I’m afraid my piggie doesn’t like me

kallieniccole

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Hi! I am a new to being a piggie owner. I’ve done loads of research and done everything right, at least I hope. But I feel like my guinea pig doesn’t like me. Her name is Beth. I got her about five days ago. I took her out of her cage for the first time yesterday. She layed in my arm but I feel like she was only letting me pet her because she was scared. After I put her back into her cage she seems a bit more shy. She never lets me pet her when she’s in her cage. She gets scared and runs to her hideout so I back off after that. When she comes out of her cage and I come in she usually runs back into her hideout. Sometimes she will stay out but not for too long, and if I get too close she also runs. We have made progress since I got her like eating in front of me, and coming out of her hideout when I’m in the room. She also instead of sitting at the back of her hideout where I can’t see her, now sits at the front where I can see her. She will not eat out of my hand whatsoever. I feel like we aren’t making any more progress and I just really want her to like me. I feel like I’m doing everything right.
 
5 days is still very early days yet, you are doing things right, by simply sitting with her. Talk around her, be nearby but not entirely still, maybe do an activity like reading or browse your phone too. Sometimes it takes learning their favourite food and then using that as a lure, but resist touching right away. We are so much larger than them and remember they are a prey species, its in their best interest to be wary of us.
Also you should consider getting her a piggie friend too, they are herd animals it would really improve her life to have a companion other than yourself.
 
thank you! I often just stand by her cage and scroll though my phone so she gets used to my presence. I always announce when I come in as well so I don’t scare her too bad. & I do plan on getting her a friend very soon! I’ve tried food but she won’t eat out of my hand at all! She doesn’t like any veggies I’ve tried either.
 
Hi! I am a new to being a piggie owner. I’ve done loads of research and done everything right, at least I hope. But I feel like my guinea pig doesn’t like me. Her name is Beth. I got her about five days ago. I took her out of her cage for the first time yesterday. She layed in my arm but I feel like she was only letting me pet her because she was scared. After I put her back into her cage she seems a bit more shy. She never lets me pet her when she’s in her cage. She gets scared and runs to her hideout so I back off after that. When she comes out of her cage and I come in she usually runs back into her hideout. Sometimes she will stay out but not for too long, and if I get too close she also runs. We have made progress since I got her like eating in front of me, and coming out of her hideout when I’m in the room. She also instead of sitting at the back of her hideout where I can’t see her, now sits at the front where I can see her. She will not eat out of my hand whatsoever. I feel like we aren’t making any more progress and I just really want her to like me. I feel like I’m doing everything right.

Hi and welcome

Please be aware that guinea pigs are prey animals that are wired to live in group and that they are not naturally born cuddly toys. Is Beth an only piggy or does she have company. Pet shop or backyard breeder piggies haven't had anything in the way of friendly human interaction before they were ripped from their family, carted to a pet shop and sold into a home where they are expected to work as an instant pet in an evironment that is not just total alien but also very frightening for them - they are in essence totally lost and separated from anypig and any territory they know.
You can read more how an arrival in a pet home looks like from the eyes of a guinea pig: Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs

The best ever present you can make your guinea pig is company of their own kind. Nothing is more reassuring and better for their long term mental health and physical wellbeing because you have your own human commitments and can't be with her 24/7 every single day of the year for the next 5-7 years of a healthy average life span.
Companionship

Please take the time to carefully read up on how prey animal instincts work and how you can speed the gradual settling in process that usually takes weeks or even months a little by speaking cavy with Beth and not wait until she has figured out 'human'.
These guides here tell you how to best settle in skittish piggies, to learn about how you can work around prey animal instincts and how you can use social interactive cavy behaviours to make friends with Beth ('piggy whispering'), invite her into your group and tell her that you love her in ways that she can relate to.
Here are the links with the detailed information and tips. It has taken me several days to write it all and I can repeat it in every post. You will find the information very helpful and interesting.
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

Please accept that trust is a tender plant that has to make deep roots first before it can grow up and flourish. You have to be patient; it is not a quick process.
If you have done a lot of your research by watching videos on social media, then you have to be aware that the selection is entirely driven by human interest and human concepts of cuteness and that it does in now way represent the reality. How many people will post videos about their new piggies hiding because they are frightened stiff being in the hands of giants that smell like predators?

You can access our full and much more extensive information for New Owners, which addresses all the most common questions and cries for help, teaches you to understand guinea pig behaviour and species needs, care for your piggies, learn what is normal and not, save up for vet care, life long health monitoring, how to spot illness early on and what to do in an emergency. You may want to bookmark the link and use it as very helpful resource. You can find all the guide links in this post in the chapter about settling in and making friends with new guinea pigs: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

All the best!
 
It really does take time. Mine were shy initially but one of them throws herself at the entrance to see me now but it took a long while before they became so brazen and confident.
You wait; spend time with them, talk to them, treat them well, give them vege treats and in time, you will be shocked at how demanding and confident they become.
 
Pedro was a bit funny with me at first, as he freaked out when I picked him up and shied away from contact, though still approached to sniff at me occasionally when out... Until I found the spot under the chin that he loved being scratched. Even after working on petting him on his back and head, he still wasn't keen on bring brushed until now.
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Yes it does take time, I have a piggie called Pedro too and the under chin is his sweet spot too now. That's him at the front and Basil behind, who is still very shy after 4mths with us. He does like to be groomed on your lap and he does happy purrs! Ps mage of mist your Pedro is super cute. Just be kind loving and patient with Beth and I'm sure you will be rewarded in time, kallieniccole . Maybe when she gets a friend that will help too. I love to see their personalities emerge!
 

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Does she have a friend? The best present you can give her is a friend if not.

Guinea pigs are prey animals so it is their natural instinct to run.

5 days isn’t long at all. My piggies will still run and hide when I enter the room and one is 5, the other around 2-3.

Just give her time to settle in and get used to her new surroundings and get her a friend if you can x
 
Welcome to the forum.

As already said, 5 days is no time at all.
I never handle new piggies for their first week, just talk to them and feed them.
It took Phoebe about 6 months before she stopped running to hide when I approached and she still hates being held after 2+ years.
 
Welcome to the forum.

As already said, 5 days is no time at all.
I never handle new piggies for their first week, just talk to them and feed them.
It took Phoebe about 6 months before she stopped running to hide when I approached and she still hates being held after 2+ years.

I handled mine so soon since they are already somewhat used to being handled and being around people, Percy especially who loves cuddles. 😛 And it wouldn't be fair to leave Pedro alone as I cuddle Percy... And Percy's cuddliness also leads to Pedro becoming cuddlier as a result, as he starts feeling left out and joins in, even though he rejected my attempt to cuddle him at first. 😆

Having a cuddly piggy used to people helps ease the concerns of the more wary and skittish piggy.
 
My rusty was the same way. He refused to come out of his house the first day and wouldn’t let me touch him for a while. For the feeding , I used long pieces of hay and then shortened them over time. I would also leave my hand in his cage without trying to pet him. With the vegetable situation, it’s mostly trial and error. For example, shadow will eat anything while rusty is very picky. Have you tried lettuce (not iceberg)? It usually works. I think your piggy will be fine though:) After a month with rusty, he’ll come and jump in my lap
 

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