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Awesome Kristin posted:I just want to clarify that my chin that bites came from a bad home. He was 4 when we got him and a little boy was allowed to play with him (from what I heard it was rough handling), and his conditions weren't great either. Aww.  Naffer posted:My two pigs do this, doubly so if they hear you open the crisper. Yep. My guinea pig did the same.
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Dec 14, 2011 06:52
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Awesome Kristin posted:I just want to clarify that my chin that bites came from a bad home. He was 4 when we got him and a little boy was allowed to play with him (from what I heard it was rough handling), and his conditions weren't great either. I'm sorry to hear this. Can go either way - we had a little girl who was LITERALLY FOUND IN A loving DUMPSTER AT A BART STATION WITH TWO BADLY BROKEN BACK LEGS that never healed properly. She couldn't jump, just hop a little bit, so we had to have ramps in her cage so she could go from level to level. However, she was a complete sweetheart against all odds. In other news, I hate humanity some days.
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Dec 14, 2011 17:50
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furushotakeru posted:I'm sorry to hear this. Can go either way - we had a little girl who was LITERALLY FOUND IN A loving DUMPSTER AT A BART STATION WITH TWO BADLY BROKEN BACK LEGS that never healed properly. She couldn't jump, just hop a little bit, so we had to have ramps in her cage so she could go from level to level. However, she was a complete sweetheart against all odds. Oh wow. I'm so glad you got her  Poor little thing.
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Dec 15, 2011 07:49
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Awesome Kristin posted:I just want to clarify that my chin that bites came from a bad home. He was 4 when we got him and a little boy was allowed to play with him (from what I heard it was rough handling), and his conditions weren't great either. I hope he comes around. I'm working on how to get our little Vincenza to warm up, it's tougher than I thought!
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Dec 15, 2011 07:51
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I'm still a relatively new hamster owner, this one is the second I've owned so far, so forgive me if this is a silly question. Is it normal for a hamster to sleep outside of its house? It seems like half the time she just curls up and falls asleep right in the middle of her cage instead of going into her house.
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Dec 31, 2011 09:03
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Emergency Squid posted:I'm still a relatively new hamster owner, this one is the second I've owned so far, so forgive me if this is a silly question. It's been my experience that a hamster will sleep wherever it drat well pleases. Sometimes the place that they normally sleep will suddenly be abandoned for no apparent reason and they'll pick a new place to be their bed. I wouldn't worry about it at all.
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Jan 1, 2012 17:31
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I woke my hamster up early the other day when I had some people over and put her in the ball for an hour or so. When I put her back, she went to her "bathroom" area and fell asleep.
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Jan 2, 2012 16:03
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We've had our little hamster, Eugene, for a month now and he's great. I love watching him just going about his life when he's awake, but me and my gf are struggling to teach him to let him pick him up. He's happy to settle in our palms for a moment before leaping away. How do we re-assure him it's ok? We don't want to be so persistent that we piss him off and tarnish our relationship forever.
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Jan 2, 2012 18:06
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Food, feed him with you hand, feed him in you hand. To get my guy to love me I got strips of lettuce or whatnot and dragged him along while he was latched on chewing away. While hes eating try poking or rubbing him while the foods still in your finger tips. My hands were covered in bite marks first 3 months but at the end my dwarf would nap in my palm.
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Jan 2, 2012 18:25
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Today I realised that my mice are much more active throughout the day when I'm sat by the tank (on the computer), as opposed to when I'm on the couch watching tv or playing skyrim Since the little devils still get all  if I try to get them out of the tank (though they're happy to explore my hands inside the tank and take mealworms for me - as soon as I lift my hands out of the tank boundaries they clearly want to go back down), it's kind of heartwarming that they actually like me enough to come and see me.Even if they're only doing it for the mealworms.
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Jan 3, 2012 14:43
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I just found a new favorite chew thing for my gerbils: pinecones! It's the time of year here where they're littering the ground. I'll go for a walk, find a particularly large one that's all opened up, and pick the spikes off with my fingernails as I walk home. If I drop it in the cage the two critters pounce on it like it's gerbil crack. edit/ The internet suggests baking them in case of germs. Dignity Van Houten fucked around with this message at 19:11 on Jan 3, 2012 |
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Jan 3, 2012 19:07
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I would be very careful with pinecones around your neighborhood. Could be pesticides on them too.
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Jan 4, 2012 03:11
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I just replaced the hole in my heart with 2 robo males, and my god they are like hamsters on crack they are running around so much. Id figure they would settle down the minute I got them home but nope they gotta RUN RIGHT NOW.
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Jan 4, 2012 21:01
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Guinea pig people! One of our guinea pigs at work has a weird growth on both her front feet. My boss took them home over the holidays and noticed it and asked me about it today. It looks like a spur (from quick google searching). It's yellowy and looks like a callus and is growing off the side of each foot on the front feet. We clean their cage completely every week and they get spot cleaned every day, so I don't think it's a result of poor living conditions at all. Should I be worried that she has them? Should I do anything about them? Some sites suggest clipping them back a bit others don't.
