Handling & Bonding

[Mel&Soph]

We have had our two girls for a couple of weeks. They have settled in well. However, when it comes to handling them the one is skittish but the other leads a merry dance. Worried they will get frightened. Any ideas of how to win them over without having the chase!

 

[rosie and bramble]

They are just showing that they have different personalities, it is totally natural for guinea pigs to run away due to been prey animals, they may get better with time. You could try hand feeding them with veggies which may help.

 

[Mel&Soph]

Thank you for advice

 

[Mother Hubbard]

We have had our two girls for a couple of weeks. They have settled in well. However, when it comes to handling them the one is skittish but the other leads a merry dance. Worried they will get frightened. Any ideas of how to win them over without having the chase!

Don't worry, it takes plenty of time and patience. Some take longer than others.
If when you enter the room or go near their hutch, I recommend using the same voice, noise and words so they know what's coming....I.e. Food! And they will recognise thats a good thing.

I would also suggest doing lap time on an increasing basis, and always with bits of their favourite food as well.
Took my foster boys 8 months to come upto the bars of the cage asking for food, they finally got the message and used to the regular time of events.

 

[Tamz]

I have the same thing with my two; One is very skittish and sprints around the hutch, I usually wait for her to go in a tube and pick it up with her inside (although not sure that is right thing to do!). When she has lep time she stays very still. The other one, although also difficult to catch, seems very inquisitive and will scamper about all over you. Both my fiancé and my little boy say they have been bitten by her, and both said it really hurt, though she didn't break the skin. She was sniffing their fingers both times and wasn't being held, but it makes me a bit nervous picking her up - those teeth look sharp! Any advice greatly appreciated. Also, I think she might be in a power tussle with her cage mate - lots of rumbling, bum sniffing and food snatching!