My Guinea Pig Seems So Scared Of Me

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Bofa

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i just got guinea pig two days ago. And she's a 1.5 month old sow. I have her in a cage right next to me for while I study or am browsing the web on my laptop. Often I'll hear some noises and naturally look up to see what she's doing. As soon as I look up at her she abandons drinking, eating, or whatever she was doing and jolts back into her igloo. Her body language tells me she's scared of me, how can I change this? I talk to her a lot and pet her in the cage often.
 
Guinea pigs are prey animals. Their instinctive response to a strange or sudden noise or shadow is either to freeze or flee. Your girl is a very small baby, she has to learn to overcome her natural instinct to flee and to be afraid of you. You are going to have to be very patient and calm and kind. Always talk in a gentle voice before you approach her, move slowly, announcing your intention so she knows you are there are doesn't react with her "help -it's a predator coming to get me " instinct. This takes time - weeks, sometimes even months.
Make her associate you with good things. For example offer her a herb or piece of pepper (capsicum) by hand. But most of all, be patient and kind.
Is she alone? Piggies do much better in pairs than as single pets. They are less fearful when they have another piggy for company, also, does she have plenty of places to hide (houses, tunnels etc) as this will help her feel more secure.
 
Bofa said:
i just got guinea pig two days ago. And she's a 1.5 month old sow. I have her in a cage right next to me for while I study or am browsing the web on my laptop. Often I'll hear some noises and naturally look up to see what she's doing. As soon as I look up at her she abandons drinking, eating, or whatever she was doing and jolts back into her igloo. Her body language tells me she's scared of me, how can I change this? I talk to her a lot and pet her in the cage often.
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Hi! Please give your girl time to settle in; it is normal that prey animals are very skittish in new surroundings, especially little babies that are desperate for company and guidance from a companion. It is sadly a widespread misconception that guinea pigs are living cuddly toys; they aren't.

Please take the time to read through our new owners guide collection, which you may find very useful. You can find lots of tips on how to best settle in skittish guinea pigs and make friends with them by using their own body language in one of the sections.
If at all possible, please get a same sex companion! Guinea pigs are group animals, they are not wired to be on their own; they need round the clock company and stimulation of their own kind all their life long - you just cannot give her that kind of interaction with being at school or holding down a job and a social life.
" Starter Kit" Of Information Threads For New Owners
 
Okay thank you guys, I feel a lot better now. I will be patient and everything u guys said made sense. I was just worried she didn't like me and was always going to run from me. Yes she has an igloo to hide in
 
Guinea pigs are naturally prey animals and their first instinct is to run. It can take them some time to warm up (and a few days is not much time to a nervous guinea pig!) Guinea pigs also naturally live in groups, so pairing her with another sow might make her more comfortable (and happier in the long run.)

With new pigs, I would give them a few days to settle and then try to handle them a little every day- I would give them a blanket to hide under to make things less stressful for them. I would also offer them food while they sat on my lap. It didn't take them too long to get more confident.
 
My guinea pig did the same thing for the first week or so. They are not used to their surroundings so when something moves or makes a sound they don't know what it is. They will soon get used to all the sounds and movements and should no longer be scared. I actually got a new guinea pig today named Kyper and he has been in his igloo ever since I brought him home. You have nothing to worry about:D
 
if you have her next to you like you said in cage while on laptop etc., I would bring some veg pieces and lay them near you outside of cage. She'll smell them and realize it's you so she won't know to do, but they love food so it'll drive her nuts. So she'll know that your food and she may come out or not if she's not getting to eat it.
 
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