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Jan 6, 2012 16:48
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Yeah, spurs can be exacerbated by poor cage conditions or not clipping nails regularly, but they can also just happen on their own. Generally, I clip them back a bit when I find them, because if left unchecked they can eventually interfere with the pig's ability to walk comfortably.
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Jan 6, 2012 17:33
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Does anyone know if aquarium ornaments (made from polyresin) would be okay to go in the mice tank? They aren't huge nibblers of their stuff, and apparently some mice cage decorations/hides are made from polyresin (like this). I saw the most adorable bottom-heavy aquarium ornament today at the pet shop, and was sorely tempted to get it for them, but I'm not sure if polyresin is dangerous if they DO eat it and I can't find any information through googling.
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Jan 11, 2012 18:56
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The hamster that i got back in the summer is doing well!   I named him Jon Hammster, and I ended up getting him a pretty expansive series of habitrail pieces, haha. I also just planted some cilantro in a windowsill planter, so he's going to be an even happier hamster soon! :3
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Jan 20, 2012 03:04
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One of my robos seems to have sticky eye, Im going by this guide: http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=stickyeyes He was fine all 2 weeks Ive had him and I just changed the bedding the second time today, changing from carefresh white to natural, and he got sticky eye in 10 some hours. Can this be treated by in store solutions or do I need to see a vet.
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Jan 21, 2012 03:09
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 We just got these little guys yesterday. They didn't move for hours (apart from to bite my finger when I lifted them into the cage), but since they've learnt where their food is, they've become a lot more energetic. We're going to try and find them a wheel, a house and any other toys today - I think these gerbils are going to be very spoiled
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Jan 22, 2012 09:50
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Gaj posted:One of my robos seems to have sticky eye, Im going by this guide: My old hamster gets stuck-eye all the time, and it usually goes away on its own within a day or two if it makes you feel any better.
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Jan 23, 2012 00:44
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Now that stuck eye has passed, it seems dominance has become an issue. At first Lenin was dominant over Popcorn, but then Lenin got stick eye for a week. Now Lenin is dominant, and he drew blood on Popcorn's butt. One small bite on his rump, small spot of blood. Should I separate them immediately or can this be a one time thing?
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Jan 25, 2012 15:58
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Gaj posted:Now that stuck eye has passed, it seems dominance has become an issue. At first Lenin was dominant over Popcorn, but then Lenin got stick eye for a week. Now Lenin is dominant, and he drew blood on Popcorn's butt. One small bite on his rump, small spot of blood. Should I separate them immediately or can this be a one time thing? I'd separate them since they are both males and now fighting. I know robos are supposed to be better at hanging out in same sex groups than syrians but I still get fidgety about it since we had two hamster brothers who were fine for over a year and then killed each other when I was a kid.
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Jan 25, 2012 16:08
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Annnnd Im separating them because this morning popcorn has a little knick by his eye and Im getting him vet checked and his own cage today. Edit: do hamsters release that reddish-stress substance that rats do? It seems like he scratched his eye and has a red dot at the eyelid fold opposite the tear duct. Gaj fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Jan 31, 2012 |
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Jan 31, 2012 12:33
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Are chins really worse than ferrets when it comes to getting into things? My friend swears her chinchilla is worse than a ferret when it comes to that.
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Jan 31, 2012 21:49
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Baika posted:Are chins really worse than ferrets when it comes to getting into things? My friend swears her chinchilla is worse than a ferret when it comes to that. A friend of mine who has a couple chins had to build a 5' plexiglass fence around their play area because anything shorter/less cling-proof was scaled with zero fucks given. Also nothing in the play area can be more than 8" tall because they use it as a springboard to escape. Including herself - if she sits inside with them, there is a >90% chance they will just climb up her and fling themselves over the fence.
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Jan 31, 2012 22:11
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Baika posted:Are chins really worse than ferrets when it comes to getting into things? My friend swears her chinchilla is worse than a ferret when it comes to that. Never had a ferret, but chins will generally gnaw on anything that is within reach. They can't really get out of their cage unless you let them though so it is more about controlling their environment. When you let them out they can be quite good at being little furry ninjas and squeezing themselves into hard to reach places. Sometimes you have to wait them out. alucinor posted:A friend of mine who has a couple chins had to build a 5' plexiglass fence around their play area because anything shorter/less cling-proof was scaled with zero fucks given. Ha, that's why I generally let them run around in the bathroom or some other closed space that is more easily controlled.
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Jan 31, 2012 22:24
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furushotakeru posted:Ha, that's why I generally let them run around in the bathroom or some other closed space that is more easily controlled. I had one pry open the toilet lid and jump into the toilet this way. (It was one of those lovely cheap ones, but still). Bastard.
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Jan 31, 2012 22:47
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Rodent Mortician posted:I had one pry open the toilet lid and jump into the toilet this way. (It was one of those lovely cheap ones, but still). Bastard. Kinda deserves what they got then don't they?
