I was finally able to take Lucy back to the shelter today. Again with the bittersweet day, but not as bittersweet because having a guinea pig that bites really hinders the bonding process.
Kipper was still at the shelter, and I was really sad to see that he had gone back to his old ways, and did not remember me. He was super wiggly and bit from fear. It was really sad. He was my little cuddle baby a few weeks ago, and now hes a wild boy again. He is so sweet, but I don't know why his fear is so bad.
Anyway - this is Vail's blog post. I was told he was an albino, but in the car ride home I noticed ONE black hair on his nose. SO, he is an almost albino. Very sweet, loves to be held, but very skittish to catch. A big boy too, but a real cuddle bunny already and he does not even know me.
I look forward to getting to know him, and hope someone adopts Lucy while her biting is still under control.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Lucy - The 20 Day Special Project
I was not planning on keeping Lucy for more than the usual 14 days, but she turned out to be quite a project. I kept her for 20. Every breath she took she would 'strike' anything that she could reach. Striking is her hitting her teeth on things with an open mouth, but not biting down. She usually did this to fingers, arms, legs, and wrists. Literally, EVERY BREATH and BAM BAM BAM she would strike. Huge problem, making her completely unadoptable.
As if striking were not enough of a personality flaw, Lucy also screams bloody murder when you reach into her cage to pick her up. So if someone were to think she was cute and want to reach in to pet her, they would get screamed at and bitten. Endearing? I think not.
So I set to work on "The Whiner" on May 9, and nearly had my hand gnawed off in the first few days. She is different than Kipper. Kipper was biting because he was afraid, Lucy, however, was harder to diagnose. It took me 15 days to figure out what was causing her to strike. As she grew to trust me, she bit less and less. By day 5 I was only getting bit a few times every time I held her. But it never really got much better than that. I tried loud noises, sudden movement, presenting my fingers with food on them, and just about everything else I could think of to see if there was something that consistantly made her bite.
However, I finally figured it out. She does not bite every time you touch her hips, but she will USUALLY strike if they are touched or if she sees you heading toward them. I think they may be sore or she may have an old injury that we do not know about. This does not account for every strike, but I think it is the majority of them.
It was very frustrating to have this piggy that got better in the first 5 days, then never improved with all the love and attention I gave her. I held her for about an hour every day, with attention throughout the day when I was home and special treats for good behavior, so that is alot of contact time for her.
Anyway, she whines less when you reach in to touch her if you take the house out first. If not, she still has quite a protest, but does not run from hands. She has never run from hands, just protests loudly! Which is odd, because she likes being held! Silly piggy. She is no spring chicken, so she is a bit set in her ways which is why those extra few days really made a difference.
I am not sure if she is adoptable because of the continued problem with striking, but we will see if there is someone out there really special for her.
All my best!
As if striking were not enough of a personality flaw, Lucy also screams bloody murder when you reach into her cage to pick her up. So if someone were to think she was cute and want to reach in to pet her, they would get screamed at and bitten. Endearing? I think not.
So I set to work on "The Whiner" on May 9, and nearly had my hand gnawed off in the first few days. She is different than Kipper. Kipper was biting because he was afraid, Lucy, however, was harder to diagnose. It took me 15 days to figure out what was causing her to strike. As she grew to trust me, she bit less and less. By day 5 I was only getting bit a few times every time I held her. But it never really got much better than that. I tried loud noises, sudden movement, presenting my fingers with food on them, and just about everything else I could think of to see if there was something that consistantly made her bite.
However, I finally figured it out. She does not bite every time you touch her hips, but she will USUALLY strike if they are touched or if she sees you heading toward them. I think they may be sore or she may have an old injury that we do not know about. This does not account for every strike, but I think it is the majority of them.
It was very frustrating to have this piggy that got better in the first 5 days, then never improved with all the love and attention I gave her. I held her for about an hour every day, with attention throughout the day when I was home and special treats for good behavior, so that is alot of contact time for her.
Anyway, she whines less when you reach in to touch her if you take the house out first. If not, she still has quite a protest, but does not run from hands. She has never run from hands, just protests loudly! Which is odd, because she likes being held! Silly piggy. She is no spring chicken, so she is a bit set in her ways which is why those extra few days really made a difference.
