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Sirotan posted:My bestest pig ever, Fuji, was put to sleep today. She was 8.5 years old. My mom sent out this piggy obit to my family. It's super sweet and I can't help but post it here, since I've posted a lot about Fuji in this thread over the years: I'm sorry to hear about Fuji, Sirotan  . She looks like she was a sweet ol' pig and some of my favourite posts in this thread are her birthday pics.I just loved her apparent expresion of  Is this for me?  It's all for me?! 
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Aug 20, 2013 05:18
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It's been almost a week now since I said goodbye to Fuji. I still miss her tons. My remaining two pigs have been pretty quiet this week, I think they miss her too. Today I cleaned the cavy condo and put Fuji's 'popcorn hut' back in for them. Then this happened for the first time ever: 
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Aug 25, 2013 01:01
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Sirotan posted:It's been almost a week now since I said goodbye to Fuji. I still miss her tons. My remaining two pigs have been pretty quiet this week, I think they miss her too. Today I cleaned the cavy condo and put Fuji's 'popcorn hut' back in for them. Then this happened for the first time ever:  fffffffffffffuck
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Aug 25, 2013 03:15
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New news on the Jenna front! We switched up her cage from the open pen to a large dog crate. Almost instantly, she became more bold. She hangs out around the crate more than in the pigloo now, always greets us when we walk by, is less high strung and more talkative. I wonder if it's because it has a top or what the difference is, but she seems pretty happy. She was getting pretty chunky and spherical, but now that she's in the crate, she's slimmed back down because she's running around and playing with her ball now (aww). She's letting us pick her up now without nipping, and is getting better at snuggling. This kinda comes with a downside though, because my boyfriend Nic seems to be developing allergies to Jenna. There have been a few times now where I've pet Jenna and later on, rubbed Nic's back or touched his chest, only to have him break out in hives. It happened this weekend when I touched her, then washed my hands, and still, Nic ended up with a nasty case of hives. It's really bugging me, because we both love Jenna a lot, and we're not sure what to do about the hives and sneezing Nic is starting to get. The sneezing and congestion happens when he's in the same room as her cage, but he maintains he thinks it's seasonal ragweed and the like. I just don't know.  Edit: Oh yeah, and here's Jenna! She's gotten big, it doesn't come across in the picture but she's a long piggy. 
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Aug 26, 2013 18:57
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What kind of hay do you use? Timothy sets off my allergies something fierce (to the point where I worried I was developing a guinea pig allergy) but orchard grass is much easier and bluegrass doesn't affect me at all.
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Aug 27, 2013 04:59
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kazmeyer posted:What kind of hay do you use? Timothy sets off my allergies something fierce (to the point where I worried I was developing a guinea pig allergy) but orchard grass is much easier and bluegrass doesn't affect me at all. We've been using Timothy hay. Can the other stuff be easily found in pet stores?
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Aug 27, 2013 12:47
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Sorry to bring it back to Timothy since you're asking for alternatives, but does anyone know what the difference is between these two? It says texture but that's really not helpful http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FM7JZY/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 http://www.amazon.com/Timothy-High-Fiber-5lb-Yellow/dp/B003FMD42Q/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_1 I don't know if my pigs would be picky, but I'm assuming not since they've never been picky about anything else before. If there's really a reason to not save the $10 I'll go with the more expensive one, but if nobody can see anything I'll give the cheaper on a try. edit: The more expensive one is a "second cutting," is that necessary for pigs?
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Aug 27, 2013 14:30
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Dead Inside Darwin posted:Sorry to bring it back to Timothy since you're asking for alternatives, but does anyone know what the difference is between these two? It says texture but that's really not helpful Here's a link to where I buy all my hay: http://kmshayloft.com/hay.html It has some good descriptions of the different cuttings of Timothy. I also highly recommend buying hay from this place, they only have bluegrass in stock now but the 2nd cut Timothy is coming in any day now. Also, by the pound, it's a lot cheaper than what you linked and anything you can get in a pet store.
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Aug 27, 2013 14:41
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cuntvalet posted:We've been using Timothy hay. Can the other stuff be easily found in pet stores? Depends on the pet store, really. Most places will carry alfalfa (young pigs only) and timothy, and if they're going to carry a third, it'll be orchard grass. Bluegrass is a lot harder to find. Check out KM's Hayloft, the place Sirotan linked. KM got sick of the crappy hay available in pet stores for her pigs, and since she lives in an area of the country that is heavily agricultural she started a little cottage shop that grew into a pretty sizable operation. Her bluegrass is freakin' amazing, and most pigs exposed to the stuff go completely mental. To give you an idea, the first time I dropped it in the cage, I had my girls abandon baby carrots to go chow down on it. She's also really good to work with, stands by her product, and if you have a problem she'll make it right. She also makes excellent pellets.
