This is where a guinea pig is making me eat healthier each day instead of just whenever I feel like it. I have to try a piece of his greens because it's there. Then, I have to bite off a large piece of strawberry because he won't eat the entire thing anyway. I also bite off a piece of carrot to ensure it's OK. (Yeah, that's it.) Then he gets the rest and the wheeks turn off for a while. I hand him a piece of green stuff and he snatches it from my fingers and drags it into his PVC pipe. Munch, munch, munch, munch. At this point I then dump the remaining veggies onto his veggie plate, change his water, and add more grain stuff to his dish.
I purposely put his cage near my desk so I can talk to him whenever I am home. Last night he decided he was needier than usual and began wheeking at me whenever I left his cage. He wouldn't let me pick him up. He just wanted me to chase him around his cage. I know he actually wanted me to chase him around his cage because as soon as I came over the loud wheeking would be replaced by contented little warbles and a devious eyeball. He'd come out just long enough for my hand to get near, then he'd run back through the PVC pipe, come out the other end, and do a popcorn on his way into the oatmeal box, another one on his way out, slam into the Hefty box with the hay in it, and come bolting out back toward the PVC, making another popcorn and tossing his head. This would repeat several times. If I tried to walk away, the loud wheeking would return.
I knew going into this that guinea pigs are very social creatures, so I knew I had to be his social contact pretty frequently. The loud wheeking after 20 minutes of being his captive audience, however, when I only wanted to be three feet away, was getting on my nerves just a smidgeon. So, I decided he needed some bathroom time. By that I mean I plopped him and his toys on the bathroom floor, along with him, and said, "Have at it."
Now that I think about it, that was mean. I'd been gone all day and the poor little bugger was only claiming my evening after being alone all day. But he made quite a mess in there so it was obvious he was all over the place, exploring. I am hoping that it took his mind off his missing playmate for a while. I was REALLY tired last night! And, when he got back in his cage, he looked tired, too.
Oh, the other part of my days now: When I get home at night, I now stop for a large handful of grass. I usually go out each morning for a handful, too. And as soon as I'm home, I also go to the fridge amidst the wheeks and get him his greens again, with whatever other treat I can come up with.
Shopping has changed, too. I wandered around the market last time, anxiously wondering if the guy filling the produce area was going to replace all the missing mixed greens. It was with a great sigh of relief when I wandered back through and found a couple boxes of the stuff in their places. Phew!! And I love strawberries, but now the box is actually dwindling instead of rotting. Guinea pigs to add a special dimension to one's life. And they have the cutest little butts. :)
Now, if only I can figure out what the rumbling sound is... sometimes he makes it when I'm petting him (when he lets me pet him) and other times he makes it at sounds. It would seem he doesn't like the sounds, so does that mean he really hates me petting him? :: shrug :: About the only things I have learned for sure are that the loud wheeks mean he wants something, the software ones are a form of contentment, the popcorns seem happy and energetic, and the silent shaking is terror. I really don't like the shaking. He doesn't do it much now but yesterday I took him outside for grass and on the way in, he began doing that again. He's really not fond of being picked up. It's unfortunate, because I thought constantly picking them up would solve that. It's taking a long time and it hurts to keep pushing the issue. At the same time, I'm afraid that pushing it is the only way to get him to accept it. /Sigh. Maybe if I get him used to my petting him in his cage, he'll trust my hands enough to stop fearing them when they slide under his body.
Aight, off to go find the little nerd. I hear little noises right now. Sounds like he's playing and talking to himself again. :D
~w
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