Am I Doing The Right Thing?

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Chukkin

Chukkin

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Hi all,

Apologies if this question has been asked before, but I just wanted to confirm I am doing the right things for my new piggies. I got my two girls, Ebony and Ivory, yesterday and since I put them in their new cage, they have hidden in the grass tunnel. They have hay, veggies, pellets, and water but have not ventured out. Yesterday evening, Ebony made a very brief appearance before shooting back into the tunnel.
Overnight, they have eaten most of the veggies, and had a little bit of water and hay and pellets, and pooed a lot. This morning, I spoke quietly to them as I slowly changed the water, hay, pellets, and veggies and swept up the droppings. Now that I am up and around, they continue to stay hidden in their tunnel and won't touch any of the food or water. I was hoping to be able to sit with my hand inside the cage today, but I'm not sure that this would be the right thing since they are not even comfortable within their cage yet. It breaks my heart that they are so frightened of me. What should I be looking for before I try to hand-feed? They are in the main room in the house so they can get used to all the noises and me coming and going (I live alone). Will they always hide when I am around? I am happy to give them all the time they need, but my main worry is that I am taking them to stay at my parent's house (with me) in six weeks and I don't want them to end up back at square one...

Thanks for any advice you can give me! I just want to have two happy and healthy girls...
 
It sounds like you're doing all the right things. The only thing I'd suggest is maybe placing their food bowls a little closer to their hideys so they can still get to it while hiding.

It will take them time but if you continue to talk to them and be around them then they will eventually get used to you. Just imagine you were on an alien planet and you'd settled yourself somewhere you felt safe and secure then suddenly a giant alien picked you up carried you off somewhere and then placed you down somewhere new; you don't understand their language so you've no idea what's going on or whether you've been moved to safety or a holding cell - it would take some time for you to realise that you're in a safe place and that the giant alien actually cares for you!

They'll soon learn that you are the bringer of food and therefore can be trusted. Once you learn what their favourite foods are you can start offering these up as treats (I did it before veg time so they'd be really hungry!) You may need to start by placing it just out their tunnel and then move it gradually further out and then eventually keeping it in your hand.

Good luck
 
Hi Chukkin,

Sounds like we're in similar boats - I got my girls last Saturday and they're still very skittish but they are starting to stay out of their hidey-hole when food is down, as long as I sit quietly enough. Baby steps!

Not really helpful advice, sorry! :) Just a kindred spirit waiting for the trust of two hairballs! Good luck x
 
Here is a link to a thread Wiebke wrote http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/ it's full of lots of helpful tips.

It takes time and patience but they will settle, lots of talking to them softly so they get used to the sound of your voice. Piggies like routines so feed the same times each day if you can.
After they have settled at tea time we encouraged ours to come over to the bars for 1 piece of their tea, it turned into a habit that they now expect. It also gains trust and a bond develops between them and you. Food is an excellent trust winner.

Piggies when you first get them do a lot of hiding as they are prey animals but this will changes as they get used to you. We didnt see our first piggies for days and even set up a video camera to see if they cam out of there hideys :))

Your doing all the right things at the moment, well done. You will soon gain their trust.
 
Hi everyone,

The girls have been a TINY bit braver today, and have spend a couple of minutes eating while I am in the room. I was sitting perfectly still across the room but started talking quietly to them and without leaving my seat, slowly moved around a bit to be sure that they definitely knew I was there.
My next question would be - when should I begin lap/floor time? I have tried to research this but keep coming up with different answers - some say straight away, some say to wait for about a week?
How should I go about having floor time? Obviously I will have to take them out of the cage for this and plan to herd them into a cozy first then just pick up the cozy. My problem I think, will be that I am not expecting them to leave the cozy once I put it on the floor!...
 