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Aug 27, 2013 16:21
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Guess I'll try some bluegrass, maybe the girls will go mental. They've been extremely vocal and needy recently, they have water food and hay and do the usual OHSHITOHSHITHUMAN when you try to pick them up, but when someone enters the room or shifts so that they remember someone is there they go nuts. e: Maybe it's their way of reminding me that I need to cut their claws, which I frigging hate, but they're kinda bad now.
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Aug 27, 2013 16:41
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Claws are the worst. You always put it off too long, which makes it worse, and there's nothing that makes you feel shittier than manhandling this little ball of fur who depends on you for everything and accidentally drawing blood. I always lay in an extra bag of spring mix for clip day.
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Aug 27, 2013 17:25
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So I don't have chinchillas anymore. Don't worry, Charlie is ok and in the care of a close friend who I trust. I just didn't have time to let him out every day. I miss him like crazy. I've honestly never gone a long time without some kind of little caged pet so I feel like there's a hole that needs to be filled. I was thinking I could get something that maybe doesn't require being handled all the time in order for its life to be fulfilled. Something like the furry equivalent to a fish tank. Maybe two mice or a dwarf hamster or something? My husband is completely against it but I need a tiny fizzy creature. It's driving me crazy. Convince me it's wrong or tell me how simple it would be to have something less needy than a chinchilla or rat.
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Aug 27, 2013 17:30
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kazmeyer posted:Claws are the worst. You always put it off too long, which makes it worse, and there's nothing that makes you feel shittier than manhandling this little ball of fur who depends on you for everything and accidentally drawing blood. I always lay in an extra bag of spring mix for clip day. I'm drafting my girlfriend to be the cutter since she does the cats claws without even blinking, and I'll be the rassler If we can't pull it off I'm going to just eat the cost and take them to the vet. I was hoping I could put it off until their checkup (November-ish) but they're pretty bad now. Rodents
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Aug 27, 2013 18:03
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It's not actually too bad. Wear gloves if you're worried about getting bit, take your time, make lots of soothing noises, and have veggies ready to soothe piggy anxiety. You'll soon figure out how much you can safely take off, and it becomes second nature.
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Aug 28, 2013 00:28
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Guys Im really freaking out right now. Nic and I woke up this morning to find Jenna listless, laying down with her head propped against the wall of her crate. After some gentle moving we realized it seems like her front legs aren't working. She can push herself along with her back legs and move her head but won't eat or take water. Her eyes are open and every so often she tries to move her front legs. She can stretch them and flail but can't stand on them. She was perfectly fine last night and has had ample veggies and hay and water. She's weak, and I'm scared we're gonna lose her. Nic is driving us to a vet about an hour away right now. Im posting from the passenger seat. Has anybody seen this before? Is this recoverable? Im really really worried.
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Aug 29, 2013 14:18
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I had a pig who had a stroke who did that, except with his hind legs. He was only 2. He didn't make it to the vet. I hope Jenna gets a better diagnosis.
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Aug 29, 2013 15:09
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We lost Jenna today. We were about half way to the vet when she stopped breathing. She's gone and we just buried her in a shaded spot under a cedar tree, beside my mom's fish pond. Over her spot is a flat rock where we drew a heart and wrote "Jenna." I can't believe she's gone, and further more I can't understand why. She wasn't old at all, only 7 or 8 months old. I can't think of anything I did wrong. It's so final now and my heart is just broken. I buried her in her favourite fleece blankey and her favourite ball, it's pink with a smiley face on it and she used to love nudging it around with her nose. I don't know what to do. I just want my fuzzy friend back.
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Aug 29, 2013 18:53
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I'm so sorry to hear that cuntvalet. It's always hard to lose them, whether you've had them for 8 years or 8 months. It sounds like she was a happy healthy pig until this morning so it's likely you couldn't have done anything to prevent what happened. My condolences.
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Aug 29, 2013 20:21
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cuntvalet posted:I buried her in her favourite fleece blankey and her favourite ball, it's pink with a smiley face on it and she used to love nudging it around with her nose. Aww, condolences. drat rodents are just way, way too adept at surprise deaths 
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Aug 30, 2013 06:11
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Thank you, everybody, for your condolences and sweet thoughts. I do have a question, though this is probably more based on personal preference than anything...but after you've lost a pet, generally how long have you waited before getting a new one (in this case, I want to get another guinea pig, maybe even a bonded pair if I can adopt/rescue them)? Also, when we got Jenna, we got her from a pet store that got her from a breeder. Is it better to go to a breeder directly? Is it more likely that getting a piggie at a store will mean they'll have more health issues/be prone to a stroke the way Jenna was? I want to take all the love that Nic and I felt for Jenna and give it to another pet, but I don't wanna go through the heart break of losing one so young again, if I can help it.
