A whole new world for the Guinea pigs
The last time I wrote about the piggies, they were living in separate cages. I said that they were about to experience a big move, though.
It's happened, and it's awesome!
I tried to see how Apple Butter would do in Butter Stick's cage. Not good. Together, the cage went from a "decent size" to uncomfortably small. They couldn't get away from each other. So back to the wet cage Apple Butter went.
This Saturday, I struck upon an idea. Why not use the playpen as a cage for both of them?
I removed both cages and laid out two garbage bags on the floor. Then, I put two thick towels over the garbage bags and the two fleece liners (with hidey pockets) as well. Taking the rabbit/Guinea pig play pen, I placed the wire all around the area and make a cage twice as big as what Butter Stick had before. I made sure that the plastic garbage bags couldn't be chewed then I placed the food dish, two hay baskets, toys, a water bottle, a litter box, and three hidey places in the pen. It was perfect!
After placing the girls in their new home, I stayed with them for quite a while. I wanted to make sure they didn't fight, they could find their food, and they had plenty of space. At first, there was a lot of wheeking and chirping, especially from Apple Butter. Exploration took place at full steam ahead! Both girls treated each other well, started eating, took sips from the water bottle, and settled in. It's been nearly a week now, and they've been snuggling together in the tree trunk hidey since that first day.
We did have one moment of panic. Apple Butter is so tiny and nimble, and I didn't properly prepare for that. I came home from work on Wednesday to find her scurrying around the rodent room just going about her business. There were two small gaps in the playpen - one where the door meets the cage and one where you put the rod down through the loops to close the cage (it detaches completely from one wall so you can fold it up tight). For both I used a type of clasp to keep those gaps closer together and to stop her from pushing through them. I got really, really lucky that day. If Apple Butter would have tried to squeeze under the bedroom door and gotten out into the main house, Bindi would have lost a member of the herd by her own hand. Bindi loves the cats, but her instinct for small squeaky things as prey is intense!
Other than that, the transition has been a wonderful one.
I highly recommend fleece bedding! No more paying for packages of bedding over and over. Just a quick wash once a week, and you're ready to roll! More on that later... Bye for now!
It's happened, and it's awesome!
***
When Butter Stick and Apple Butter first joined us, they were living in separate cages. Butter Stick's cage was a decent size with bedding. Apple Butter had a smaller cage with some bedding and also fleece mats. I was really unhappy with Apple B's cage, though, because it was constantly wet. I don't know if she was peeing on every inch of floor space or if the water bottle was leaking excessively or what. Either way, it was not a nice environment for her. Something had to be done.I tried to see how Apple Butter would do in Butter Stick's cage. Not good. Together, the cage went from a "decent size" to uncomfortably small. They couldn't get away from each other. So back to the wet cage Apple Butter went.
This Saturday, I struck upon an idea. Why not use the playpen as a cage for both of them?
I removed both cages and laid out two garbage bags on the floor. Then, I put two thick towels over the garbage bags and the two fleece liners (with hidey pockets) as well. Taking the rabbit/Guinea pig play pen, I placed the wire all around the area and make a cage twice as big as what Butter Stick had before. I made sure that the plastic garbage bags couldn't be chewed then I placed the food dish, two hay baskets, toys, a water bottle, a litter box, and three hidey places in the pen. It was perfect!
After placing the girls in their new home, I stayed with them for quite a while. I wanted to make sure they didn't fight, they could find their food, and they had plenty of space. At first, there was a lot of wheeking and chirping, especially from Apple Butter. Exploration took place at full steam ahead! Both girls treated each other well, started eating, took sips from the water bottle, and settled in. It's been nearly a week now, and they've been snuggling together in the tree trunk hidey since that first day.
We did have one moment of panic. Apple Butter is so tiny and nimble, and I didn't properly prepare for that. I came home from work on Wednesday to find her scurrying around the rodent room just going about her business. There were two small gaps in the playpen - one where the door meets the cage and one where you put the rod down through the loops to close the cage (it detaches completely from one wall so you can fold it up tight). For both I used a type of clasp to keep those gaps closer together and to stop her from pushing through them. I got really, really lucky that day. If Apple Butter would have tried to squeeze under the bedroom door and gotten out into the main house, Bindi would have lost a member of the herd by her own hand. Bindi loves the cats, but her instinct for small squeaky things as prey is intense!
Other than that, the transition has been a wonderful one.
I highly recommend fleece bedding! No more paying for packages of bedding over and over. Just a quick wash once a week, and you're ready to roll! More on that later... Bye for now!
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