Feeling fed up

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Vanessa89

Vanessa89

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Feel really lame saying this but I feel really fed up with my pet skills at the minute. 8...

No matter what I do with my piggies they seem terrifed of me. once they are out they seem happy and cuddle and sit and want to be cuddled but getting them out of their cage and picking them up or catching them in their pen they act like I was the worse person in the world.

All I did the other day was go over kneel down to pick one up and he screamed like I had hurt him and ran away then just cowered in the playpen. I dont get it! I spend loads of time with them and do everything I can to my knowledge and to be honest I feel like if they had anybody else looking after them it would make no differnece like they just dont have a bond with me. I have hamsters who run to the cage to see me and greet me and make noises but my guineas just seem to want feeding then just ignore me and look frightened if I go near them 8... sigh. Its my first time owning Guinea pigs and I know I have alot to learn but they should at least like me and want me to come?

Its makign me feel really fed up, I love animals and have never had any problems like this before am I just not the person for piggies I hope thats not the case but I am at my wits end. 8...
 
Be patient and persevere - and you will reaping the benefits later in spades! we all have times when we feel we're making no progress at all, but suddenly for some unkown reason it all changes!
 
Aww please don't give up, it can take very long time to form a bond and some piggies always dislike being picked up. I have who I have had for just over a year and he's fine once out but won't be picked up or allow me to touch him in his cage, its just the way he is. So be patient and perservere.
 
Aww hun :( I still have days when I feel like this and I've had mine for a year now!

Bizarrely the two most affectionate of my piggies, i.e. the ones that love a stroke are the ones that most violently protest about being picked up! It's so weird, Floyd and Izzy (2 seperate families so to speak - they aren't in the same "herd") will run over for ear strokes and back rubs, Izzy actually lays down on the floor like a cat and purrs, but for either of them....attempt to pick them up - they will bite! They never bite hard but they buck their legs, and squeak - they go insane - I now have to use a fleece to pick them up - it's the only way.

The other 3 piggies I have are much less affectionate but are easy to pick up, and never attempt to bite.


The technique of sitting very still with food in your hand, and getting them to take it from you - was the best method for me. I also used to hand feed them through out the day rather than give them meals - when I was trying to tame them up. I still now always hand feed them part of their meals.

They still run and hide though when I get up too fast - and they've lived with me in my lounge ever since I got them. That's piggies for you - it's not you!

I'm hoping with age they'll continue to mellow out because compared to what they were like when I got them..........they've come on so much! And that's what I have to keep telling myself, remember what they used to be like and I've made massive progress. None of them are 18 months old yet and its been a long journey to get them as tame as they are.
 
Archie screams if I pick him up rolleyes but he's just a little girl! The girls will run and hide rolleyes It does take time and perseverance, mine will run to the front of the cage to greet me, but if I move the girls will run. I've had them 3 years and they're still as batty :)) They do get better with time though.
 
Hiya - I am not a piggy expert by any means (lots more knowlegable on the forum than me!) but I just wanted to pass on a couple of tips from the lady we got our piggies from.

If you can keep you piggies indoors and remove all hiding places from the cage, it helps at first - take all boxes, hidey bits out so the cage is totally open - it sounds a bit mean but it definitely does help.

the GP's natural instinct is to run away and hide - if they can be in a totally exposed cage in the hub of the house, then they soon learn that they are safe and the instinct to run away gets less. Obviously when you can see them all the time, you will see exactly how 'nervy' they are - you don't want to be totally terrorising them with lots of noise, but they should soon get to tolerate people walking by doors opening and closing etc without undue fear.


(you could always put some bedding boxes in at night if you wanted - I know I didn't like our bare cage at first and now they do have some boxes and tubing but initially it was a bare cage with only feeding bowls and litter trays in it)



Having the cage raised off the floor too is good - then you don't appear as a giant. Also having it in a busy living area is better than in a bedroom so they get exposed to lots of human voices all the time.

And then it's just patience ...... lots of luck!
 
tabelmabel said:
Hiya - I am not a piggy expert by any means (lots more knowlegable on the forum than me!) but I just wanted to pass on a couple of tips from the lady we got our piggies from.

