[Gpdd] [BEHAVIOUR] Juvenile Delinquents!

DebJonSara at aol.com DebJonSara at aol.com
Sun Dec 4 12:06:24 EST 2005


I've always believed guinea pigs ro be incredibly gentle, docile, amicable  
creatures - but recently two of my boys have led me to question that!
 
Zebra and Cannelletto, who celebrated their 1st birthdays on 3rd July  this 
year, share a cage in the same room as Fidget, Red Dandy's only  brother, who 
will be 3 on 3rd February, and Scrabble, who will be 3 in late  April. Zeb and 
Canny's cage is identical in every way to that of Fidget and  Scrabble, and 
each has a hay dispenser attached to the outside, from which hay  can be pulled 
through to the inside to be eaten. These are, quite naturally,  kept full, and 
regularly replenished throughout the day.
 
Now, I did try leaving both the boys' cages open all day so they could come  
out and run about and mingle, but I found the older two preferred to remain in 
 their cage, and were not impressed when the younger two "invaded" their  
territory, so now I leave the older chaps in their cage with the door closed,  
and let the two youngsters run around all day, though they are caged at night,  
and on the days the older chaps' cage is cleaned out, when the oldies have 
free  run and the youngsters' cage is kept closed.
 
Recently, Cannelletto and Zebra have taken to knocking the hay rack  
belonging to Fidget and Scrabble's cage off onto the floor then eating their  hay, 
whilst the older chaps look on in dismay. This is no accidental thing - I  have 
watched, and they do it deliberately. I'm even sure they know it is  naughty, 
as if I catch them at it I shout at them and they look embarrassed and  gulity! 
Now there is no logical reason for them to do this - they have free  access 
to a constant supply of hay in their own cage, which they can access at  any 
time. They do not NEED the hay belonging to the other pigs. They are, quite  
simply, just being juvenile delinquents!!
 
Has anyone else witnessed similar juvenile delinquence in their piggies? I  
have to admit, I do find it quite amusing, and don't worry, I do keep putting  
the hay rack back on, so Fidget and Scrabble are not being deprived of  hay!
 
I told Cannelletto and Zebra that I was coming online to tell the world how  
naughty they are!!
 
I loved the Bing site, by the way - I will send it to all the people I know  
who think I'm weird to be so besotted with guinea pigs - they just won't 
believe  there are millions out there like me!!
 
Debbie and her 18 Dolly Mixtures
(www.serendipity1.blinkz.com)



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