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Aug 31, 2013 15:54
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cuntvalet posted:Also, when we got Jenna, we got her from a pet store that got her from a breeder. Is it better to go to a breeder directly? Is it more likely that getting a piggie at a store will mean they'll have more health issues/be prone to a stroke the way Jenna was? If you want to make a difference, why not contact a rescue or check the ads for piggies in need of a new home? Not a piggie doctor, but... my totally anecdotal evidence points to piggies from Zoos being more healthy than anything from a breeder. The might only be bred for food and as kiddy bait in the petting zoo but at least they get decent care and most importantly are not separated too early from their herd and family. That probably makes a difference? Breeding for looks tends to bring on so many problems, regardless of species.
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Sep 1, 2013 09:13
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I would definitely recommend finding a rescue group in your area, if only for the experience of going to their "meet the pigs" events and seeing a couple dozen pigs of all sizes and types in one area.
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Sep 2, 2013 01:12
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Gonna take this to A/T instead.
Oxford Comma fucked around with this message at 16:22 on Sep 4, 2013 |
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Sep 4, 2013 03:00
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This is the thread for pet rodents, not eliminating problem rats, I think.
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Sep 4, 2013 03:52
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Oxford Comma posted:Edit: I've been told by others that PI is actually the right forum to post this question in. If I'm wrong, please accept my sincerest apologies and I'll delete this thread and ask elsewhere. You monster! 
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Sep 4, 2013 03:54
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There's probably an A/T thread for that, or just call an exterminator.
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Sep 4, 2013 13:00
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Ok, my bad. A year ago when I had this issue a mod told me to check with PI. I'll take it back to A/T.
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Sep 4, 2013 16:22
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I live in Korea. The local mart sells parsley at insanely cheap prices. If I want to cook up some Italian garlic and oil pasta I have to buy parsley. The problem is to buy 1 dollar's worth of parsley (their minimum) would be too much if I intended on eating this dish 14 times a week. The solution? Their rabbits and guinea pigs are fed on nothing but cheap pellets. I open the package in the store, shove about 80% of my purchase in the guinea pig and rabbit cages, and flee to the sound of guinea pig squeals of joy. Edit: To be clear, I'm paying for all of it. Eifert Posting fucked around with this message at 13:20 on Sep 6, 2013 |
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Sep 6, 2013 13:16
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I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but feeding parsley to guinea pigs daily might not be a great idea. It's very high in calcium and, coming from someone who has had guinea pigs with multiple bladder stones, it's something I would recommend only giving as a sometimes treat. I'm not that familiar with rabbits but I would think it would be a similar case for those guys as well.
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Sep 6, 2013 13:49
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If that's the only veg those animals get they probably got worse problems and I wouldn't stress over it. 
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Sep 6, 2013 14:31
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Sirotan posted:I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but feeding parsley to guinea pigs daily might not be a great idea. It's very high in calcium and, coming from someone who has had guinea pigs with multiple bladder stones, it's something I would recommend only giving as a sometimes treat. I'm not that familiar with rabbits but I would think it would be a similar case for those guys as well. I'd be surprised if it was once in 10 days, dude. (If I was buying parsley every day I wouldn't be looking for hungry rodents and not-quite-rodents to offload the excess on.) Eifert Posting fucked around with this message at 14:42 on Sep 6, 2013 |
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Sep 6, 2013 14:35
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Eifert Posting posted:I'd be surprised if it was once in 10 days, dude. Not a dude, and sorry looks like I misunderstood your post that you are feeding rabbits and guinea pigs that aren't even yours. Carry on...
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Sep 6, 2013 14:45
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alucinor posted:If that's the only veg those animals get they probably got worse problems and I wouldn't stress over it. They got worse problems because they're in a supermarket.
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Sep 6, 2013 16:31
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Got the hay in yesterday I uh, may have gone a little overboard with putting it in their cage. But they are squealing and running around in it so oh well Note that it's not flat on the ground, there's a network of caves inside it. That's where the second one is in that pic.