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Jan 31, 2012 22:48
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Guinea pigs are poop machines. I just got a third pig from the local Humane Society and it seems like daily poop output has increased by nearly 100%. Christ. She is pretty cute though. (On the left.)  
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Jan 31, 2012 23:05
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Sirotan posted:Guinea pigs are poop machines. I just got a third pig from the local Humane Society and it seems like daily poop output has increased by nearly 100%. Christ. We have 5 and the amount of poop is ridiculous. Some guy comes by every week and uses our paper grocery bag full as fertilizer. I guess it works pretty well because he's pretty regular about it.
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Feb 1, 2012 00:38
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Sirotan posted:Guinea pigs are poop machines. I just got a third pig from the local Humane Society and it seems like daily poop output has increased by nearly 100%. Christ. I just got another guinea pig from the Humane Society too! They're still separated in different cages, but I can't wait for them to meet each other (even if it means tons of poo.) Today getting home from work, I open the fridge and immediately hear Ginger, my older pig squealing. I walk down the hall and hear the other one squealing in the other bedroom even louder in response. I love my life.edit: Here's Paprika! 
Schistosity fucked around with this message at 00:47 on Feb 1, 2012 |
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Feb 1, 2012 00:42
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Schistosity posted:Today getting home from work, I open the fridge and immediately hear Ginger, my older pig squealing. I walk down the hall and hear the other one squealing in the other bedroom even louder in response. Hehe, mine was doing that too the first night I brought her home. Now I just have to think of a name. Her name from the HS was 'Basil', but I'm not much for flower/herb/cutesy names. Her coloring kinda reminds me of Neapolitan ice cream but that seems like way too much of a mouthful, so the search continues....
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Feb 1, 2012 04:03
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Feb 1, 2012 17:14
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Baika posted:Are chins really worse than ferrets when it comes to getting into things? My friend swears her chinchilla is worse than a ferret when it comes to that. Don't turn your back on them.  She'll cut you.
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Feb 3, 2012 19:53
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SmellsOfFriendship posted:Don't turn your back on them. Sure she looks cute and all but the red eyes give away the evil within
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Feb 3, 2012 21:34
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So I took Nutmeg, my piggie, to the vet today to get a mammary lump checked out. Vet says its a benign tumor and I can either have it removed or just keep an eye on it and see if it grows. I'm going to have it removed, anyone have any piggie surgeory experiences?
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Feb 4, 2012 01:08
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Tons, is there any thing specific you want to know? My main general advice would be: 1) if you don't already have one, get a scale so you can monitor her weight post-op. 2) if you don't already know how, learn how to syringe feed her, get some critical care to have on hand, and practice before her surgery. If she goes off her food because of post-op pain and you can't adequately feed her, you may lose her to stasis. 3) do the surgery on a Monday if possible, so if there are problems in the next day or two, you aren't stuck waiting out the weekend for a recheck. Early in my career I lost two pigs on Friday surgeries, never again. However, I've had tons of spays and lumpectomies done and most pigs do fine, eating like horses within an hour or two of getting home. Only a few have needed assisted feeding, and them just for a day.
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Feb 4, 2012 01:36
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Thanks for the advice. I'm also getting my male fixed so it's good stuff to know. I've never had a pet need surgery before, which is a good thing for them, but terrifying for me. alucinor posted:Tons, is there any thing specific you want to know?
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Feb 4, 2012 02:45
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So, I got mice. I started when I was about 10-12, took a long hiatus, and now they're back. With impunity. But on to the story: back in the day, I'd gotten a mouse from a pet store who was being kept with the standard "fancy" mice. But this mouse, this mouse was weird. She was about half the size of your usual mouse, had long back feet and would usually stand only on them, all kangaroo-like. Her face was also somewhat more narrow and pointed than the others. Now, I figure she was some other type of mouse-- I just don't know what. The closest I can find is the African pygmy mouse, though her colorization was white with large light brown splotches, rather than the ticked medium-brown back/white belly combo I see in most photos of APM. My memory is fuzzy, but I don't recall her having such large eyes, either, though I could be wrong. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos (I don't think so, anyway), as this was before we had a digital camera, and trying to photograph mice with a film camera when you're 11 and don't really know what you're doing is a real crap shoot (literally). But basically like this:  So my question is: what the heck kind of mouse was this? An African pygmy mouse who happened to look different than usual? Or is there some other, similar looking species? And how in the world did a store that only carried fancy mice end up with something like this (it's not like that had other kinds than might have accidentally ended up in the wrong tank)? Meanwhile, here's the late Silvia Plath (aka "Spillvia", left) and Emily Dickinson (aka "Embly", right), who were legitimately fancy: 
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Feb 4, 2012 15:22
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What about a white-footed mouse or a deer mouse? Those are apparently two species of mice that look similar to fancy mice and are sometimes sold under that name, but aren't closely related to them. They have longer feet and larger eyes than a fancy mouse.
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Feb 7, 2012 01:04
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