If you can keep you piggies indoors and remove all hiding places from the cage, it helps at first - take all boxes, hidey bits out so the cage is totally open - it sounds a bit mean but it definitely does help.

the GP's natural instinct is to run away and hide - if they can be in a totally exposed cage in the hub of the house, then they soon learn that they are safe and the instinct to run away gets less. Obviously when you can see them all the time, you will see exactly how 'nervy' they are - you don't want to be totally terrorising them with lots of noise, but they should soon get to tolerate people walking by doors opening and closing etc without undue fear.


(you could always put some bedding boxes in at night if you wanted - I know I didn't like our bare cage at first and now they do have some boxes and tubing but initially it was a bare cage with only feeding bowls and litter trays in it)



Having the cage raised off the floor too is good - then you don't appear as a giant. Also having it in a busy living area is better than in a bedroom so they get exposed to lots of human voices all the time.

And then it's just patience ...... lots of luck!
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Sorry but I would never remove their hidey places as they always need to feel safe and I think they would feel so scared without them. I have heard guinea pigs almost hurt themselves banging into walls to get away from people wanting to pick them up and at least if they can run into a box they will feel safer.
 
OK - Piggyfan then I am sorry for posting that as I would not want to cause anyone's piggy to be distressed. I know the pigs I have (Rex) are a more docile type by nature and maybe these tips only work for this specific type - it did work really well for ours but maybe it's not a thing to try for any other kind. Sorryx
 
I am sure you are right - I am no expert by any means, I have only had 4 guinea pigs! So - I certainly don't want to be on here giving dodgy advice when my experience of guinea pigs is so narrow - I would be really sorry if Vanessa's guinea pigs (and Vanessa!) got even more distressed due to something I said so thank goodness you posted.
 
I just feel as a prey animal they always need a safe area to hide in. Yours sound brave!
 
They really are - honestly I would never have believed guinea pigs could be SO cuddly, they are more like cats with the way they stretch out! The lady we got them from breeds all Rex ones for showing so she needs them to show no fear at all and none of her pigs have any hideys (so mine had never been used to hiding at all when we got them at 8 weeks)

Initially of course, they were a little bit skittish but we put them in an open C and C cage at the end of our large kitchen and made sure enough of it could open so we could reach in from the top and get them pretty easily without having to chase them all about the cage. We have been vigilent in allowing at least a full hour a day for cuddling and that's 4 weeks we have had them now and they just wait to be picked up now. I am sure this is more to do with the breed than any skill on our part though as the Rex are re-nowned for their very docile natures and make good lap pets I believe.

I have just put 2 stools in there today for them and they were straight in there - so they do prefer to be covered, though they are not at all nervy with normal chit chat noise. We didn't go out looking for a specific breed at all - in fact I would have used a rescue had I known about them when I got these pigs - when we wanted pigs (for my daughter's birthday) there were none to be had anywhere! Our Vet put me in touch with this Rex breeder and that's how we came to have these two beautiful cuddly boars.
 
Hi! I had the screaming problem too! Lillith would let out the most blood curdling scream- almost as if I was killing her! In time she got a lot better and she doesn't scream anymore but she still hates being held and being touched and such. It just takes time :)
 
Thank you for all your kind words it's much appreciated I do love having the guinea piggies its such a new lovely experience I think I just need to give it more time.

I am thinking of putting their cage a little higher up too as I will tower over them.

I think I was just having a moment, because I felt like they hated me ")

This forum is really great thank you everyone :)
 
This might sound a little weird but it's worked for me.

I have ponies too and have learned that taking a deep breath and emptying my mind of worries helps me to get through to them and I thought I would try it with my pigs who were wild as anything when I first got them. They would struggle and fight to get away when I handled them.
So I tried the deep breathing and calming thoughts and it does seem to work with the pigs as well as the ponies! Now I can pick them up without a fight, and it has only taken a couple of weeks to get to that point.

Good luck!
 
Hi there,
Like the others have said dont give up. I have a piggie who hates being picked up but I have figured out a way to get her out of the cage without picking her up. She has a favourite towel that I used to handle her with ever since I first got her and she loves snuggling in it-I put this towel in a cardboard box, put it next to the ledge in her cage and she jumps in! Again this took many months and you have to have patience. There still are times when she randomly runs off from me or acts scared but I think its just in their nature. They get to know your voice as well.

I know the other post said they would not remove the hiding places in the cage - I only do this when I have too every now and again, or I would never get her out! and there are times I have to pick her up in order to cut her nails etc. You will get to know what works best for your piggies!

Keep doing what your doing! Best of luck
 
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