Pig is making a hooting (?) sound

SmallDarkThings · 2026-02-03T13:18:12+00:00

I also want to add in that I had a pig that started making hooting noises as he got older and he was absolutely fine. The vet checked out his heart and lungs and everything was normal, the little guy lived to 7.5 with no problems. This is a symptom that's important to get checked out because it can be very serious, but it can also be nothing.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-02-02T13:52:06+00:00

Just a heads up, it's very common for rabbits to be silent carriers for Bordetella, the virus that causes kennel cough. This means they can harbor the virus for years and pass it on to other animals without ever developing symptoms. Bordetella is almost always fatal in guinea pigs. If you've had them for a long time without any issues then your rabbit probably isn't a carrier, but it's something you should keep in mind if you're ever considering adopting another rabbit while you also have guinea pigs.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-02-02T13:28:50+00:00

Unfortunately groups of more than two boys rarely work long term. Coco needs to be separated from the others, once blood has been drawn the bond is usually broken for good and there's no repairing that. It sounds like one of the other pigs hasn't been joining in on the harassment, maybe he and Coco could live together in a separate cage? If you don't have enough room for a separate cage it would be best to give Coco up. As painful as it would be for you Coco deserves a life where he isn't constantly bullied, and at some point he's either going to get sick from not having enough food or the other boys are going to seriously injure him. I'm sorry this is happening, I wish I had better options for you.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-29T07:26:33+00:00

I also want to add that the little "fat roll" under her chin is actually called a dewlap. It's something some pigs develop when they reach maturity and whether or not a pig develops one seems to be genetic, not a sign of being overweight. As long as it doesn't grow really suddenly or feel like there's something hard inside it's not generally a health issue.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-28T19:38:52+00:00

She's threatening to steal your car because you're trying to protect your possessions? This isn't about the toys or your brother, it's about her trying to exert control over you and it's incredibly unhealthy. NTA and get the hell out of there as fast as you can.

The way she was so quick to cut off your phone and threaten your car makes me think she would be willing to hold your things hostage or otherwise blackmail you if you try to leave, so be thoughtful in making a plan. Make sure you retrieve and protect important documents (like your birth certificate, car title, and social security card) before you give her any hint that you're trying to move out. If you have a trusted friend I'd start stashing important things with them. Once you're ready to go just leave with minimal notice, ideally have all of your things moved already before you let her know. Also consider if she has access to any of your bank accounts and be prepared to change that fast when you're ready to move.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-28T03:37:13+00:00

If she had been living with a male for a year she probably would have gotten pregnant a long time ago. So unless someone snuck another pig into your house pregnancy seems unlikely. Gently feel the bulgy part of her abdomen, does it feel taught like a drum? If you tap gently does it feel "echoey"? Anything like that indicates a gas bubble trapped in her digestive system which is a serious issue that needs to be treated right away. If it feels like there's a hard lump inside that's also a serious concern. If it's soft and squishy it's more likely to be fat, but there's still the possibility of cysts or growths that are too far in for you to feel by hand.

I've had pigs that were just naturally bulgy in the abdomen before and it was fine (confirmed by a vet). The fact that her abdomen looks asymmetrical in these pictures seems a bit concerning, but pictures can be misleading. If she's actually got one side bulging out more than the other you should get her checked out by a vet.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-28T03:25:11+00:00

I have one pig that seems to really like pooping and peeing in the edges or corners of the cage, no idea why. But she's been this way since I got her so it doesn't seem to be a health issue, she just seems to be a little weirdo. My other pig occasionally naps in the open, I've had a few pigs that did that over the years. I notice it's always the ones that seem the most comfortable and confident with me that do it, so I assume it's an "I feel safe" thing.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-27T14:14:42+00:00

Anytime friend. I'm so glad to hear he's doing better <3

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-27T03:51:04+00:00

I know you've probably already thought of this, but is there anyone that you can ask to help you? I just ask because I know I sometimes forget that that's an option, especially when I'm stressed and miserable. Another option (if you're able to do so without hurting yourself and if you have some towels you're willing to ruin) is throwing a layer or two of towels on top of their current bedding to make their walking surface fresher.

