How Should I Earn My Guinea Pigs Trust
- Thread starter MrCavy154
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Hi and welcome
The biggest present you can make your baby is to please get a same sex companion. Guinea pigs are group animals and not wired to be on their own. Especially babies desperately rely on company really badly, but no guinea pig is ever too old to have a new mate. Company will give your baby no amount of confidence and social security, as well as happiness and contribute to long term wellbeing and health.
Sadly far too many pet shops will still sell guinea pigs as singles and convince their customers that that is OK. Switzerland is unfortunately still the only country where it is illegal to sell and own single guinea pigs.
PS: Please sex your baby and any newcomer before introducing them. Mis-sexing in guinea pigs is sadly anything but uncommon. The safest place to get a healthy and properly sexed guinea pig from is one of our recommended rescues.
Please take the time to read our guides on how to settle, make friends with and handle your new guinea pigs, including how to understand prey animal instincts and how to use a spot of piggy whispering to make friends - we have got a whole section on that aspect!
You will find information on companionship, sexing, bonding and understanding guinea pig behaviours; settling and making friends with; basic care and housing; learning what is normal and what not in terms of illness etc. in our new owners' guide collection, which addresses the most often encountered issues by new owners with lots of practical tips and information. You should find it really helpful now and in the coming weeks, as I cannot pack it all into just one post!
Our guide collection also contains lists of recommended rescues and vets in several countries.
New Owners' Problem Solver And Information Collection
Please also start saving up for vet care right from the start. It is the most expensive part of any pet ownership. Illness and emergencies never happen at a convenient time and you do not want to be caught out considering that guinea pigs can go downhill very quickly!
Hello and welcome. Please have a read of the guides Wiebke has directed you to.
Would love to see photos.
Would love to see photos.
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Great advice from @Wiebke
We always start off after a few days by trying to hand feed a few veggy treats in the cage by offering some nice veggies to the new piggy when they are in their hidey, hopefully they will take it off you as you hold it in for them... after a while try offering it a little further from the hidey so they edge out and take it from you.
Food is the best way to bribe, use food when you get round to lap times also.
Start lap time in a few weeks for a short amount of time at first and build up. We started off we laptimes for 1 minute with new piggies then pop them back, slowly increasing the time. They will soon associate you with food and good things but at first it takes a while to gain their trust.
Could you add your location to your profile as it helps us tailor any advice if ever needed to your geographical location
We always start off after a few days by trying to hand feed a few veggy treats in the cage by offering some nice veggies to the new piggy when they are in their hidey, hopefully they will take it off you as you hold it in for them... after a while try offering it a little further from the hidey so they edge out and take it from you.
Food is the best way to bribe, use food when you get round to lap times also.
Start lap time in a few weeks for a short amount of time at first and build up. We started off we laptimes for 1 minute with new piggies then pop them back, slowly increasing the time. They will soon associate you with food and good things but at first it takes a while to gain their trust.
Could you add your location to your profile as it helps us tailor any advice if ever needed to your geographical location