New addition very nervous

  • Thread starter Thread starter dkcrooby
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dkcrooby

Hi, I need some advice.
After doing a lot of research my wife and I decided that we would like to get my son Luke a guinea. We now have the hutch and built on a run, and Flapjack is just lovely but a little lonely at night ( and we thought during school too)...so we just purchased another from someone in adtrader. Flapjack is a boar, the new one (4 weeks older, yet smaller) is also a boar because we didn't want a colony.
Flapjack is very inquisitive about the new arrival, however, Snowy (it's an albino) is very nervous, and starts nervous squeaking if Flapjack gets too close, and will actually turn to nip if feeling too threatened! Flapjack is not aggressive just nosey.
I was told that Snowy was also nipped a few times by others as he is quieter (evidence of which is on the tips of each ear). I do feel he is a bit more subdued, scrawnier and more defensive than he should be. I did feel that we would be bringing him to a better situation than I found him in.

Have I made a mistake, should I have left well alone? Will things improve and can I help it along?
 
Awww I am sure he will get better given time and lots of patience and cuddles from you guys. Get him used to being handled (always supervise your son if he is young as guinea pigs are very wriggly and can easily be dropped) and hand feed him his favourite treat every day if possible. Of course don't leave flapjack out! Let us know how you get on and pics pleeeeese O0
 
le, If they are not getting on very well, a way to make them friends, i was told, is to give them a bath with each other, and then they will smell the same, while you are giving them a bath, get some1 else to clean out the hutch and to make it smell different and move all the toys or whatever you have in the hutch in a new position. When you have dried them, in all the freight of having a bath they should be pleased to have each other as company.
 
Thanks very much for the advise, yes, I agree...plenty of couch time, and we will definitely do the clean out as suggested. Will keep you updated.
Craig
 
my guinea pig was reallt timmard but when he had a new friend he came out of himself and is really happy :smitten:
 
just remember if they have a bath, to blow dry them thoroughly before putting them back in the hutch, they can catch colds really easily and you don't want that. hope they bond together soon. ;)
 
Well what can I say, they have hit it off! Flapjack has become the (friendly) dominant while Snowy twitters occasionally as if saying 'OK, I know you are the boss'. They both sleep together and eat together and have a tug-of-war over single greens even when there is more about.
 
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