Guinea Pig Trouble
Doesn’t look like he’d be any trouble, does he?! And actually he’s not, it’s the other one whose behaviour has been less than exemplary!
The day after we got home from Windsor, it became apparent that the guinea pigs were fighting more then ever. They’ve always been a little bit prone to the odd rumble and chase around the cage (they’re two boys), but this had obviously escalated, as Caspian has a relatively big wound on his shoulder, which we can only assume was inflicted by Reepicheep. They are at what is apparently puberty age, and from what I’ve read it seems that this is a time for make or break wrt boars’ relationships. Reep is nearly always the one trying to hump Caspian, and I was getting stressed out watching them constantly circling one another and Reep chasing Caspian around, so I dread to think how stressed Caspian was!
So anyway, after extensive reading and over-worrying on my part, Steve divided the cage today by fixing a couple of planks of wood all the way down the hutch and run. Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief – well, Caspian and I did, anyway! I am marginally concerned that they don’t have enough space now, but at least they are in their *own* space, and there is no chance of either of them attacking the other. The divide is just high enough for them to peek over the top, which they have been doing, so hopefully they’ll still have some sort of companionship from one another despite the separation. I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to put them back together, but only time will tell, we’ll see how they go. They seem a lot more peaceful though so I think we have done the right thing.
Having divided the cage I had to get a new water bottle/food bowl so that they each had one, so ended up at Pets@Home today. While I was there I also made an appointment for the hamster to go to the vet tomorrow, as he seems to have some sort of fungal infection which is spreading rather than clearing up. In the process managed to cry about someone else’s dog being put down – I was waiting in the queue for the receptionist, saw them go in with a dog and come out with only a lead, looking very sad … and the emotion of the moment just got to me (think I must be hormonal). All in all it hasn’t been a great pet weekend around here
Digger the fish is ok, thank goodness!
Spent what was left of the day looking at folding campers. That is a whole other story though, so I will save it for another time 
June 3rd, 2007 at 21:19
oh dear! good reason to not have pets!!
June 4th, 2007 at 0:27
You named them Caspian and Reepicheep and this behaviour surprises you? They look like very well cared-for little guinea pigs, though.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:24
lol, someone else said that to me yesterday!
June 4th, 2007 at 6:31
Oh dear. I dread more dead pets.
Before we had Smarties bits snipped we had a divided run, we put chiken wire down it and they used to lie next to each other and cuddle. Not sure Smartie and Fiver would do that thoguh, but Smartie and Button are like an old married couple now :0
Oh god, so are me and Max. I’ll get the chicken wire.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:34
AAARGH Caspian just jumped over the divide.
June 4th, 2007 at 8:13
pets are way more trouble than they’re worth I reckon. That said we’ve had a lot of entertainment from the chicks this weekend and they almost made up for pooing everywhere when we let them out to run around the lounge by hoovering up a load of croissant crumbs in minutes!
Hope your GPs sort themselves out soon.
June 4th, 2007 at 8:36
Oh poor you. And Caspian jumped over to Reepicheep? I thought R’cheep was the one giving him hassle? I must confess Fluffy humps Honey quite a lot but Honey has obviously developed the “I’ll just let him get it over and done with,” attitude “and then I’ll eat more grass”. I wonder how many marriages are like that?!!!
June 4th, 2007 at 18:07
Best guinea site I found was guinealynx.com – serious experts! I seem to remember that they recommend a bath for both together – can’t remember why that is supposed to work.
When we had two boars one was the dominant. We had to regularly cut out what is charmingly called ‘boar glue’ from the fur of the other’s back…
June 4th, 2007 at 21:53
Makes them both smell the same or something. Boar glue, lol, haven’t heard that term before!
June 11th, 2007 at 7:32
We’re just waiting for ours to come home from holiday. Apparently they had the run of the house, but they needn’t expect THAT sort of treatment when they get home. I’m slightly pissed off at how ours fight as well. pet’s world told us to get two boars, as they said they were friendlier, but tbh, not sure I wouldn’t rather have coped with hormonal girls if it meant they weren’t fighting all the time. Someone said that we should only have ot boars if the were litter mates, which ours clearly aren’t – not even sure they are the same breed, though they are the same age, and were together when we got them. I still haven’t recovered from having to resurrect my old nursing skills to stitch one of the ears up. saved on the vet, at least!