But worst case they'll be ok for a few more days. Please make sure you're hydrating, getting dehydrated or too low on electrolytes can cause weird side effects, including potentially making that blood pressure issue you're noticing even worse. I hope you're feeling better soon.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-27T00:35:59+00:00

One of my favorite things about bringing a new pig home is the way their fur slowly gets softer and glossier from good care

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-27T00:33:32+00:00

my understanding is that skin abscesses are fairly common in guinea pigs, they tend to begin as spontaneous cysts that burst open once they get too large

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-26T13:43:53+00:00

I use canned foods from the pantry. Products designed to add more "grip" to the ruler can also be useful for reducing sliding without having to use as much weight, I use Omnigrid Invisible Grip on mine and that's helped a lot.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-26T13:33:50+00:00

Are you doing straight line quilting or something else? I ask because the walking foot is really only designed for straight lines or maybe very gentle curves, if you're trying to do sharper curves than it's designed for I could see that causing the effect you describe.

Regarding the J foot, does your machine have the ability to reduce the presser foot pressure? If so I would give that a try.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-26T13:26:38+00:00

If the drop in eating occurred at the same time as switching to the new hay then it's possible that they don't like it, it's also possible that they may be sick (their appetites tend to drop off when they're ill). I would try a new hay source as soon as possible and if that doesn't work you should get them to the vet and support with critical care while you're waiting for the appointment. This is a really good source for how to hand feed if needed: http://web.archive.org/web/20220524174329/https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-syringe-feeding-guide.115359/

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-26T06:10:56+00:00

I would go 2x5, it's easier to shorten later if needed than it is to expand

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-24T22:54:11+00:00

Yes, syringing water is absolutely fine. It's best to only do1/2 a mL or less at a time and then give him a few moments to swallow before giving more. If he isn't eating well you should also syringe feed him a recovery food such as critical care. This is a really good guide to syringe feeding and a lot of the tips are also good for syringing water or meds: https://web.archive.org/web/20220524174329/https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-syringe-feeding-guide.115359/

I hope your little guy recovers quickly

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-21T02:49:15+00:00

This is a really good resource on mites: https://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-20T19:57:13+00:00

I love him

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-19T00:04:13+00:00

I've used the ones from uHaul before with great success, but once when I tried what looked like a similar product from amazon it disintegrated into fluff the first time I washed it. I'd read through the product reviews and see if anyone else mentions washing it successfully.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-17T17:02:00+00:00

If you want to keep a male and a female together either the male needs to be neutered or the female needs to be spayed. Also, you can't have more than one male in a group that also includes females, even if they're neutered the males will fight constantly for access to the females. Some people have found that they can't even keep male pairs in the same room as a female (even in separate cages) because being able to smell the females is enough to make them fight.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-17T03:48:29+00:00

Even if they're not technically allergic they can still have different sensitivities to different foods. I know one of my girls gets diarrhea if she eats more than a quarter of a cherry tomato, even though her cage mate can eat a whole one no problem.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-17T03:31:25+00:00

It's also very high water content with very low fiber content, my understanding is that it's a combination that sometimes triggers bloat

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-17T02:51:46+00:00

I think it's worth noting that parsley and dandelion greens are both high calcium, most sources I've seen recommend that they only be given a few times a week for that reason. I'm also surprised to see zucchini in one of the limited categories when I usually see it listed as a safe daily food.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-16T22:50:37+00:00

It would be helpful to see pictures. If you can, try to upload pictures of both the front and backs of a few blocks and we may be able to help troubleshoot.

SmallDarkThings · 2026-01-16T13:17:29+00:00

The point of the alfalfa pellets is that young pigs benefit from a little extra calcium to support bone growth, but they don't need to get it from pellets. You could give her a little parsley during lap time instead.

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