How to stop them being so scared of me 😞

[Flossieteacake]

I have 2 month old boys that are still petrified of me and hate being handled
They live out in a hutch then go out into a 6x6ft grass run every day with various hides/ tunnels. I sit quietly then talk to them, I’ve done this for at least 2 hours a day in short sessions. I have tried hand feeding but they are too scared.
I do pick them up for a cuddle when I take them to the run and back. I’ve tried giving them a snack during a cuddle but I think they are frozen with fear

What am I doing wrong? Will they ever let me stroke them? Should I persist with cuddles or minimise this as it’s maybe too scary? They do have a fleece sac I tend to get them to run in and pick them up in as seems a less stressful way to catch them.

 

[anyar.dris]

Hi! Welcome to the forum.

Guinea pigs are prey animals and as basic, they will always be wary of their surroundings and are not cuddly most of the time, contrary to what a lot perceived.

I have had guinea pigs past and present that would always run away from me as soon as they hear my voice in the morning, even if they have been living with us for a long time. I have had piggies that will let me pet them or even no bother picking them up at all. My current piggy Whitney always runs away from me but when I pick her up, she allows me to cuddle her and not scared. Bryce would allow me to pet him at times but not for a long time and not always.

What I can advise is just continue being in their presence. Associate yourself as someone who brings food and treats to them coz sometimes this will let them know you bring them something good. My current piggies know whenever I give them food and treats coz they go where I put it. The safest way too of picking them up when you need to (like for weighing or cutting nails, etc.) is by letting them go in a cuddle sack or the like. But always take note that this won't always make them accept your cuddles and such.

 

[piggieminder]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
You have been given lots of good advice above. I am adding a link below to guide you may find useful. You are doing nothing wrong, piggies can take a long time to settle, some never like being cuddled. I have a group of those myself!

Helpful Info Collections for Wannabes & Owners

 

[Piggies&buns]

I can only agree with the others. You are not doing anything wrong, they are behaving exactly as most piggies do.
The important thing is to follow their lead, take it at their pace and have patience.

I have four piggies.

My two 5 year old boys have been with me since they were 4 months old. Dex trusted much more quickly and took food from me after being with me for six weeks and from then on was then very happy to be around me and will seek me out when I enter their shed, will come to me looking for food etc. As with most piggies, he does not like being picked up and I have to herd him into a box and then pick him up. Once he is in my arms he is relaxed and calm and I can do nail clipping, weight and health checks (hair cutting is not so successful because it takes longer and he loses his patience with me!) but he isn’t keen and it’s more that he tolerates it. I don’t pick him up just to be cuddled and he isn’t fond of it. What I cannot do is stroke him while he is just sitting in the hutch - he will come to me, sniff my hand but then runs away if I try to touch him.
His cage mate, Popcorn, took 18 months before he took food from me for the first time. It was a long road to gain his trust and I never thought we would get there. With everything else he is the same as Dex - happy to be around me, looks for me etc but he is more shy and while I do hold him for the nail clipping/weight/health checks, his tolerance is much less and he is a bit less relaxed. He tends to scream when I first pick him up and also does not like being touched while in the hutch.

My other two boys are now 9 months old and are very confident. They both took food from me from day 1. They will let me stroke then while they are in their cages. Wilbur doesn’t mind a cuddle but he will let me know when he has had enough. Hugo, who initially, didn’t mind being picked up and have a cuddle now struggles almost immediately when he is in my arms and wants to get down. I can stroke him while he is in his cage but it’s more on his terms.
However the struggling and wanting to get down is a very good sign! It means they are confident and feel safe enough to tell me that they don’t like it. Piggies who sit still are often the most scared and are too afraid to move for fear of being eaten.