I love my new piggy!

[Orlaith]

Hi! My name is Orlaith, I'm from Ireland and I've just gotten my very first guinea pig (her name is Zelda, and her friend, who we're going to pick up next week is going to be called Hilda ) and I love her to bits! She's the prettiest piggy I've ever seen. She's already got me wrapped around her little claws

So, hey everyone!

[xxlunaxx]

Hi Orlaith,
Welcome to the forum....Glad you are enjoying your new piggy and its great that you are getting her a friend. They love the company and really perk up when they have a mate Everyone is really friendly and helpful here so feel free to ask any questions and we would love to see pics if you get a chance

[Dawn - Admin]

Awww... hi and welcome to Cutiecavies. Piggies can have that affect on you

[Orlaith]

Well, we've had an eventful weekend!

Zelda is now Xander, after sexing him ourselves. Since he was new and a little skittish (we've only had him a week) we didn't do it before now. However, we've already gotten a little girl piggie to be his friend (her name is Hilda). So we've bought a new cage to keep them separate (really happy we didn't leave them alone together!). We've bred Russian dwarf hamsters before, so I know how much work it is to look after them and to find homes for the new babies and to keep the new mothers from being stressed and I'm not willing to do that with guinea pigs since I'm new to them and it would be really unfair to them.

Is it okay to keep their cages beside each other so they can talk or is that a little mean to Xander, since he'll be able to smell her the whole time? We've been doing it the last two days, and although he sings to her a lot, he's a whole different piggy now that he has a friend and I don't want him to be lonely.

Also, can we let them out in the run together in the evenings if we watch them really closely, or is that a bit too risky?

[abby]

Hi, so glad you're enjoying your new piggie friends. I'd say far too risky, it'd take them about 30 seconds to decide to mate and do the deed! I'd also think that once he'd had physical contact with her he'd want that again and would be trying to get into her cage the whole time whereas the set up you have now isn't stressing them out, they're enjoying just knowing the other is there and talking to them. You could consider getting him neutered, they could live happily together a few weeks after that. I don't have any experience of getting them done though so someone else might be able to advise.

[Orlaith]

I think that neutering is a big operation for such a little animal and I don't want to put Xander at risk. It's not his fault he was sexed wrong, after all, plus I'm not sure I'd trust any vets near me to know enough about guinea pigs to operate on him.

[luvcats22]

i think he should be fine just living next door, i have a boy who doesnt like living with piggies, but he loves to wheek and squeak to my other two boys in the cage next to him, and so long as he gets lots of cuddles (or could you find him another boy to live with?)

[hopntail]

Hi and Welcome to the forum! My name is Ashley, I only have 2 piggies. However, I do raise rabbits.

[Orlaith]

Okay, this is Xander, our amazing gender-swapping piggy. He's still only little, just 13 weeks, but he's so nosy!





We've had him for two weeks now and he's finally stopped running into his house every time we go near him. Rather, he sits there and wonders why we don't always have food


We've only had Hilda for five days, so she's still too shy for pictures, but I'll get some when she gets more settled!

[Dawn - Admin]

Awww.. very cute

[weecheenranoksmum]

aww he is gorgeous
welcome to the forum

[celia]

Hi and welcome to the forum

[Orlaith]

Thanks everyone This is a really nice forum, everyone's really friendly!