Frustrated At Lack Of Further Progress...

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Chukkin

Chukkin

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all,

My girls (approx 14 weeks old) have been with me now for just over 2 weeks - not a lot of time, I know and come out of their hidies most of the time when I am in the same room, eat out of my hand etc, but the progress we were making has stopped.
I tried floor-time (in a safe piggy-proofed room) a few days ago with a cozy, toys, and a heap of hay but I gave up after an hour as they wouldn't leave their cozy. Is it a case of try the same again but with a book until they learn that they can run and play, or will they stick with the belief that as long as they stay in the cozy, eventually I will give up and put them back into the cage?
Just tried lap-time again (I try this daily) separately with them. Ivory was first and from the moment I sat down, she fought to get away. I managed to keep her on my lap for about 5 mins with a pile of veggies in front of her, hoping that they would distract her, but she ignored them and kept fighting. I even tried wrapping her in the towel that was on my lap, but she hated that too. Then I tried the same again with Ebony who, again, would not leave the safety of the cozy and was becoming stressed because she could hear the other one calling for her. Yesterday I had lap-time with them both together and neither left the cozy (despite the veggies) and for the entire 10 minutes, fought each other to get to the bottom of the cozy and much squealing ensued.
I am breaking my heart! :( I chose to get guinea pigs as I live on my own - hundreds of miles away from family - and wished for a pair of companions who would enjoy sitting with me in the evenings watching tv or whatever while I petted and cuddled them...
 
Guinea pigs are prey animals and wired to think we are predators. You really need to be patient. Two weeks is nothing. It took me one year to get Amina to trust me and is taking almost two years to gain shereen trust. All you can do is hold them everyday and offer them vegetables to know you are a friend. Guinea pigs rarely come for cuddles but can learn to enjoy them.
 
I know it seems along time to you but 2 weeks is nothing in piggy time. One of my rescues was so traumatised when she came to me nearly 4 years ago that she used to hide and hold her breath for what seemed like hours until I went away. She still runs away when I go to pick her up after all these years but is now calm and enjoys a cuddle once she is in my arms or on my lap. Patience and persistence is all I can recommend. Not all piggies like being handled. Not all enjoy floor time. Perhaps try ignoring them during floor time but making yourself an interesting object by sitting quietly on the floor with some herbs on your legs or lap and letting them come to you to investigate but not actively touching or handling them, that way they may come to associate you with goodies but not with fear. Not all piggies are naturals at human interaction.
 
I've had my two with me for around 5 months now... they love exploring during floor time as long as I don't look like I'm going to get involved in what they are doing! They are still very nervous if I make a move towards them and don't like being picked up but I'm keeping the faith and I know things will get better!
 
Awww, I'm sorry. We have all been there honestly. One of our first piggies Putt was so shy and timid she would hide non stop and shivered on our laps, wouldn't even eat veg on our lap at all. We had to set a video camera up to see if they ever came out of their houses. 3 Years later Putt was and still even though we lost her 3 years ago the best Lap piggie we ever had. There will never be a piggie we have that loved been on our lap like her so their is hope for you. If Putt could become a lap pig any pig can...
As others have said it is just time and I know 2 weeks feels an age but it is early days, you are doing everything right. As VickiA has said go for the interesting object approach at some point.
When we had Cookie and Treacle while they were tame they HATED lap time we kept them in the cosy on the lap for 5 mins each day even if they were facing inwards they eventually got used to it, so keep going you will crack this I promise.
 
I've had my pigs for two and a half years and they still fidget beyond belief when it comes to lap time, they much prefer interacting with me in their cage or during floor time so i'm happy with that, and just having the odd short cuddle here and there but not for too long. Every pig is different!
 
Last summer when we got Nibble and Munch my daughter initially got quite upset because she thought her piggies didn't like her. We had bought a run for the lawn (bear in mind the girls arrived in August!) that was large enough for my daughter to sit in there with them, so I encouraged her just to sit and read (she's a great bookworm, so I knew this wouldn't be a problem) and let the piggies take things in their own time. It DID take time, but eventually they came out of their hides while she was there, and things gradually progressed until the day that it happened - DOUBLE CUDDLES! Both the piggies hopped onto her lap while she was reading...thrilled doesn't even begin to describe it! :D
 
Her Nibship said:
Last summer when we got Nibble and Munch my daughter initially got quite upset because she thought her piggies didn't like her. We had bought a run for the lawn (bear in mind the girls arrived in August!) that was large enough for my daughter to sit in there with them, so I encouraged her just to sit and read (she's a great bookworm, so I knew this wouldn't be a problem) and let the piggies take things in their own time. It DID take time, but eventually they came out of their hides while she was there, and things gradually progressed until the day that it happened - DOUBLE CUDDLES! Both the piggies hopped onto her lap while she was reading...thrilled doesn't even begin to describe it! :D
Click to expand...
What a special moment.
 
Thanks for everyone's supportive encouragement. I might try floor-time again tomorrow, in the same place and with the same things, and take a book with me. Maybe they will be happier if it looks like I'm not bothered with them and am busy doing something else. I might even read it quietly to them.
As for lap-time, would it be a good idea to get them out together, in the cozy, then sit them on the sofa next to me rather than on my lap, and leave the veggies on my knee to entice them over?
As you can imagine, I'm really wanting them to love me as much as I do them, and enjoy being with me, but I will try and be patient!
 