I am not sure if she is adoptable because of the continued problem with striking, but we will see if there is someone out there really special for her.
All my best!
Monday, May 2, 2011
A Big Welcome to KIPPER!
Kipper has been with me for nearly a week now, and he is making some good progress, but not as much as I would like. I have had a cold and have been unable to hold him for the 30 mins twice a day that I like, so I have had my mom come over to hold him when she can.
I have discovered that he is not crazy about hay or carrots, but is a fan of lettuce. I have gotten green and red peppers to see if that tickles his fancy. Kipper also likes to sit and eat on top of his house, and regularly squeals for veggies when he hears a plastic bag.
He is SO cute, and has such a sweet face. He likes to cuddle after he gets comfortable, and streches out. He still runs from hands and is afraid of loud noises, but he shakes for less time every time he gets held. He is a very sweet piggy and its a pleasure to have him in my home.
I have discovered that he is not crazy about hay or carrots, but is a fan of lettuce. I have gotten green and red peppers to see if that tickles his fancy. Kipper also likes to sit and eat on top of his house, and regularly squeals for veggies when he hears a plastic bag.
He is SO cute, and has such a sweet face. He likes to cuddle after he gets comfortable, and streches out. He still runs from hands and is afraid of loud noises, but he shakes for less time every time he gets held. He is a very sweet piggy and its a pleasure to have him in my home.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Bittersweet Day
Well today was my first piggy 'trade in.' I admit that I got a little too attached to Mama, and was sad to take her back to the shelter. But she is so lovely there is no doubt that someone will take her home. Same goes for Pixie. They did not appreciate the massive thunderstorm last night, and it disrupted our snuggle time, but I got to kiss them bye-for-now.
I came home with Kipper, an adult male who has never really been held. He came to the shelter as a baby, and has not gotten enough love to make him tame. He is dappled red and white, with short and long hair and red eyes. A very cute fellow. I am excited to hold him and spoil him with love and food so he learns to trust human hands.
My cats were confused when I took their "Piggy TV" from them (they LOVE to sit and watch what the pigs are doing), but now they are happily sitting on their kitty tower peering at their new housemate. They are good kitties and never reach in to bother the guineas, but they do like to watch them run around, like a TV set with their favorite show on all the time!
I came home with Kipper, an adult male who has never really been held. He came to the shelter as a baby, and has not gotten enough love to make him tame. He is dappled red and white, with short and long hair and red eyes. A very cute fellow. I am excited to hold him and spoil him with love and food so he learns to trust human hands.
My cats were confused when I took their "Piggy TV" from them (they LOVE to sit and watch what the pigs are doing), but now they are happily sitting on their kitty tower peering at their new housemate. They are good kitties and never reach in to bother the guineas, but they do like to watch them run around, like a TV set with their favorite show on all the time!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Happy Easter, Happy Piggies
Happy Easter! The piggies got a special Easter treat today of little chew toys. Pixie chewed for a bit, then decided to lay on it. Mama was not interested at all. At least I tried.
Pixie was INCREDIBLY hyper yesterday, I don't know what her deal was. She would NOT sit still in my lap, even with lettuce for her to eat! So I decided to let her sit with Mama in my lap, I have not done this in about a week since I am trying to teach Pixie to be calm and enjoy being held by herself. With Mama and Pixie in my lap, complete chaos ensued after the lettuce was gone. They both like to sit in the crook of my left arm, so they did nothing but scramble for the best and most favorable position. I put up with it as long as I could, but when they started stampeding around my neck and all over the place, I was done, and put them back.
However, today Pixie sat completely still in my hand while I was at the computer. She even fell asleep! She must have burnt off all her energy yesterday with all her curious and spazdic goings-on.
Mama is well, calm, and goodnatured as usual. Coming to the edge of the cage when I come by, looking for a scratch on the nose.
Look for new pictures on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/62006000@N02/ to see the battle for the best lap spot last night.
Have a good one, as always, thanks for reading.
