Bouncing Boars

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Crazy4me

Post   » Sat Jun 08, 2013 1:04 am


Fingers crossed for no fighting..be good Batman and Squeak!

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Sun Jun 09, 2013 4:30 pm


So far so good - nearly 48 hours without bloodshed!

Batman's spending the piggy afternoon siesta curled up in Squeak's new Cavy Cave; Squeak's in his favourite corner next to Bubble's cage; Bubble's in his own Cavy Cave; and Bandit's sleeping on his hay/grass.

I am so happy about this, I think those two boys are going to love living together!

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Fri Jun 14, 2013 12:09 pm


It's been a week and the pairing seems to be perfect! Both boys gained about 20g this week (so did Bandit; meanwhile, Bubble gained nearly 50g). There hasn't been any fighting that I have been able to find evidence of. This morning I thought I'd found a scab from a bum-bite on Squeak but it turned out to be a tick. Our ticks don't carry disease and they're pretty big. I removed the tick and disposed of it. It got in on the grass - it's summer and our grass is growing quite nicely, so I've switched them from hay like I did last summer. They love it, of course! :)

Anyway, it seems like Batman and Squeak are just really well-matched in terms if temperament. I haven't seen them do nose-offs or anything, just rumbling and mounting. And they obviously aren't hogging food if they both gained the same. :)

Now I just need enough room to try Bandit and Bubble together. ;)

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:41 pm


Okay, it's been a LONG TIME but I'm back and I have a lot of news and no photos today.

Biggest news, not pig-related: I am pregnant and due at the end of February. We have plans to get the cage up off the floor before I'm so large that I can't get inside the cage to clean it anymore. I'm going to also make cage liners so cleaning is easier.

On to the piggers:

Bandit was finally adopted last month! It's a couple from Regina who had a piggy who'd gotten depressed after his cagemate passed away. It was a good match (I stayed at the intros for two hours to make sure) as Bandit had spent the last few months in with Batman and Squeak and was definitely bottom of the pecking order. His new friend has an injury and his back legs don't work as well as they should (they basically rescued him) so Bandit can be top pig, but they're close in age and Bandit's pretty laid back and all anyhow. So yay!

With Bandit gone, I decided to try the ill-fated trio again. Batman, Bubble, and Squeak have been living in the 3x5 C&C for a full week with no fighting!

Well... okay, no "ball of fur rolling around the cage" fighting, and no injuries that I've found from butt nips. I did find a bit of pulled-out hair and it looks like someone's been barbering Squeak. But nothing serious and nobody's losing weight.

However.

I think it's time for a stuffy, so suggestions would be lovely.

Batman has spent most of the last couple of hours chasing Squeak around the cage. When he catches up he mounts poor Squeak SIDEWAYS and Squeak proceeds to screech at the top of his lungs like he's about to die. If Batman approaches Bubble with the same intent, Bubble makes it incredibly clear that if he tries anything there will be much biting, and Batman backs off.

So... yeah. Stuffy time.

Batman's turning four in November and the other two are just over four years old now. Do males go through some kind of hormonal change? Sheesh.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:45 pm


Congrats on your pregnancy! Hope all goes well.

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:00 pm


...I just watched for a bit and Batman isn't even HUMPING when he's on Squeak. He's just climbing on and then getting down. I have no idea what's going on here.

And thanks, Lynx! :)

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Thu Sep 25, 2014 10:45 pm


I have a few photos of my three boys today!

I cleaned the cage and weighed them, and found that Bubble had lost some weight. Not enough for me to be really concerned for his health, but enough that I decided to separate him from the other two and see if he gains it back while separated. Of course, then he was happy in his 2x3 until I put Batman in the 3x3 next door and then he wanted to be on the other side of the divider. *headdesk*

I did find that Squeak had more bites on his rump than I would like, and he's lost a good chunk out of one ear (I suspect Batman of all wounds; ear is healing nicely and looks fine other than the missing chunk). However, he has gained weight and that makes me happy.

I have a few questions about Batman in particular, but I'm going to post to his medical thread about them.

Now all that is out of the way, here are the photos!

ImageBubble in his cave by JannaLou, on Flickr

ImageBatman sleeping by JannaLou, on Flickr

ImageBatman and Squeak sleeping by JannaLou, on Flickr

ImageHello Batman! by JannaLou, on Flickr

ImageIt's a Bubble! by JannaLou, on Flickr

ImageSqueak sleeping by JannaLou, on Flickr

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Sep 26, 2014 6:27 am


What cuties they are! And I love the cave in the first picture.

Sometimes I wish the guys would just all "get along" without the fights!

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:16 pm


Bubble seems to prefer his cave on its side like that, yes. :) Yesterday he also pulled the pad out and was using them separately for a while.

I've decided that if the weight is the same or less next week then I'll try the brothers together and put Batman in solitary. We'll see how things go.

I kind of wonder if the cage was even bigger, would they actually get along? It's 3x5 when undivided so you'd think it would be plenty big enough, but I wonder if 4x5 or even 4x6 would be better for them?

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karalianne
Supporter in '12

Post   » Mon Jan 26, 2015 4:13 pm


Batman died this morning. He was 4 years 2 months old.

When I cleaned the cage yesterday afternoon, he was lethargic and only interested in sleeping. I kept making him move because he was in the way. By bedtime, he was bloated and obviously uncomfortable.

I gave him simethicone and massaged his belly like I did for Sandy so often in 2012, and he spent the night in the cat carrier next to my bed.

He was still with us when I got up this morning, and I gave him more simethicone and a bit of Metacam. He'd pooped during the night and he did more with the massage I did, but he just wasn't interested in swallowing anything I put in his mouth (syringing water and Critical Care). Some water did go down, as he peed once. His breathing was quite laboured.

At about 11.20 a.m. he started seizing, and then he lay on his side for the last of the process. He breathed his last at 11.45 a.m.

Bubble and Squeak (4 years 6 months old) spent the night snuggled together on either side of the divider in the cage. I am going to try them in the big side and see if the brothers can live together once more.

On Saturday my friend who I do the rescue with took in a pair of brothers (George and Luther) and I will pick them up from her on Thursday. The former owners had to give them up due to severe allergies (the wife was apparently getting hives from holding them and they'd tried different bedding and different hay and everything) so brought all their stuff. There's a 2x4 C&C cage, water bottles, beds, etc. They're living apart for now because the home they're in has a cat, a 1yo child, and four female guinea pigs. When they come to my house they can go back into their regular cage and I'll put a lid on it (I have lots of extra grids) as we're getting a new cat this weekend. Luther has some health concerns, but nothing too serious; something with his grease gland and impaction (which I've dealt with before). The boys are Abyssinians and both are white and brown. Once we get through quarantine, I'm hoping they can do floor time with Bubble and Squeak. They're about four years old, just like my boys are.

And the baby is due February 23. As of today I am 36 weeks and so basically this baby could come at any time.

C Cole-Chakotay

Post   » Mon Jan 26, 2015 4:26 pm


I'm sorry to hear of Batman's passing.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:10 pm


I am so sorry about Batman, karalianne.

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