I would have them both on your knee in a cosy or under a fleece as guinea pigs feel safer when hiding. It is when they take food from you that feels like such an achievement as it shows trust.
 
I have tried that, piggyfan, but they scramble over one another to get to the bottom of the cozy and away from me and I don't want them to hurt each other through stress...?
 
When you give your piggies run time, why not cover some of the run with fleece or beach towel to give them a feeling of security. Some piggies are very nervous, but with patience and persistence, they all come round. It takes time, however - 2 weeks is not very long. You don't feel like telling a new head teacher your deepest secrets after just two weeks in office, do you? Trust and confidence grow slowly, but surely - only it is a nearly imperceptive process until the day when you suddenly see a huge step forward!
 
Hi it took us over six months for our boars to trust us as they had been overlooked in the pet shop for quite a while what with them being albinos, my advice would be to interact with them as much as possible and have Patience, two weeks is no time at all. Ours even respond to basic commands now. Good luck.
 
Thanks everybody for the encouraging replies - I think I just need to give the girls time to learn that I love them and won't hurt them. When it comes to floor time today, I will try covering an area to make it 'safer' for them and will just read so they think I am not just sitting staring at them. As for lap-time - I think I will try the cozy on my lap again and maybe lie on the sofa instead of sitting so I'm not so big and scary in their eyes...
I will keep you all updated, and please let me know if you think of anything which might help! :)
 
Ignoring and pretending you aren't interested in them -a bit of reverse psychology- often does the trick, but you really do have to be patient and build up your bond with them. Good luck
 
My boys are brave enough to take food out my hand. Has soon as I move they leg it lol
I've had them for nearly a year.
I just sit and talk to them. Or dangle irresistible food by them hehe
 
Bribery works, along with lots of patience. Keep a really high value food treat exclusively for when they're interacting with you whether it's during lap time or for taking out of your hands from a cage/floor time.

I've had my little Telford for just over three weeks now, and have been doing daily lap time since the day after he arrived. Two days ago he relaxed enough to eat a small amount of parsley and have a mini 'face wash' whilst I studiously ignored him and watched TV. A small success, but a great one. I think routine also helps. Pigs are creatures of habit - they like their daily schedule.
 
Tewdric said:
Bribery works, along with lots of patience. Keep a really high value food treat exclusively for when they're interacting with you whether it's during lap time or for taking out of your hands from a cage/floor time.

I've had my little Telford for just over three weeks now, and have been doing daily lap time since the day after he arrived. Two days ago he relaxed enough to eat a small amount of parsley and have a mini 'face wash' whilst I studiously ignored him and watched TV. A small success, but a great one. I think routine also helps. Pigs are creatures of habit - they like their daily schedule.
Click to expand...

Great news, Telford is a cool name :)
 
I know the feeling Maple use to be a non lap pig but because she had to have medication given to her she's chilled out and I can now stroke her and she doesn't run away like she use to. She just kicks and slaps now :P Pecan use to be easy to handle but alas she has changed and I can barely touch her. Brilliant to cuddle they both are but she's a pain. Same with Rammy... She tends to zone out sometimes so that's when I get my chance but once caught she's lovely. Lucky skittish but a great cuddle and Patch... Yes Patch she's a work in progress such a squirmy little thing! Give it time you'll get there. Maybe look into some fleece blankets or cuddle sacks so they feel more secure!
 
Well, progress was seen last night! I took Ebony out first, after picking her up in a cozy. She, as usual, wriggled to the bottom of the cozy and wouldn't come out no matter what type of treat I offered. Then I took Ivory out after managing to catch her in my hands. Once off the floor, she doesn't struggle. Instead of putting her on my lap like I do normally, I sat with her against my chest where she stayed for 20 MINUTES without wriggling. After about 15 mins, she pulled her little legs underneath her and put her head down against my chest. I took this little action as a movement of relaxation, i.e., she was not just staying still through being terrified?
I plan on trying the same with each of them this evening, even if it means lifting them in a cozy and taking them out of it once I am sitting...
Was so wonderful just having a snuggle and being able to stroke her :):):):):):):):):):):):):)
 
Chuffed for you! Well done. You are doing so well.

Bet it was a lovely feeling :)
 
Last night, I managed to get them both out separately without the use of a cozy (I would prefer to keep picking them up with my hands as it will be better for them if they need to go to the vet etc), and they BOTH settled against my chest for about 20 mins each with me sitting stroking their heads and backs. All pooping/weeing during cuddle time has stopped. So nice to be able to cuddle my piggies without having to worry that they will try to get away.
Question: when I pick up my piggies (or go to put them back in the cage), they are wriggly and sometimes difficult to hold - does it get easier to hold them as they get bigger?
 
What wonderful news! In my experience they hate being picked up and will always run away. I have had Amelia Jane for five years and she still runs away even though I hold her everyday!
 
I expect they will always be wriggly - but when they are bigger (currently they are only 15 weeks old) are they easier to hold because of their bigger size?
 
I don't feel so bad now, seeing as it takes work to get them to be held. One will settle down when she knows she isn't going to get her way, Sandy. The other, Carmel, gave her first purr today, but when second holding time came, it was scramble to get away. I haven't moved to lap time yet, just chest holds as they've been here only six days. Holding is an achievement, so we I got groomed yesterday and a purr today, I know it's getting better.
 
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