New Foster Pigs Now with PHOTOS!!

[Cibach]

For a couple of weeks now we have had two guests from the rescue. Guinea pig boars Rhett and Harley have come to stay awhile as they recover from being neutered. They are living in separate cages, one on top of the other, on the opposite side of our living room from our pen.
They had their surgery two weeks ago and must wait 6 weeks before they can safely be introduced to some girls. They have healed well and must now just sit it out. Both boys have been at the rescue for months and have been introduced to a number of boars who were looking for friends, but both boys proved to be too rude and the behaviour was not tolerated for long by the prospective friends. They also don't like each other and so their best prospect for a new home is with girls. Since Suzy will not re-home to a home if she thinks breeding is on the agenda, the best option for them was a visit to Dr. Snippy!!
So 4 more weeks and they can both meet some of the lovely girls at the rescue, or some of the sows waiting to come in to find a friend.
They are rather shy but I'm determined to get some nice photos as they are both rather spectacular.

[Tobi]

I wonder if the boys might steady out a bit emotionally after their visit to "Dr Snip"? It might be that all the testosterone they had before could have made them unfriendly to other males?

Anyway, I hope they have a lovely time in your foster care for their four weeks rehab!

[Catherine]

I am sure you, will work your magic with them and by the time they leave they will be ready to live a happy life. Maybe they will even get on with each other.

It is nice to know that you are still fostering. Sometimes a piggie need a little home care to get him ready for a forever home. I hope you can get pictures.

[Cibach]

Well both boys are delightful and their recoveries have been unremarkable so far.
Tobi, it's not that they are unfriendly to the other boys, it's that they are TOO friendly, and there's only so much of that, that a boar can take!!

Both boys feel that they are ready now, judging by their reaction to our girls across the room, but Cecil lets them know that these girlies are his!! It can get quite noisy!!

But just a few more weeks and they will be able to meet wives of their own so let's hope they feel it was all worth it in the end!!

[Catherine]

Some males are just happier living with girls. I can imagine all the talking at your place. It must be really funny to listen to. You couldn't do open concept like I do or someone would go over and try to assert himself. I have a very passive bunch of guinea pigs.

Your two foster pigs are males, mine are all boys.

[Cibach]

Well here they are.
Firstly Rhett, he was originally called Red because of his gorgeous colouring, but at the rescue they always have name that are proper nouns, not adjectives!! So he was renamed Rhett, almost the same and he is a handsome creature!

[img]Rhett by Gillian Clancy, on Flickr[/img]

And his partner in crime, Harley. He didn't have a name and his colouring suggested Marley, as his coat is marled, but we've had a couple of those so Harley was chosen.

[img]Harley by Gillian Clancy, on Flickr[/img]


Rhett is about 3, we think and Harley about 2, we think. We can only go on the information given at time of surrender and experience has taught us that it is not always accurate!!

Both boys sailed through their surgery and are well on the way to being able to meet some girls.

Not long now boys, just be patient!!

[Catherine]

They are couple of handsome boys. I am sure the ladies will love them when the time comes.
I have never seen one with colouring quite like Rhett. It is like red and brown mixed with white. I like it as a colouring. Of course I like them all.

Harley is very fine with his black, white and red. It makes him quite unique.

I do love the smooth coats. It is a nice look.

They both look very comfortable with their blankets. I am sure when they get their new homes they will remember you fondly.

Your food mix is very different looking from mine. What is in it.

[Cibach]

The boys are great, so settled and relaxed now. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly a little TLC and family life brings them around.
The food is by a manufacturer called Wagg. They make pet food for many species. It's called Guinea Pig Crunch and is a muesli type food. In the pictures you can see flakes which are made up of peas and some are corn kernels which are squashed and then baked or dried. There are 2 or 3 types of biscuity bits as well and often a grass stem or 2 also.
The thinking over here is that you should feed pellet food as it prevents them from picking out the bits they really like, but none of ours have ever taken to it. I always have a small bowl of pellets available but it usually goes unconsumed!
The rescue boys are on pellets because that is their food at the rescue and they only had the muesli as a waiting room treat. They seemed to really enjoy it.
Only a couple more weeks now and they will be going back, so I'm making the most of them!!

[Catherine]

The food mix sounds interesting. I use pellets, but each pellet is a mix and they like it.
Guinea pig crunch sounds good. Did you say dried peas. Can I give the piggies dried peas and dried lentils and stuff like that?
I get big boxes of dried timothy hay and I give fresh veggies and even bread, dried and fresh. I never thought about dried vegetables.

It is amazing how a little TLC in a good home can make such a difference to a rescue piggie. Rhett and Harley will be ready to settle in once they go back and pair with some girls. No doubt they will each have a wonderful home and live to be old men, fat and happy with their girls to keep them company.
I can see why you foster. It gives a piggie a place to settle down and blossom a little.

[Cibach]

Well I'm not too sure about dried peas. I know they can eat fresh ones. The pea flakes in the muesli have been prepared in some way, they are squashed flat and crisp so maybe dried peas would be ok, as long as they have nothing added to them. (Not sure about other pulses though)
Ours DO eat pellets but only generally in the winter when I add some boiling water to soften them. I think they find the smell of the hot pellets appealing, and it's always nice to have a tum full of warm stuff when the weather is cold! I also use the pellets if anybody needs feeding support. The ones that have needed it found the pellet mash much easier to eat from a syringe than any of the commercial syringe foods. I also added some probiotic powder and tonic to it and the poorly piggies really seemed to enjoy it.
Thankfully it's not something that we need to do often.