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Sep 7, 2013 02:41
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Here's a somewhat quick question. One of my female gerbils has always been a little bit on the bitey side, but now that she's reached about a year old, her biting is getting kind of worse. About 50% of the time with skin contact she will give me a nip. These nips never really hurt before but now she is putting a little more pressure with these ones, and she has started acting this way for about a month now. And now here is the thing that confuses me; why is she doing this? I know she is not scared of me because she basically leaps at me when playtime starts, and always looks around for me for some sort of assistance getting up to high places and is just generally very sociable towards people. I don't believe she is sick or hurt because she is one of the most energetic gerbils i've seen and can basically climb anything vertically. She has also proven herself to be really gentle when she wants to be, like licking water off my fingers without even scraping me with her teeth. Really the best way I can describe this is kind of what teenage angst would look like in a gerbil, kind of like a "gently caress you man, you don't own me" in a gerbil perspective. Maybe she is gerbil angry at me or fustrated for some reason? My tank is a little small but I literally let them out everyday to run around my pretty big room for about 20-30 minutes a day, and also give them treats and alfalfa hay every once in a while. Is there anything that can be done about this or is she just a small fluffy loveable rear end in a top hat?
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Sep 7, 2013 10:17
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Zetsubou posted:Here's a somewhat quick question. One of my female gerbils has always been a little bit on the bitey side, but now that she's reached about a year old, her biting is getting kind of worse. About 50% of the time with skin contact she will give me a nip. These nips never really hurt before but now she is putting a little more pressure with these ones, and she has started acting this way for about a month now. And now here is the thing that confuses me; why is she doing this? I know she is not scared of me because she basically leaps at me when playtime starts, and always looks around for me for some sort of assistance getting up to high places and is just generally very sociable towards people. I don't believe she is sick or hurt because she is one of the most energetic gerbils i've seen and can basically climb anything vertically. She has also proven herself to be really gentle when she wants to be, like licking water off my fingers without even scraping me with her teeth. Really the best way I can describe this is kind of what teenage angst would look like in a gerbil, kind of like a "gently caress you man, you don't own me" in a gerbil perspective. Maybe she is gerbil angry at me or fustrated for some reason? My tank is a little small but I literally let them out everyday to run around my pretty big room for about 20-30 minutes a day, and also give them treats and alfalfa hay every once in a while. Is there anything that can be done about this or is she just a small fluffy loveable rear end in a top hat? Is it possible she's reaching sexual maturity? I know pets in general but especially rodents get nippy around that point. Also there's a piggie for adoption at my former workplace (the animal shelter in my city). I think I might apply to see if I can adopt him. Maybe I'll post a picture soon! CatStacking fucked around with this message at 13:12 on Sep 7, 2013 |
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Sep 7, 2013 12:57
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I went to the store yesterday for cat litter and fell in love with a hamster who'd been sitting at the front of the store for at least two weeks marked "aggressive." A little bit of talking with the employees and I found out that he'd been exiled for being aggressive with other hamsters, not people. Today, I now have him:  He's a fairly nice Djungarian hamster and he's settling into his new home nicely. He's living in a tank on my desk. I think I got him a wheel that's too small, though; it's one of those saucer ones and he keeps running at an angle and stopping. I haven't named him yet. A friend suggested I name him after a dwarf from Tolkien, because he's a dwarf hamster and I just got done with The Silmarillion. ETA: He just spent a while hanging out on my shoulders. He's sweet. Tlacuache fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Sep 8, 2013 |
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Sep 8, 2013 22:21
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sithwitch13 posted:
Eeeeee!  Please keep in mind, that a hamster might nip you, which can feel like a bite. If it actually bites you, you will know since it will draw blood and the little fucker will hang on, no matter how much you shake your hand or scream.  But congrats with your new furball, I hope he will remain sweet.
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Sep 9, 2013 00:48
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Yeah, when holding my hamsters, I'll make a little "cave" out of my hand for them to crawl into, and they'll always try and squeeze between my thumb and forefinger, but I won't let them, instead letting them push my hand around by the thumb. It's adorable, but sometimes they'll grab my thumb with their teeth and try and lift my entire hand by the thumb, or shove the thumb out of the way, those are "nips". The girl will always do this twice, and the third time will be a definite bite because she gets fed up easily. 
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Sep 9, 2013 01:03
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He's been playing around with me and isn't aggressive at all. I used to have hamsters when I was little, and they nearly sent me to the hospital with actual bites on a couple of occasions, which was why I swore I'd never own them again. But after owning several groups of rats, I have confidence in my rodent abilities. He's timid when it comes to being picked up, but just fine otherwise. I've been following one suggestion I saw which was to wait until he's in his paper towel tube and then get him to exit it on my hand. He still doesn't have a name yet. Suggestions so far include Bofur, Boo, Baggins, Ham Capone, and Crivens. ETA: the dice have decided. He's Bofur the Warham. Tlacuache fucked around with this message at 02:03 on Sep 9, 2013 |
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Sep 9, 2013 01:51
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