Guinea pigs hate me

F

Figandplum

New Born Pup
Joined
Jan 5, 2024
Messages
2
Reaction score
3
Points
55
Location
Minnesota
So I got my pigs summer of 2022 and have kept them in a Midwest cage. The guinea pigs are both intact females named fig and plum and I have been wondering why they don't like me/how do I make them like me? I or my mom have cleaned their cage every day and take them out of cage to either sit in lap or be held and they always hate it and either sit still or just run away.
I want them to love me and I don't want to give up on them. They also never come to me and always run away from me. I would really like answers as I do care for these little hogs
 
Settling In And Making Friends With Guinea Pigs - A Guide

The above links has guides to making friends and guinea pig prey animal behaviours.
The way your ginea pigs are behaving sounds normal. In my experience most guinea pigs don't like cuddles or lap time. I get a lot of enjoyment watching my guineas interact with each other at floor time or in their cages.
 
Hello Figandplum it’s normal piggy behaviour - because they are prey animals they instinctively run away , hide or stay still.
I found that with gentle perseverance my two are happy to take food from me. I’ve had my boys for nearly three years and they still run away from me , they don’t like lap time much but will happily take food from me and will just about tolerate nail clipping !
This guide might help
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
 
Sadly guinea pigs are not generally the snuggly, cuddly pets that they are often misperceived as being. Some never get to like being handled I'm afraid. They are however enjoyable to watch.
 
Figandplum said:
So I got my pigs summer of 2022 and have kept them in a Midwest cage. The guinea pigs are both intact females named fig and plum and I have been wondering why they don't like me/how do I make them like me? I or my mom have cleaned their cage every day and take them out of cage to either sit in lap or be held and they always hate it and either sit still or just run away.
I want them to love me and I don't want to give up on them. They also never come to me and always run away from me. I would really like answers as I do care for these little hogs
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

You have to be aware that all the cute videos are driven by what humans want to see and not by the reality. Who wants to post a picture of their piggies not interested in lap time and definitely not keen on being handled - yet the majority of piggies usually has enough after 5-10 minutes and would rather you interacted with them in ways that allow them the freedom to draw you into their world to build a bond that relies on mutual respect and the sharing of activities that benefit both sides. When you notice that they trust you implicitly (even a guinea pig that doesn't like much being handled), it is a very special moment because that trust is freely given.
PS: You still need to weigh, health check and groom all your piggies once weekly.

You may find these links here helpful and thought provoking:
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs (ideas for how to have shared fun without handling)
New Guinea Pigs: How to Best Manage Arrival and Settling In

You may want to bookmark this link to our new owners information bundle. All the above links are included but you can also find practical guides on regular weighing, what to check in a body onceover, how to spot early signs of illness and lots more.
Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners
 
My girls are 3 months old and a 5 year old. The 3 month olds are so jumpy and skittish and I don't know whether they're happy, but I hope they are. I know Trix is happy, and probably Nala, but Demonic and Crazy are just guessing games.
 
Another note that I would add is that your feelings are telegraphed through your handling, so if you're nervous and worrying about whether they will jump or run, the piggy is going to want to jump and run because you are giving off a mood that tells them there is a reason for that. Relaxing won't make them relax and enjoy the lap time, but tension will breed tension.
 
If they get floor time an enjoyable alternative to lap time is letting them climb on you. My piggies took to this very quickly with a blanket on my legs and a little bit of bribery. I love it when they climb on me.IMG20230619191017.webp
 
I have 5 guinea pigs. 2 do not like being handled by me but will climb into their snuggle tunnel and tolerate me lifting this onto my lap for snacks. Nail clipping therefore, is tricky. The other 3 are fine with lap time and one of them will sit on my arm for around 15 minutes. They are all different personalities and its fun getting to know them, watching them interact with each other and learning their 'little ways'. Please do not despair and give up on them. just read the guides on this forum and hopefully they will help you get to know your beautiful piggies and enjoy watching them.
Best wishes
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top