Queenie’s Crowning Glory…
Having been aware of Mabels antics with Venus and Apollo and latterly the lovely Max I cant say I was not worried about the challenge she was presenting. She had been given above and beyond her basic needs in her previous home and all she was missing was a companion which she was refusing to accept… I was convinced that this proved there was an issue of emotional welfare here.
A few days before Mabel arrived I was adamant that she would leave her name at the door and become Miss Gobby again. Normally I say that all labels are left at the door but Mabel had none, I have had a “killer guinea pig” here for instance who was under no circumstances to be put with other guineas. Brandon left the label his Human gave him at the door and is now happily living with a herd of sows, all very much alive…
Miss Gobby arrived on Thursday and spent 2 days in her own cage to allow her to adjust to moving here. The wheekend was sunny and dry enough for everyone to go out in the run.
Day 1 Queenie went in the run with everyone. Samson was put in the run first followed by Queenie and then the rest.
No houses or hidey holes etc were put in on the first day. Previously 20 minutes had been the limit before teeth chattering and aggression was shown. Anxious that this should not happen here I removed Queenie from the run after 22 minutes! There was no rattling teeth from anyone but Queenie had tried mounting Zen and Bumble and there had been a couple of “face offs” but she was promptly ignored! That night she went back in her hutch on a good note so we could start tomorrow positively… I have seven guineas and to be perfectly honest bathing them all before introductions is just not convenient when most are long haired, so Miss Gobby would be meeting them as they normally are and not as a neutral smell. The name Miss Gobby no longer seemed right and so she was renamed Queenie…
The next day was also good enough for them to have run time, this time I added some houses, Queenie would need to learn to share. I put a very large box in and a fiddlestix. Â Queenie spent most of her time either out eating or under the Fiddlestix on her own. Today I didnt see any communication really between them, though after a while I left them and kept an eye on them from the window. They spent a total 3 hours together before I brought them in, quite simply because it was time to come in!
On day two I added houses to the run. Queenie spent a lot of timeeating and in the fiddlestix but did share the big box with no aggression or arguing.
As Queenie had not shown any signs of aggression and I was home the next day I decided to introduce her to the pen, her new home. Everything was as it had been before they went outside, I had cleaned them out the previous day so it was not neutral, smell wise.
After such a longtime outside everyone just settled n went to sleep. I had previously checked everyone’s ears so I would know if any bites and fights occurred overnight! Queenie chose her own house to settle in and was not a problem when they had supper that evening, she respected the others and hung back appropriately while they got their food (this soon changed and she has food fights now but nothing aggressive!).
In the morning I went in with bated breath, unsure of quite what to expect, Queenie was in the house I had last seen her in and everyone else was going about their “business” as usual, when Queenie did come out she was noticeably ignored. I got the feeling she was spoiling for a fight that morning and watched as she had a head to head with Zen, who stood her ground until Queenie backed off. Seemingly put out that her tactics were not working she went over and sat with Bumble for a while. There was no hostility though, Zen and Queenie were eating together not long after their little disagreement. I do like to see an arguement and think the way its resolved is very telling about the outcome of the relationship.
Recently I have seen Zen pull Queenies hair when she (probably) got a bit too close for comfort. Queenie did rattle her teeth and for a moment there was definitely some unrest! But all was resolved amicably and didnt go to the point of a full on fight. Queenie is living happily with her seven new friends and is already moving with the herd, often a new guinea pig will tend to stay over one side of the pen and gradually explore but from day 3 Queenie was moving all round the pen and within the wheek was looking like one of the herd.
Its been a pleasure helping her overcome whatever was stopping her give previous guineas a chance of friendship and, for me, she is a prime example of how guineas have emotional welfare needs. either she hadnt met anyone she wanted to live with or she needed to live with a herd again, who knows?
Venus and Apollo are still very happy together, the introduction of Queenie has not had any effect on them. Max now has a new sowfriend called Myrtle and Queenie is continuing to fit in with her new friends here….