Introduction to Oreo

Oreo, General in the herd

Oreo is our biggest Sow weighing 1318 grams or 2 Lb and 14 Ounces. Oreo is quite long compared to Tink and Belle and has always been the largest of the girls. Oreo, I think, will always be a large sow, but as long as she doesn't suddenly pile on a lot of weight, we are happy to monitor her and make sure everyone gets their share of food, and exercise. She is 1 year, 5 month old and is so tame in comparison to Belle and Tink. Oreo has always been the most placid of the girls and once you have picked her up, she is happy to sit for a good 30 minutes, sometimes longer and just lie there. She doesn't run around trying to rule the other girls and is happy for Tink to take that role. Oreo is our therapy pet, if anyone has had a bad day, Oreo can bring calm back to your day and centre you again.

Piggie floor time

We bought Oreo along with Tink however due to coat type and colouring and although we still call them sisters, we don't think they actually are sisters. We adopted Belle later, and Oreo, along with Tink instantly took her under their wings. Belle has been with them for nearly 5 months now, and to be honest, I think Oreo likes that belle is there to distract Tink when Tink is Rumble stomping all over everyone. Oreo Strikes us, as just wanting quiet and calm, whereas Belle, who is only just turning 9 month old, is still feisty and playful. Belle challenges Tink at every opportunity which diverts Tink away form Oreo completely. We tend to take Oreo out for peace when Tink goes into heat as Tink is very intense and we think, tiring for Oreo.

Oreo once had a serious accident which involved damage to her eye. We had to give her eye drops and antibiotics (all into her eye) for around two weeks several times a day. Oreo soon got fed up with this, as the eye drops stung, but it was this or potentially loose her eye. She put up with so much after the accident and she fought just as we did to help her keep her eye. Oreo is not one for running around or pop-corning much (we think this may be down to her size and also her placid nature) but she does seem to prefer calm to chaos, much like many of us human beings really.

Tiger "Onward to Battle my good steed" Oreo "If we must"

Introduction to Belle

Belle at around 12 Weeks old

This last few weeks have bee total chaos in the MacLean Household but in a good way, a productive way. First of all I have bee diligently building a new habitat for Tyr, our Roborovski. This takes up the whole kitchen, so there have been a couple of take out nights for tea whilst I have been sawing and sanding, drilling and sanding some more. As well as this I had to make an additional, temporary home for a new female Guinea Pig.  Belle is our newest member and was adopted from Pets at home.  We try to adopt or rescue our pets now instead of buying them form new stock. Building 2 cages in the same space is a bit hectic but this is what I came up with.

Belles temporary cage that we put next to Oreo and Tink 

As there are 3 Guinea Pigs now, we can officially call them a herd. We kept the new addition, Belle,  in quarantine for around a week (some owners advised two).   The reason we introduced her into the pen early was that she was chewing the bars on her own pen constantly trying to get to them. Also when they had floor time, Tink, the alpha was constantly trying to jail break her by chewing the bars on the outside of her pen too. They were constantly wheeking at each other too which caused more bar chewing.  We felt that it was better for all of them if we added her to the herd earlier rather than stress them all out and make them ill.

Belle, not so small now 

All of the Guinea Pigs were getting stressed as they all wanted to be together and when we allowed them floor time together Tink instantly took on a mothering role, cleaning and licking her.  When she panicked and ran to a corner, Oreo immediately covered her to stop us picking her up. It was really clear we would not have a problem adding Belle to the original pen and hutch. We are new to Herds and Guinea pig politics but they were pretty clear about wanting Belle in with them, and Belle was pretty clear about wanting to be with them.  So they are all now in the original hutch and pen that I build for Tink and Oreo. 

Queen Tink - Herd Alpha 

Tink has taken on the role of Alpha with dignity and grace and as long as Oreo still gets her hugs she is happy to share her home with Belle.

 Belle is really quite tame compared to Tink and Oreo at her age and all is well within our little happy, wheeky, herd of Guinea Pigs.

So it has been an eventful week but with many happy little popcorn's and wheeks, and of-course, I did get my hamster habitat built too, which will be updated here soon.

All three about 7 month later in the garden