My piggy is skittish / Hiding

[mintpotatocc]

First of all - I currently only have one piggy because he didn't get along with the other but I'm looking into another friend!

1. I've had him for a month now. The first week with him, he was not skittish whatsoever. He would let me pet him whenever and stay still in my lap & not want to leave. Now, he'll bite me/try to run if I put him on my lap. What is the reason for this? The first week with him, he would lay around in the cage anywhere in the open. Now, he hides in his hideaways WAY more now and I barely ever see him.

When I tried to bond him with his son, his son would chase him into his hidie and bite his ears/body. He was always in a panic with the son but calm whenever I put him on my lap. I thought he would be less shy after rehoming the other pig but he is more shy/scared of me now. Is there a reason for this behavior shift?

2. Also, I have a litter box with hay for him. I put a box over it because I read that they like to poo/pee in the dark. But I never see him now, is it okay to have an open space litter box with no hidie over it?

Thank you all!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Is if possible that in the first week when he didn’t seem to mind being touched it was because he was too scared to move aaag, rather than actually enjoying it?

Generally, guinea pigs are not cuddly creatures so the fact he tries to run away when you go to touch him is actually completely normal for a prey animal.

He may well be more shy now because there isn’t another piggy around. Even if he didn’t get on with the son, and they couldn’t live together and they had to be in different cages, the fact that there was another piggy nearby would have meant he had another piggy to communicate with and provide company for him.

Yes it’s fine to have an open litter tray. I’m not sure preferring to pee and poop in the dark is true at all - mine do it all over the cage

 

[Siikibam]

You need to take it at his pace. If he doesn’t want stroking or picking up then leave him to it.

I’d also strongly recommend you find his friend in a rescue rather than pet shop. If the latter then you need to have a plan b - separate cages side by side so they can still communicate through the bars. Even if they can’t live together they can still live as neighbours. That is better than no company again. So if they don’t get on once again then do keep the other piggy. I’ll link to the rescue locator below. I’m assuming you’re in US because of your posting time but I’ll put both links.
Rescue Locator
Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations