Have I traumatized her?

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bbyrum2010

New Born Pup
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I just recently got 3 piggies. Two girls and 1 boy. One of the girls fell out of the cage the other day and I grabbed her the absolute wrong way without thinking, she screamed. I feel like I keep having negative experiences that scare her. Have I ruined the chance to bond with her? She won’t come out or eat when I’m in the room. She kicked the other piggie (who is also terrified) out of their plushy hide house so she could hide in the furthest corner from me when I was talking to them sitting on the bed. Made lots of squeaking noises.

I’m going to stop making them do floor time and I’m going to try to leave them alone and not even hover around their cages. But I really want to know if it’s possible Susan won’t be able to bond with me now
 
I’m sorry that Susan fell from the cage 😞 I suggest that you take her to the vets to be checked over for any internal injuries as that could explain her behaviour rather than being scared of you? Also, is your boy living in the same cage as your sows and if so, is he neutered? x
 
:agr: I would get her checked over by the vet to rule out any injuries. If boar is not neutered and not 6 full weeks post neutering then please separate and place your sows on pregnancy watch or you may have a population explosion (apologies if he’s already safely post neuter - we can’t tell from your post )
 
A visit for a check up is a good idea, in case any injuries occurred. Once this has been clarified, and if she is all Ok then you can try handling her using a snuggle sack or fleece hide to catch her and support her while holding her. Some of her favourite food should go a long way to making amends. It is important to picked them up as often as possible to check them over for weight loss, skin, teeth and ear problems, and for cleaning if they need it as well as keeping an eye on when their nails need trimming as they grow quite quickly ❤️ If she is skittish, it's better to carry her in a carrier while you are walking around.
 
Claire W said:
I’m sorry that Susan fell from the cage 😞 I suggest that you take her to the vets to be checked over for any internal injuries as that could explain her behaviour rather than being scared of you? Also, is your boy living in the same cage as your sows and if so, is he neutered? x
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No, the boy is in a separate cage and has shown zero interest in the girls

He’s also suddenly refusing to eat any veggies other than carrots. He still eats hay and pellets

Sorry I feel like I have a lot going on
 
Truffolo said:
A visit for a check up is a good idea, in case any injuries occurred. Once this has been clarified, and if she is all Ok then you can try handling her using a snuggle sack or fleece hide to catch her and support her while holding her. Some of her favourite food should go a long way to making amends. It is important to picked them up as often as possible to check them over for weight loss, skin, teeth and ear problems, and for cleaning if they need it as well as keeping an eye on when their nails need trimming as they grow quite quickly ❤️ If she is skittish, it's better to carry her in a carrier while you are walking around.
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Susan won’t let me near her. I’ve resorted to mostly leaving them alone for another week. She literally kicked Sharon out of their hidey just so she could hide further in where I couldn’t see her

Also Cosmo, the boy, is in a separate cage
 
I’m sorry to hear this.
Please do have her seen by a vet - the assumption she is injured has to come first and foremost rather than this being a trauma response. She may well be in pain and could need help.
You need to be able to weigh her every morning so you can monitor her basic health during this time is potential injury.
She may need syringe feeding is she is in any pain and isn’t eating enough hay.
I appreciate they are new and ordinarily you would leave them to settle but given the accident, that has to fall by the wayside and the medical needs have to come before her being scared.

Kicking out of hides is normal (and why all hides need to have two doors - single exit plushy hides cause problems)
How recently did you get them? It takes two weeks after moving a new homes

I assume cosmo isn’t neutered if he is in a separate cage?
Is he beside the girls so he can still talk to them through the cage bars?
Are you also weighing him routinely to monitor hay intake?
Carrot is not recommended to be in the diet as it is too high in sugar.

sport_billy

Thread 'How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)'

1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching (video and pictures)
2 Weighing (video and pictures)


1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching

This video shows you what you can train your guinea pig to do for a stress-free pick up.


Alternatively, you can use a small walk-in cardboard box for pick-up and transport. Please make sure that you cover the opening with your hand! If necessary, please cut finger holes into the cardboard box and face the opening...
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Sharon and Susan, sweet names! Guinea pigs like to have their feet on the ground, so the best way to catch and carry them is by herding them gently into a box or cosy or tunnel. Speak softly and feed them if they will take the food. Most piggies enjoy cucumber. But the vet check is very important. Catching piggies should be as gentle as possible.
 
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