any guinea pig money saving tips?

pug_in_a_bed

I thought I would update this as a warning. I ordered a run from https://www.run-rabbit-runs.co.uk as suggested, having ordered from them before.

Anyway after a few weeks messing with the seller, over non delivery I had an email sying they are going bankrupt and can't continue fulfilling orders.

I spent £90:eek: Anyway have filed a paypal claim so hopefully that will go ok

pug_in_a_bed

Have a look at this thread in case you have bought from them too

CG77

Hi all,

I posted last week when we'd just got our two piggies and wasn't sure if they were ok (they were quiet and didn't seem to be eating on the first day home). I'm happy to report they seem to have settled in and happily take food from us now (although one did bite my little boy yesterday, mistaking him for food! :eek:) One does seem much more confident and the other one's a bit of a 'scaredy pig', but I guess that's just their characters.

I have a question now about Hedgehog (don't ask-my little boy named them! ). Today I've noticed that he sometimes makes funny 'clicking' noises when he breathes. Not all the time at all-it's not there when he's eating or running round but occasionally when he sits still, it's quite obvious. When he does it I can see his body moving as if he's breathing quite heavily, but then it stops and all goes back to normal. Any advice as to what this is, if anything? He's eating well etc and still his noisy self, but just thought it was worth asking all you lovely people if it's anything important?

Thanks in advance!

CG. x

adea

You could be writing about our two piggies!
One is larger then the other and seems to be more noisy (he too likes to nibble fingers when offered food!) We have also seen him 'mounting' the smaller one, wondered if we had been missold 2 boys or if he was a bit confused :P !
Cuddles(named by DD1) makes noises just like you have said and I have been told this is perfectly normal. The smaller one Jack (DD2's choice) is more shy than Cuddles but accepts being stroked more happily.
Have you tried feeding them cucumber yet?
Our 2 piggies absolutely adore it and come and wait by the bars when we go up to feed them their veggies!
Oh and another funny thing that Cuddles does is jump in the air and squeak when he is out for a run. It's very funny and cute when he does.

CG77

Hi adea,

Thanks for the reply. That sounds encouraging then-I hope it's nothing to worry about. I'm almost certain he hasn't done it until today though, so I'm not sure why he's started now!

I've just cleaned the cage out and put a new hut type thing in and two toy things and they're really happy, popcorning like mad! It's the first time I've seen Hedgehog doing it, so he can't be that unwell! (I think that's what yours must be doing with the little jumps-cute, isn't it?!)

Yeah, we've given them cucumber and a little apple. They love both and do the same-come to the bars to see what we've got! Ours have nibbled our fingers a lot but this bite yesterday on my little boy's finger was a real bite, with blood and everything! He was really upset at the time and I was worried he might not want to interract with them any more but he asked straight away if he could hold him again, which I was pleased about.

Ours are the same-one much bigger (and greedier) than the other, and although they don't mount one another, they do like to give each other a good sniff! Yuck!

Anyway thanks again for the reply-lovely to hear about your two!:D

If anyone else can add anything I'd be really grateful too!

CG. x

pug_in_a_bed

Have a listen here to some gp sounds

Sounds like your pig is just chattering, mine do it all the time, esp when they are sat on my couch having a stroke or a brush, so a happy noise, but they also make it when they are a bit annoyed at each other, you can defo hear the difference then though!

GPs hardly ever bite with intent, he may have thought the finger was a piece of food, esp if your son wasnt irritating them and sounds like he wasn't.

CG77

Thanks pug_in_a_bed

I've listened to those sounds before and just listened again to the chattering one. I don't think it's that noise he's making, although it's quite hard to tell from the sound clips. The best way I can describe the noise he's making is that it's like he's crunching on something, so much so that I keep checking but he's not eating at the time at all! Very odd sound. It only happens when he's sitting quietly.

With regards to the biting, yes I'm sure that's what it was. My little boy is always very closely supervised when he's holding the piggies, and he was feeding Hedgehog and he just bit the end of his finger, presumably as you say thinking it was food.

Thanks again!

CG. x

pug_in_a_bed

crunching sound, thats exactly it, sort of like they are grinding their teeth together?

Honest, sounds fine.

CG77

Yeah, almost-to me it sounds exactly like he's crunching on something really hard. At the same time his shoulders seem to move like he's breathing heavily.

Glad it sounds normal though!

Thanks again.

CG. x

chocdonuty

Currently i have two lovely female guinea pigs in a 2 x 4ft cage, with a small upper ledge where they feed and there will be a 2 x 3ft level for them to run about on as well soon.
I've somehow managed to gain another piggie but it's a male! (I'm a sucker for a sob story:p ) Now I don't want any piggie babies, cute as they are so I was wondering whether it's best to keep him on his own or make him have the snip and let him play with my 2 girlies worry free:D
Anyone had this done before and is there any advice or ideas of costs please?

Chocdonuty