One Little, Two Little, Three Little Guinea Pigs

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Brainerror

Post   » Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:17 am


OMG I NEED SCRUFFY! wanna swap with one of my bubs? ;)

Also your title makes me want to sing the theme tune to three little ghosts

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Brainerror

Post   » Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:19 am


ack it wouldn't let me post, then posted twice o.O *headdesk*

Maddy_harper

Post   » Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:31 am


whats three little ghosts? That wasnt shown here in the u k.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:52 am


Dec. 3, 2013

Even at 3 days old, Scruff had a mean bite and wasn’t afraid to use it. She was so cotton-pickin cute though, I didn’t mind. Man alive! I hoped she was indeed a girl. I still hadn’t studied the section in Guinea Lynx that dealt with sexing pigs, so I couldn’t tell which she was. After a couple of weeks, I didn’t care. I was pretty sure s/he was coming home with me, one way or another. Even Mike was smitten, but because she so indiscriminately bit everyone and she DID have a skin-piercing set of teeth, he wasn’t as enamored of her as he’d been with Flossie. Personally speaking, she could have bitten ME once an hour and I still would have been in “LOVE” with her. She was so cute, and when she wasn’t biting, she was the sweetest little puffball you could imagine. I soon realized that she only bit when she was in between being picked up, and being held firmly to my body. In other words, when she didn’t feel secure.

At 3 weeks old I pestered the pet store to separate the boys from the girls, but they wouldn’t listen to me. They wouldn’t listen to me about her being able to come home with me at that time either. They were firmly determined that I wouldn’t be getting her until 6 weeks of age. I’m pretty sure they think guinea pigs are like cats and dogs, born helpless, and don’t know that cavies are born little adults, eyes open and perfectly capable of eating pellets and hay, and are weaned at 3 weeks (and run fast as lightning). By this time we were all but certain she was a she, and I was worried sick she’d get pregnant. We got lucky though and at six weeks they called to let me know I could have her. I flew to the store and snatched her up.

We got her home and (still not having “gotten it”) I plunked her in with Flossie who was still in the quarantine cage since I’d discovered the boys still had lice, and hadn’t been neutered yet. Finally, mid-February, we decided they were “clean” and scheduled the neuters for the 1st of March.

The day came and off went the boys. We talked with the vet for a few minutes and then left. I worried all day until the office called about 3:00 and said to come get them, they were doing fine, although “Peek was a little slower to wake up than we liked” (head-smack #54).

On March 22, I gave everyone an extra baby carrot in celebration of Peek’s one year adoption anniversary. I grumbled at him for still being so danged stand-offish. He continued to fight off my attempts to love up to him, although he had learned if I held out one finger, I only wanted to pet him and he’d let me carefully stroke his nose and head. Anything else though and he’d disappear like a ghost. I’d learned to trap him and Scatter in a corner with a piece of chloroplast if I wanted to pick them up. At least it was BOTH boys who avoided being picked up, like I was the plague or something! Scatter was still the curious and lovable goofball we’d brought home. He’d burrow head first into the hay ball (yeah, ashamed to admit all 3 cages had them) and hollow it out as he ate. Even with his cute pointy little nose he never learned to pull it out from the side. Nope, he wanted a mouthful to chew, not one measly little strand. Typical teenage boy, right?

I chose the name “Scruffy” while I was playing around with the photo software I’d downloaded, but I was pretty sure it wouldn’t stick. After a couple of weeks I started thinking of “her” as Fuzzbutt. I’d started a “vote for a name” for the baby on Facebook, giving 2 choices and the caveat that I had executive powers of decision. The choices were Oreo or Fuzzbutt (Scruffy just didn’t fit her personality). Oreo actually won by one vote, but since it seemed like I heard that name given to every 3rd or 4th black and white cat, I felt it was not unusual enough, so Fuzzbutt she became. Sure, I’d heard the name given to a few other cats, but not in the numbers of Oreo.

Mid-April: Still not having learned, I plunked Flossie in with Peek, and Fuzz into Scatter’s cage. Oldest boy with oldest girl, right? Neither girl cared for the decision but I figured they’d get used to it. Instead, whereas Floss and Peek did some running and teeth chattering before settling down, Fuzzbutt was more vocal, consistent, and persistent in letting us know exactly how she felt. The first day she spent screaming almost constantly (how I could have tortured the baby like that, I have no clue – wait... I HAD no clue!) sometimes with her head in a corner and her butt out (exactly where Scatter wanted it), the 2nd and 3rd days, she just screamed bloody murder if Scatter came near her. He on the other hand was deaf and couldn’t have cared less what SHE wanted, he was gonna hump. Finally on the 3rd day, I decided it just wasn’t going to work and poor Fuzz needed a new, less pushy partner. I switched girls – Flossie, bigger, older by months, and much more confident and sure of herself, went in with Mr. Humpsalot. She didn’t like him anymore than Fuzzbutt had, but she wasn’t as vocal about it, and apparently could run faster. Scatter had a challenge. Peek was the Old Curmudgeon and wouldn’t have anything to do with either girl by this time, but was just a teeny bit curious about Fuzz at first. She screamed bloody murder if he came near her and he backed off, probably trying to spare his ears. I swear, if we’d had any crystal in the house, Fuzz could have shattered it, just like the old Memorex commercials. This time, I threw up my hands and gave up. She’d just have to get used to him. She did, but they never really got chummy. Peek didn’t want her near him even if she did feel lonely and seek him out. Poor baby WAS lonely, too. I could “feel” it.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:14 am


I kinda think you need more pics of Fuzzbutt, no?

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:20 am


You mean piggy Mummy making poor fuzzy cry like that and causing Peek and scatter to have nervous break downs. Thankfully Peek could not hear her. Give Fuzzy a head scratch from us. Yes more pictures of all four.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:25 am


I think you've seen all the decent, unblurred, not-poop-filled, can-still-see-the-black-guinea-pig pictures I have, Lynx. Hahahaha. I'll see what I can come up with for all of them, though I have to warn you, I've not had them out on the furniture for any photo shoots so it's hard to get shots of either set of cagemates together. Maybe I can do that today, just to see if they'll stay together long enough for me to get off a few clicks. It's a gloomy very rainy day, but I'll push my chair over by the window for what it's worth.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sun Mar 06, 2016 12:03 pm


daisymae, Scatter causes nervous breakdowns, not has them. ;o)

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:15 am


Poor Flossie. Today, as I was getting their Vit C ready, I heard a strange sound in the pig room. I went in and discovered Flossie hiding under their stool and several flippers were wet. So was she. She was pulling her normal BS and chewing on grids wanting the Tabs NOW! This time, she was up on the brick next to the water bowl, must have lost her balance and fell into the bowl. I'm pretty sure she blames me because now I can't get near her, not even to give her the tablet! I'll have to snag her tomorrow and try to get a look in her mouth, or at least her front teeth. She worries me with all of her grid chewing. Even with the heavy plexiglas and the lighter weight clear vinyl "covers" she still manages to find unprotected bars to chew on. Now she's stretching up and grabbing the ones at the top. I'm scared she's really going to injure herself one of these days.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:17 am


When I had my bar chewer, I had to put plexiglass all the way to the top.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Wed Mar 09, 2016 12:22 pm


Thanks, bpatters. I was thinking the same thing and trying to figure out a way, probably using the heavy AND lightweight stuff. I'll be in there today working on the problem.

Maddy_harper

Post   » Thu Mar 10, 2016 7:46 am


pigs really know how to stress their owners out hahah

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