Pixie was INCREDIBLY hyper yesterday, I don't know what her deal was. She would NOT sit still in my lap, even with lettuce for her to eat! So I decided to let her sit with Mama in my lap, I have not done this in about a week since I am trying to teach Pixie to be calm and enjoy being held by herself. With Mama and Pixie in my lap, complete chaos ensued after the lettuce was gone. They both like to sit in the crook of my left arm, so they did nothing but scramble for the best and most favorable position. I put up with it as long as I could, but when they started stampeding around my neck and all over the place, I was done, and put them back.
However, today Pixie sat completely still in my hand while I was at the computer. She even fell asleep! She must have burnt off all her energy yesterday with all her curious and spazdic goings-on.
Mama is well, calm, and goodnatured as usual. Coming to the edge of the cage when I come by, looking for a scratch on the nose.
Look for new pictures on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/62006000@N02/ to see the battle for the best lap spot last night.
Have a good one, as always, thanks for reading.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Pixie and Mama
This is my first time blogging and my first time fostering guinea pigs, so this should be a fun journey. Let me begin with how I found fostering was for me. I worked at the guinea pig sheltre Cavy Care Inc as a middle schooler, but when I left the state for college, I fell out of touch with the shelter. The wonderful people who run the shelter popped back into my mind recently, so I scheduled a visit. Not only did I love seeing my friends, but I was overwhelmed with the need to hug every piggy in the room. I am too busy with a touring production to own a guinea pig, so I plan to help as many guineas as I can by fostering.
I came home from the shelter on April 12th with two guinea pigs, a red short hair and her daughter, a white short hair. I named the daughter Pixie, she was 3 weeks old at the time. Both were very hand-shy, but Pixie was barely catchable. So I have spent the last week holding them each for an hour each day in thrity minute sets. At first, Pixie could not STAND to not be with Mama, but now she can be happily held by herself.
It it so wonderful seeing them progress and trust human hands more. Mama was the first to take a carrot from me, Pixie is still shy with this some days more than others. I wanted to jump for joy when I reached into the cage, and Pixie did not run, but let me stroke her nose and pick her up. Mama is such a good girl, she always lets me pet her and pick her up without running now. At first, she would run when I just walked by the cage.
Mama LOVES hay, and cannot get enough. Pixie likes to run circles around the cage through her crinkly brown tube, she is quite a firecracker. Alot of personality, and very curious. Mama likes to snuggle, and prop her chin on your arm while she is in your lap.
They are both very sweet piggies, and have come so far in the 9 days that I have had them. I spoil them rotten and treat them like royalty. I have them for 5 more days, and I expect them to be even more tame and hand friendly. Love has taken them leaps and bounds, and I cannot wait when I take them back to the shelter to hear that they have gone to a forever home, because I know they will make someone very happy.
Thanks for reading.
I came home from the shelter on April 12th with two guinea pigs, a red short hair and her daughter, a white short hair. I named the daughter Pixie, she was 3 weeks old at the time. Both were very hand-shy, but Pixie was barely catchable. So I have spent the last week holding them each for an hour each day in thrity minute sets. At first, Pixie could not STAND to not be with Mama, but now she can be happily held by herself.
It it so wonderful seeing them progress and trust human hands more. Mama was the first to take a carrot from me, Pixie is still shy with this some days more than others. I wanted to jump for joy when I reached into the cage, and Pixie did not run, but let me stroke her nose and pick her up. Mama is such a good girl, she always lets me pet her and pick her up without running now. At first, she would run when I just walked by the cage.
Mama LOVES hay, and cannot get enough. Pixie likes to run circles around the cage through her crinkly brown tube, she is quite a firecracker. Alot of personality, and very curious. Mama likes to snuggle, and prop her chin on your arm while she is in your lap.
They are both very sweet piggies, and have come so far in the 9 days that I have had them. I spoil them rotten and treat them like royalty. I have them for 5 more days, and I expect them to be even more tame and hand friendly. Love has taken them leaps and bounds, and I cannot wait when I take them back to the shelter to hear that they have gone to a forever home, because I know they will make someone very happy.
Thanks for reading.
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