Posted By: Ladymagyver
The girls coping with Stewie - 07/24/18 12:10 PM
I really should have logged this as we went, so again, I will play catch up here.
Stewie is finally big enough to hold his own with the girls.
He has been out of his ejacket for about 5 weeks, gained weight and has regained his coordination.
I was concerned about how he and Dot would get along since Dot is the alpha and quite large and fluffy.
They have had contact when the girls wanted to check out who was in their old cage. All went well as long as he was "inside" and they we're climbing around on the "outside". This happened by accident, but went well. I don't recommend this at all.
The girls are rather mellow and are mature 4year olds. Stewie is more like a pinball machine that just won't stop. He runs, bounces, and jumps faster than the girls did at his age. This seems to make Dot a bit nervous.
We had several morning tent times instead of bathtub time. Both of my tubs are escapable. They have low sides. Anyway, they went well. With the exception of Dot and Fiona were willing to go in the clean pouch, but Stewie was too wide awake and excited to go to bed. He would bounce and climb and run, check on the girls, but just wouldn't stay inside the pouch long enough to catch him in it. This would go on for over an hour (9-10am). The girls became crabby and after a bit, wouldn't allow him in anymore.
Dot did come out of the pouch after him and they balled up. I broke it up, and Dot went after him 2 more times. This can happen faster than you can react. I didn't get bit, Stewie wasn't bleeding. So I suppose Dot was trying to teach him some manners.
So I handed the girls out to hubby, and observed Stewie to make sure he was uninjured, and other than a little hurt pride, he was fine. I had to catch him and put him back in his cage. He went willingly.
Then I had a break. That night, Dot was being unusually mean to Fiona. She wouldn't let her out of the pouch to eat. And when she finally got out, Dot climbed on her back and literally hung on to her and used her back feet on the cage bars to keep her from her dish.(yes, they have separate feeding areas). So I intervened and after a lot of bites from Dot was able to peel Fiona away from her. This was about 11pm. Fiona of course came to me willingly. I removed her dishes, and offered to put her in with Stewie. She went right in. I added her food to Stewie's and observed them for an hour. All was fine.
Dot on the other hand was not happy. She did this "hiss bark" all night.(So much for sleep). Stewie was concerned about Dot. He even tried to get out of his cage to go to her.
Next day, 9am: I pulled Stewie's stinky pouch with Fiona in it. Offered it to him, he willingly went in. Carried it over to Dot's cage, opened the door, and Dot went in to the pouch. No hissing, Tsking, or crabbing. All was well... Time-out worked.
After a bit, I handed the trio over to hubby to babysit so I could clean the big cage (again) from top to bottom. Washed bedding, cover, wiped bars with vigenar water, cleaned wheel, drop tray. Made everything scent free for the third time...
1pm: I hung them back all together in the big cage. Nothing other than the typical tsking of get your foot off my face stuff.
8:30 pm same day: Dinnertime.... To be continued...
Stewie is finally big enough to hold his own with the girls.
He has been out of his ejacket for about 5 weeks, gained weight and has regained his coordination.
I was concerned about how he and Dot would get along since Dot is the alpha and quite large and fluffy.
They have had contact when the girls wanted to check out who was in their old cage. All went well as long as he was "inside" and they we're climbing around on the "outside". This happened by accident, but went well. I don't recommend this at all.
The girls are rather mellow and are mature 4year olds. Stewie is more like a pinball machine that just won't stop. He runs, bounces, and jumps faster than the girls did at his age. This seems to make Dot a bit nervous.
We had several morning tent times instead of bathtub time. Both of my tubs are escapable. They have low sides. Anyway, they went well. With the exception of Dot and Fiona were willing to go in the clean pouch, but Stewie was too wide awake and excited to go to bed. He would bounce and climb and run, check on the girls, but just wouldn't stay inside the pouch long enough to catch him in it. This would go on for over an hour (9-10am). The girls became crabby and after a bit, wouldn't allow him in anymore.
Dot did come out of the pouch after him and they balled up. I broke it up, and Dot went after him 2 more times. This can happen faster than you can react. I didn't get bit, Stewie wasn't bleeding. So I suppose Dot was trying to teach him some manners.
So I handed the girls out to hubby, and observed Stewie to make sure he was uninjured, and other than a little hurt pride, he was fine. I had to catch him and put him back in his cage. He went willingly.
Then I had a break. That night, Dot was being unusually mean to Fiona. She wouldn't let her out of the pouch to eat. And when she finally got out, Dot climbed on her back and literally hung on to her and used her back feet on the cage bars to keep her from her dish.(yes, they have separate feeding areas). So I intervened and after a lot of bites from Dot was able to peel Fiona away from her. This was about 11pm. Fiona of course came to me willingly. I removed her dishes, and offered to put her in with Stewie. She went right in. I added her food to Stewie's and observed them for an hour. All was fine.
Dot on the other hand was not happy. She did this "hiss bark" all night.(So much for sleep). Stewie was concerned about Dot. He even tried to get out of his cage to go to her.
Next day, 9am: I pulled Stewie's stinky pouch with Fiona in it. Offered it to him, he willingly went in. Carried it over to Dot's cage, opened the door, and Dot went in to the pouch. No hissing, Tsking, or crabbing. All was well... Time-out worked.
After a bit, I handed the trio over to hubby to babysit so I could clean the big cage (again) from top to bottom. Washed bedding, cover, wiped bars with vigenar water, cleaned wheel, drop tray. Made everything scent free for the third time...
1pm: I hung them back all together in the big cage. Nothing other than the typical tsking of get your foot off my face stuff.
8:30 pm same day: Dinnertime.... To be continued...