Be patient and persist - your girls will settle in bit by bit and become more adventurous when nothing bad is going to happen to them... ;)
 
Little update - I had decided that a couple of the things I had put into the cage (a red plastic tube which can be extended/bent but quite rough on piggy feet, and a grass tunnel which they had taken to using as their toilet and was now stinking!) had to be replaced with something a little more piggy friendly. So, I bought a tunnel made of sticks that can be bent into shape, and a pigloo (the only one I could get was green and see-through). Interestingly, as soon as I put them back into the cage, they seemed happier and started exploring before I had even closed the cage door! Not wanting to frighten them, I sat beside the cage and talked to them and they sat and munched some of their hay and ALL of the veggies I had put down, while I was sitting right there!
Ivory followed Ebony around as they explored everything, settling to sitting in the stick-tunnel with a bundle of hay. On their travels around the cage, Ivory (the more nervous of the two) even wheeked!!!
 
congrats on making the piggies happier. So pleased things are working out for you.
 
Sounds like you are on the right path! ;)
 
I've had mine a week now and they are slowly getting braver, i think i'll take on board your tips and get them some new things for their cage :)
 
Ooh sounds like they are settling in quite nicely now, well done for being patient... they wont be able to refuse a treat from you, you just have to find their favourite and keep that one for hand feeding xx
 
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Thanks everybody for the support during these first few tentative days! I am planning on sitting beside the cage later with a good book and seeing if they will venture forth and take something from my hand...
 
Hi everyone! This is now day 5 since I got my baby girls. They seem to be beginning to recognise certain words now; Ivory wheeked yesterday when I announced "hay" and put some fresh hay into the little dispenser, she then wheeked again this evening when I said "veggies". In fact, before I gave the veggies, I sat beside the cage and put my hand in holding a carrot stick, which Ivory took after about 30 seconds and ran into the tunnel to munch. I took another one, and offered it as before, which Ivory started to nibble while I was holding it, but then Ebony ran over, grabbed it from me, and took off! I caught them this morning munching opposite ends of the same piece of hay and much pulling could be seen once they realised there was something munching the other end!
So, more progress I think. Interestingly, I don't think Ebony makes any sounds, only Ivory squeaks. And only Ebony will use the water bottle (that I've seen). Should I try and put a bowl of water down, or just let Ivory get the fluids from her veg? Going to try handling them at the weekend, that will be interesting... :))
 
Whenever I first got my guinea pig I noticed that he also wouldn't come out to get his food or hay during the day, so I placed a handful of hay in front of his house. He would have to poke his head out a little, but this seemed to help him because he would quickly start gobbling it up! Now he moves about the cage during the daytime, but at first I think you should help them out by placing their food near them. This helps make it so that they can feel the safety of hiding in their homes until they get used to you.
 
We have been doing much the same with our 3, they get put in the run in the morning which has 2 pig loos and hay holder, food drink, plastic corner bits they seem to use as a loo and toys. They don't come out much but when I put veggies in I put some in bowls near hides and some hidden about the run so when they explore they find them.

They are calming down a tiny but but I know it will take a long time. Truffle and Banoffee eat out of fingers when cuddled but smudge is just far too twitchy so her cuddle time is less as I'm worried I stress her out.

Main change is looking to get a picnic blanket or tent carpet that's lined so they can wee on it and I don't have to chuck away tons of paper and straw every day :-) also it's warmer for them and soft for feet.
 
Update - so I've now had my girls for two weeks! We are now at the stage that I get little wheeks when I announce "veggies" or "hay" when I am about to give more. They are happy to eat/sleep/play while I am in the room (they are in the sitting room) and will eat out of my hand (with me holding piece of food tightly so they have to eat it not just grab and run!) every time I put veggies in. Lap time is a lot slower - they are herded into their cozy, lifted in the cozy, and I sit with it on my knee where they scrabble over one another to get to the back of the cozy away from me even though I am not doing anything! I hold a little piece of something they like (apple/parsley/carrot) just outside the cozy so they get a little nibble if they reach out of the cozy - hopefully they will begin to understand that if they come out, they get something nice :)
 
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