Nervous Guinea pig

[Ellaax]

Hi everyone,

Unfortunately our older Guinea pig died this weekend so we decided to adopt a new piggy, Winnie. She is a year old and clearly hasn’t been handled enough so whenever I try to get her out she runs out of the crate and underneath(she is incredibly fast.) They live outside so it really isn’t ideal. It makes me afraid to get her out in case she does it again and we don’t manage to grab her. She is very nervous and skittish at the moment. can anyone help me?

 

[Siikibam]

I am sorry for your loss.

What you could try is to get her used to being herded into a box/carrier or something similar. That way you’re not picking her up with your hands. The majority of piggies don’t like that anyway, it cuts too close to their prey instinct. So her running away is entirely normal.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

Unfortunately our older Guinea pig died this weekend so we decided to adopt a new piggy, Winnie. She is a year old and clearly hasn’t been handled enough so whenever I try to get her out she runs out of the crate and underneath(she is incredibly fast.) They live outside so it really isn’t ideal. It makes me afraid to get her out in case she does it again and we don’t manage to grab her. She is very nervous and skittish at the moment. can anyone help me?

Hi and welcome
Most guinea pigs have had very little or no friendly human interaction and they are often traumatised. It takes some time and patience to work past them but it is always worth it. The following links look at where the piggies are coming from and how you can work around them, making best use of communicating in their own concepts so you do not have to wait until they figure out humans first. You will hopefully find the practical adivce and how-to tips very helpful. It is not an instant fix but it can speed up the process.

Please look at the tips for a hands-off safe pick up (with videos) in this link here: How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)

Understanding prey animal instincts and how to work around them: Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

 

[Ellaax]

I am sorry for your loss.

What you could try is to get her used to being herded into a box/carrier or something similar. That way you’re not picking her up with your hands. The majority of piggies don’t like that anyway, it cuts too close to their prey instinct. So her running away is entirely normal.

Thanks so much for your advice. I actually didn’t know they didn’t like getting picked up with bare hands but it makes sense when you think about it. I think I’m going to leave her a little longer to get used to her environment, smells and new friend etc then I will definitely try your suggestion. Thanks again

 

[Betsy]

When I adopted Lexi and Thea, Lexi was very nervous and the fastest piggie known to man! She was scared of everything. Thea was only just a little better. 18 months later they are now a happy and confident girls.

It took a lot of love and patience to get to this point. I started off with eveytime I approached them, I would announce myself by saying "hello piggies", "run time", "who wants breakfast" etc cos a predator is silent. I did the same things at around the same time each day so they got used to a new routine, I also hand fed them their veg every night for six months.

Neither of them like being picked up, so I've trained them to go in a hidey. They only get handled on weigh and check day and they will never really enjoy a cuddle. Thea is a little cuddle monster but only when she is in the mood, Lexi hates cuddles and always will. First of all, I had to hide Lexi in my big cardi whenever I took her out so she would feel safe.

Good luck with your new piggy, take it at her pace and she will give you back as much as you put it. It's going to be a long haul but you will get there.