if the partner bath is what I have to do, it's what I have to do! But we have to get some sleep!
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bpatters
- And got the T-shirt
I think your problem is that Bullwinkle senses that Peanut isn't well. Many pig owners have noted that when one is not up to snuff, the other(s) follow them around, sniff, and generally initiate a dominance struggle. I'd separate one of them into another cage until Peanut is well again, even if it meant full reintroductions.
And can't you move them out of your bedroom?
And can't you move them out of your bedroom?
The buddy bath is definitely worth a try, it's something I learned about here and have used it very successfully.
It involves a inch or so of water in the bottom of the kitchen sink (in my case) then putting both piggies in together and getting them all lathered up and rinsed off together. You can then dry them off with the hair dryer together too. It's supposed to scare them a bit, but united against a common enemy, the idea is that they bond.
I've got some shampoo that's specifically for guinea pigs, I'm not sure if kitten shampoo is suitable for pigs, maybe someone else could give you more advise in that department?
I also cleaned and scrubbed the space they were going to occupy, so it didn't smell of either of them.
I was a skeptic initially since I'd had no success in getting Chive to cohabit with anyone (he's a really tetchy pig), and had tried all sorts, but he's been happily living with Lentil ever since his buddy bath.
Hope it works out and you get some sleep!!
It involves a inch or so of water in the bottom of the kitchen sink (in my case) then putting both piggies in together and getting them all lathered up and rinsed off together. You can then dry them off with the hair dryer together too. It's supposed to scare them a bit, but united against a common enemy, the idea is that they bond.
I've got some shampoo that's specifically for guinea pigs, I'm not sure if kitten shampoo is suitable for pigs, maybe someone else could give you more advise in that department?
I also cleaned and scrubbed the space they were going to occupy, so it didn't smell of either of them.
I was a skeptic initially since I'd had no success in getting Chive to cohabit with anyone (he's a really tetchy pig), and had tried all sorts, but he's been happily living with Lentil ever since his buddy bath.
Hope it works out and you get some sleep!!
bpatters, the problem with moving them out of the bedroom is (1) space and (2) having them out of the bedroom means I can't keep Diamond away from them at night (we keep the door closed to the bedroom when he's inside). We live in a 1 bedroom apartment so that doesn't leave anywhere else to put them.
pig party, thanks for the info. I may try that and hope for the best. Peanut needs a bath anyway considering his fur is kind of gross under his chin from the medicine and hand feedings.
pig party, thanks for the info. I may try that and hope for the best. Peanut needs a bath anyway considering his fur is kind of gross under his chin from the medicine and hand feedings.
I guess I probably would wait to do the partner bath until both piggies are healthy. When we bathe them, we have a small washtub that's about the size of a cage grid square and maybe 4 inches high. We put them in the bathtub, but in that little washtub. We tried the sink, but we were stressed that they would leap out and fall on the floor, plus our piggies didn't really like having the faucet running on them, so we could get water in a cup and pour it more carefully in the tub. Ours also liked the water nice and warm and tolerated being dried with the hairdryer. When it was warm in the summer, we usually just towel-dried them and let them run around on a blanket on the floor.
What I like about using the bathtub, is I don't really have to worry about them getting out so much. The sides are really too high. Also, there's plenty of room. I would like them to like getting a bath once in a while. I figure I stand a better chance of that in a big tub with more space. I try to put a towel or tub mat in the tub so they have some traction under their feet.
Some piggies can learn to,like a bath, if you're really patient and slow. Others never will. But a buddy bath is really meant to stress them into bonding. It's not a bad thing - it's just a way to achieve an end that will be better for them in the long run.
Some piggies can learn to,like a bath, if you're really patient and slow. Others never will. But a buddy bath is really meant to stress them into bonding. It's not a bad thing - it's just a way to achieve an end that will be better for them in the long run.
Well, I'm impatient, so we went ahead and tried it. I've had different advice back and forth to go ahead and do the bath and to wait, so we decided it best to go ahead and try it. Peanut needed relief and I had a feeling it would work, or at least help. Peanut did fine. He got a little cold, but I snugged him up in a blanket and held him for a while to keep him warm. The blow dryer didn't work. We kept it as warm as we possibly could in the house without sweating our brains out too and kept the a/c off for a good long while. Peanut snuggled up and almost fell asleep in my arms which was the first time he'd done that! It was cute!
Last night, they were much much much quieter. Bullwinkle rumbled a couple of times, but they were shorter bursts of rumbles that only lasted a second and there was absolutely no chasing going on that I heard.
We're going to start Peanut on a round of Baytril to see if we can help him the rest of the way through this thing. I'm supposed to pick it up this afternoon.
So, it seems as though the bath was a success so far, but we'll see what happens again tonight. As a side note, they're totally snuggley soft now (softer than before) (and I found guinea pig shampoo) and I got some adorable photos of them during bath time!
Thank you all for your help and advice/suggestions. I listen and take all if it to heart and felt this was the best route for us to go. Hopefully it will continue to have been a good decision!
Last night, they were much much much quieter. Bullwinkle rumbled a couple of times, but they were shorter bursts of rumbles that only lasted a second and there was absolutely no chasing going on that I heard.
We're going to start Peanut on a round of Baytril to see if we can help him the rest of the way through this thing. I'm supposed to pick it up this afternoon.
So, it seems as though the bath was a success so far, but we'll see what happens again tonight. As a side note, they're totally snuggley soft now (softer than before) (and I found guinea pig shampoo) and I got some adorable photos of them during bath time!
Thank you all for your help and advice/suggestions. I listen and take all if it to heart and felt this was the best route for us to go. Hopefully it will continue to have been a good decision!
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