[Gpdd] Behaviour : PJ and Rodney

[alicia rogers]

Hey PJ - I am so sorry that you're having a rough time right now.  Don't give up on Rodney, these things sometimes take great patience.   I met a little red piggy once where my sister teaches.  He was SO unhappy about being left there by his previous owners he snapped at everything that moved.   The teachers fed him gave him lots of timothy hay and cleaned his cage, but no one really took time with him -- one miserable piggy.   One day a boy decided that he needed to  be Rusty's friend.  Every day he brought a treat for him and spent time talking to him - it took a while, but eventually Rusty let him pick him up and cuddle, they became friends and poor little Rusty had a happy ending instead of a sad life.   
 
You and Rodney are going to be best buds.   The more you take care of him and show him patience, the more he will eventually love you.    Heck, I've had Trix for seven months now.  He still runs like crazy when I go to pick him up (just piggy instinct)  but he instantly settles down and enjoys a back rub and cuddle as soon as I've got him and he rewards me with a loud purr.  My other piggy reaches up to be picked up, just different individuals. 
 
I use aspen bedding to answer your other question.  I get a big bag of it at Petsmart for about $7. I have a large cage so I go through a lot of it.  I put down a thick layer of newspaper and then a layer of aspen.  I consider it my bit for recycling.  A couple of times a week the whole mess goes in a trash bag and I start all over with fresh paper.     Pine and Cedar are not good for piggies as they can cause breathing problems.    Some people have a supply of towels that they change out every day and launder.   Also, my pigs are not potty trained as well as Rodney, they pretty much do as they please.
 
Hang in there, Rodney just needs your patience.
 
Alicia, CocoPuff and Trix