I have found a bloody great thing for cuddleling the pigs!

[BonkeyMollocks]

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=Ytk7uCsMXJkv9M:&imgrefurl=timeoutchicago.com/shopping-style/shopping/61661/snuggie&docid=Iwe4fz_gbGTJ_M&imgurl=timeoutchicago.com/sites/timeoutchicago.com/files/export_images/205/205.x600.get.testdrive.snuggie2.jpg&w=600&h=555&ei=WbkBUPq1Ms-M0wX9rrSdBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=521&vpy=13&dur=2607&hovh=216&hovw=233&tx=164&ty=78&sig=100730987210779197203&page=1&tbnh=123&tbnw=131&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:167" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">This !

Keeps the hair/poo and whatever else on the blanket not my clothes! Especially handy as Big pig seems to sit right on my neck at the moment and moults like nothing else! It gets everywhere!

Little pig likes running through the sleeves!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Mmmmmmmm very nice.

If you get the leopard or tiger print it will disguise any pooh marks or Tri Colour Hair too

Does it have pockets? For hiding stashes of parsley?

[BonkeyMollocks]

Actually it does

On the front, intended for a remote!

[KRITIQ]

Oh fab! DH had one of these which made him look like he belonged to some bizarre order of monks so I made him get rid of it and he actually chopped it up to make wee blankets for the pig basket. Never thought how good it would be for this purpose!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I've got a navy Trespass fleece that DD 'borrows' to go to the Pighouse (so now it's manky).

GP1, great lump that he is, insists on slipping down inside the sleeves and screeching like he's being butchered when I hoist him out.

[BonkeyMollocks]

KRITIQ It is very monk like!

Little pig was popcorning in the sleeves earlier, not long before he peed on me .

I swear that pig has a screw loose!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Tsk Tsk he wasn't 'popcorning' he was doing "Dancey Dancey Stamp Stamp" which means :
Mummy I need a pee
and you didn't listen- so you got peed!

Trying to blame a little boy

[germyrabbit]

do your pigs live indoors with you

[BonkeyMollocks]

germy Yes they do. Can I ask why you ask? :)

70 Im ashamed at myself. I take full responsibility for being peed on! I will not aim blame in the way of Little Pig any more even if generally it is his fault

[KRITIQ]

Bit of a tangent, but I've found that some pigs will let you know they need the loo while others just believe in the principle of "I Pee Freely." DBoar 1 is the latter - you just see the slight bum wiggling into position, then the intent stare followed by puddle. DBoar 2 though will get up in your face, stare into your eyes and that means you've got about 90 seconds to get him to the loo before he starts leaking.

I think I've had 3 or 4 other pigs that have done something similar, although one's signal was to start tugging at my cuffs or collar with his teeth.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

We've had the boars for 8 months now, and they are pretty good, they will give 'signs' but subtle.
GP2 shifts his weight from one back foot to the next and tries to stick his bum over the edge if I'm cuddling him.
GP1 peed on DH t'other day, he claims there was no warning, but GP1 never pees on his beloved (DD).

He has the most amazing bladder though, and even if he wees (we keep a towel in a washing basket to put them in) he still manages a Marking Pee for the clean cage.
Do boars have 2 bladders ?

[KRITIQ]

Maybe they're like dogs when you take them out - always a bit for each lamp post!

Evidently, DBoar 1 has an unusually tiny bladder, even for a guinea - around 2 cm. He had two ultrasounds when he had his wee wee problems earlier this year. So, I kind of cut him a bit of slack for that!

[guineapiglet]

All our female guineas seemed to give indications of when they wanted to go- my daughter was very in tune with them, one would lick my daughter's nose whilst being cuddled and that was the sign - sadly it never worked with me!
We did however make guinea loos in the basement when they lived in there in the winter - plastic boxes (Storage type) lined with paper and a bit of hay - they quickly got the message, and there were the odd accidents - I love it when they stop, stare hazily into the distance and give it all their concentration - especially prolific after a dandelion fest!!!!

[SucksToBeMe]

Can i hijack and a ask a quick question while there are lots of GP lovers in one place? I rescued two gp's a few months ago. The previous owner told me they were two boys but they were obviously a old breeding pair that were no longer productive. Anyway, i lost my boar two days ago

The girl left is quite old now, would it be unfair to get another one for company,or is she too old? She was bullied a bit by the boar. She lives in the living room. She doesn't seem to worried at the moment.

[BonkeyMollocks]

Sorry to hear about your boar :(

How old is she Sucks?

They do prefer company of their own. However be prepared that if you get another then you will need to do all this again when your old girl passes.

It may be possible, as you have a sow, to get another two. Sows can live in bigger groups if that's what you wish, less chance of falling out that there is with boars .

Is there a guinea rescue near you. They will find your girl a friend.

Another option, if they don't get on all together is to keep them side by side. I am having to do this due to my boys refusing to get along in the same cage. they are happy that they can see and smell each other through the bars.
Its not ideal, but its a very close second :)

As for her being bullied by the boar, he was obviously the dominant one. They will have they pecking order. It might not look nice to us but its completely normal :)

[SucksToBeMe]

No idea how old she is Bonkey! she is brown and white and her brown patches are becoming slowly flecked with white hairs,she also acts like a wise old lady. But if she was used exclusively for breeding that may have taken its toll on her.

I hadn't thought of keeping another GP along side. Or going to a rescue centre. I have another cage so that would work well. Thank you for your reply Bonkey

[guineapiglet]

Hi - just thought I would add my twopenneth! Well done on rescuing the two you got, sorry the boar didnt do too well. The girl guinea may pine a bit for him.
I think the advice you have been given is great, get another younger pair from guinea rescue/local animal sanctuary and be prepared to take time to integrate them - the younger ones will appreciate having an older 'mother' figure and the mother figure will enjoy having others of her kind. Girls will establish a pecking order, but they are not very agressive, keeping them separate but visible to each other is important, they must be able to rub noses, smell and squeak to each other. When I have tried to integrate new girls, it has taken some time, when you are sure there will be no fighting, let them spend time together but not in a confined space, make sure they can all escape if they need to. Spent days doing this in separate hutches, then one day they all wondered out of the shed in a line, and were inseparable from then on. Good luck, hope it works out.

[SucksToBeMe]

Thank you guineapiglet! She is very chilled out, i can't see her being anything other than a bit bossy!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

SucksToBeMe - I had 4 sows when i was a child (2 mum/daughter pairs) and they had to be kept in their pairs until the oldest sow died, then her daughter got on fine with the others.

When we got to the last one (the younger mum) she lived alone quite happily,she was an indoor guinea, who had free range garden time. She'd follow us round until we asked "Do you want to go out?" , then she would allow herself to be caught.
We had her about a year on her own, she was fine. TBH I'd not have tried a pair up (years ago though, I had no idea that GPs like GP company), because she was rejected by our resident sows when we got her. (She was pg when we bought her, so brought her own cage-mate )