My New Piggies

[GuineaGirlie]

Hi! So, I adopted two female guinea pigs on the 15th March, and since then I've been working on taming them and stuff, but I'm not having much luck so far.

From the place I got them, where they were "Free to a good home" the lady owned a farm and had many many many other guinea pigs, so I'm not really sure if they've had a great past. They are sisters and littermates and are 18 months old. They will come up to me and eat out of my hand, I can get my hand right up close to them, but as soon as I touch either one of them a little, they freak and run away.

In their cage, when I touch either one they will either run into the tube or the yellow house.

They do wheek when I'm there, but not nearly as much as they do when I'm not. What can I do to earn my piggies trust and be able to pet them? Truffles eating a carrot from me

Truffles (left) and Nutmeg (right) eating some grass and clover from my hand

They seem rather comfortable around me but I just can't pet them Any suggestions?

 

[Azi]

I started touching their noses/heads right before I handed them food, they were so excited they didn't care. Now they're so used to it that I can stroke them when they're eating. If I don't have food they will sometimes run away and won't let me pet them (except for my fearless dominant girl, she doesn't really care). The one who is most fussy about me touching her is actually the one who enjoys being petted when I hold her the most! That has worked for me anyway, good luck with them

 

[madguinealady]

You are off to a good start .Took my first lot weeks before they would take from my hand.Still won't let me pick them up without a chase but if I am in the cage with food they will eat right next to me

 

[sport_billy]

Aren't the gorgeous

It sounds like you are doing excellent 2 weeks in and you are getting them to take food from your hand well done!

Piggies will often run away when you try to touch them, some never change but over time you may find you can get a stroke in in the cage. Two of our girls will let you fuss them in the cage 2 won't.. It's early days keep doing what you are doing as you are making really good progress.

Here is a link you may find useful https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/

 

[Dcfc1988]

Gorgeous piggies

Sounds like they are settling in well - I'm finding out that it takes great patience to get close to your pigs but then something happens that makes it all so worth it!

The first time they run to you or respond when you walk into the room... or the first petting in the cage is the best feeling ever

 

[GuineaGirlie]

Haha thanks for all the lovely comments x

I'll try giving them a tiny touch before feeding or treat time, see if that helps They started eating from my hand really early on, mainly just poking their heads out of their yellow house but now they come out into the open which is lovely. I'm just trying to get them tame the same kind of way I did with my bunnies, I've owned rabbbits for literally half my life but these are my first guinea pigs, I didn't quite realise how different they are!

And thanks sport_billy that link is really quite useful

I'm also trying to get my piggies used to other people being around, as they live in my shaded conservatory area and the only other thing around all day is a dopey rabbit. I'm having a little party this weekend with a couple of my friends, no doubt they're going to want to fuss around and coo at the piggies, but I don't want them to scare them!

Anyways thank you Azi I shall try that tip x

 

[Wiebke]

Be patient and persistent with your girls! And use their favourite veg to lure them into interaction with you. Praise them lots!

You may want use an underlay of newspaper under the shaving. that makes cleaning our a lot easier, and gives them better grip. I would also use a layer of hay on top. For the long term, you can have a look round our housing section for alternative cage and bedding ideas.

You may also find our veg thread helpful to find new things they like to eat! They are two gorgeous teddy girls.
A good diet consists of:
- unlimited hay (should make up to 80% of the daily food intake), this is for gut and general health and very importantly to keep the crucial back teeth ground down
- 1 cupful/ca. 50g of mixed veg per piggy per day in as many servings as you like. make sure that you include one high vitamin C herb or veg daily, either a sprig of fresh coriander/cilantro, parsley, dill, mint or basil or a cunk of stem or floret of broccoli or a slice of pepper of any colour (which mine get daily). Please rotate. Give fruit (including tomato) only twice weekly. Most things are best fed about 2-3 weekly and everything in moderation.
- Please feed pellets, not muesli. As they are fully grown, about half to one handful per piggy per day is enough.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...veg-and-fruit-list-with-vitamin-c-grading.42/

 

[madguinealady]

just noticed the photos. STunning piggies

 

[GuineaGirlie]

just noticed the photos. STunning piggies

Haha thankyou <3 I saw the advert for them and I offered them a home almost without thinking they're so gorgeous. Truthfully I was looking for a new rabbit but these girls were just so lovely I simply had to rehome them

 

[madguinealady]

thats how i ended up with pebbles and fizz. Saw them on preloved and fell in love instantly so begged a lift off a woman i know and went and got them.Fizz (the piggy in my avatar) is no longer with us but pebbles is head pig of a group of six.Actually paid for them but had to have them. Woman decided too much work to look after them and wanted to concentrate on her 4 dogs.