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DanBarn19

DanBarn19

New Born Pup
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Hi
me and my partner have recently rescued two 10month old guinea pig boys, both very nervy and unsure of us.
There’s so many questions we have about grooming, human contact and water drinking.
It would be amazing if anyone had some time to speak to me and help me out with a few things.
Thank you
Dan
 
Hi Dan, welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask any questions at all. It's how we all learn
 
So I guess my first question is how often does everyone handle they’re Guinean pigs, we’ve been told so many different things but our two boys are so so scared if we even attempt to pick them up.
if I’m sat in there run they’ll come too me and be completely fine but any attempt to pick up and they’re gone haha.
 
DanBarn19 said:
So I guess my first question is how often does everyone handle they’re Guinean pigs, we’ve been told so many different things but our two boys are so so scared if we even attempt to pick them up.
if I’m sat in there run they’ll come too me and be completely fine but any attempt to pick up and they’re gone haha.
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Most guinea pigs don’t like being picked up, as prey animals their default position is fear.
I’ve had mine two years and they still don’t like being picked up. For that reason, I only pick my piggies up to carry out their health checks. They do not tolerate a sit down and be cuddled session! The best thing if you need to handle them is to herd them into a snuggle sack or pet carrier and then pick them up out of that.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Most guinea pigs don’t like being picked up, as prey animals their default position is fear.
I’ve had mine two years and they still don’t like being picked up. For that reason, I only pick my piggies up to carry out their health checks. They do not tolerate a sit down and be cuddled session! The best thing if you need to handle them is to herd them into a snuggle sack or pet carrier and then pick them up out of that.
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Oh really, one thing I read online said make sure you handle them daily and stroke them and I thought that can only traumatise them constantly being picked up.
Another thing we are worried about is the grooming. Nail cutting seems like such a scary thought with especially as one has completely black claws so can’t see at all.
and the long hair we have gets brushed then is instantly a mess whenback in cage
 
Welcome to you and your boys. Give them time to settle. I’d say a Week. Then you can start offering them food by hand. Next step is trying to stroke them.

Try not to act ‘predatory’. When coming near where they are, start talking. Also talk to them even if you’re not dealing with them. When you offer them something, maybe find a word or phrase to associate with it. For example, when topping their hay up I say ‘muddo’ (translates as hay/grass). The boys will now get excited each time they hear that word. They will learn to recognise your voice and ‘prompts’. Even your footsteps!

Start weighing and doing the health check weekly. How often you pick them up is up to them. Not all like or tolerate laptime.

With regards nails, you can do a little every now and then. If you do accidentally cut the quick you can dip in cornflour your help stem the flow.

We’d love to see some pigtures ☺️
 
DanBarn19 said:
Oh really, one thing I read online said make sure you handle them daily and stroke them and I thought that can only traumatise them constantly being picked up.
Another thing we are worried about is the grooming. Nail cutting seems like such a scary thought with especially as one has completely black claws so can’t see at all.
and the long hair we have gets brushed then is instantly a mess whenback in cage
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The important thing is to take it at their pace and gain their trust. Absolutely try to handle them as much as they will allow, some will be absolutely fine, but some wont

I’ve got a long haired piggy and black claws - it’s not easy but practice helps. Only take a little off at a time. Do you think their nails need doing now? Ordinarily I’d say get your vet to show you how to do it for the first few times but given the situation, they are unlikely see you for nail clipping
 
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Siikibam said:
Welcome to you and your boys. Give them time to settle. I’d say a Week. Then you can start offering them food by hand. Next step is trying to stroke them.

Try not to act ‘predatory’. When coming near where they are, start talking. Also talk to them even if you’re not dealing with them. When you offer them something, maybe find a word or phrase to associate with it. For example, when topping their hay up I say ‘muddo’ (translates as hay/grass). The boys will now get excited each time they hear that word. They will learn to recognise your voice and ‘prompts’. Even your footsteps!

Start weighing and doing the health check weekly. How often you pick them up is up to them. Not all like or tolerate laptime.

With regards nails, you can do a little every now and then. If you do accidentally cut the quick you can dip in cornflour your help stem the flow.

We’d love to see some pigtures ☺
Click to expand...
Thank you
Every bit of advise is great, I’m starting to think I was over thinking the situation as they’re already very happy to be hand fed, they already know the time and noise of us coming to feed them.
Thank you for the claw cutting tip we will try a small bit first and go from there, we have a trip to the vets tomorrow morning so I was planning on asking them if our boys claws were a good length.
 
Each pig is so different. I have three - Beatrice loves coming to sit with me and being nosey and exploring what's in my hoodie. Pepper couldn't care less whether she's sitting with me or not and Merry is terrified and squeals if I even try to take him anywhere away from his cage and his wives. But they definitely learn to recognise words -they all go crazy if I say lettuce!
 
Zanzan said:
Each pig is so different. I have three - Beatrice loves coming to sit with me and being nosey and exploring what's in my hoodie. Pepper couldn't care less whether she's sitting with me or not and Merry is terrified and squeals if I even try to take him anywhere away from his cage and his wives. But they definitely learn to recognise words -they all go crazy if I say lettuce!
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Our two now recognise the sound of our door opening and the tub we keep some veg in.
Ours both seem to make a Constant squeak when being held and stroked which I can’t tel if it’s a bad scared noise or a content noise 🤦🏽‍♂️.
 
DanBarn19 said:
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I love that hair!

Tbh I think with long haired pigs the grooming is important so their hair doesn't get matted or tangled. I have a long haired girly pig, I know where you're coming from! Even if they get messy as in untidy as soon as you put them down, that's fine. Just make sure they don't get shavings stuck in their hair. Some people trim long haired pigs just to keep them clean or more manageable. I'm sure there are links here somewhere on the forum.
 
I try to keep my long haired boy trimmed so his hair doesn’t touch the ground all the way round him, and then taking it a bit shorter still around his bottom
 
Piggies&buns said:
I try to keep my long haired boy trimmed so his hair doesn’t touch the ground all the way round him, and then taking it a bit shorter still around his bottom
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Ahh right okay, we need to get some hair scissors so we cut have a little trim as his is a little too long at the moment, also he can to us with a small knot/matt by his back leg that we have struggled to get out, again I was thinking of asking the vet tomorrow to help with this one and we can maintain him better than previous owner.
 
I have always found the way to a piggies heart and to “tame” them is every time you go to them always have a tiny morsel of grass/dandelion leaf/herb/ or veg and make them take it from your hand. This has always worked for all the piggies I’ve ever had and chickens too! Your piggies are gorgeous x
 
Bill & Ted said:
I have always found the way to a piggies heart and to “tame” them is every time you go to them always have a tiny morsel of grass/dandelion leaf/herb/ or veg and make them take it from your hand. This has always worked for all the piggies I’ve ever had and chickens too! Your piggies are gorgeous x
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The way to a piggy's heart is by bribery with food!
 
Bill & Ted said:
I have always found the way to a piggies heart and to “tame” them is every time you go to them always have a tiny morsel of grass/dandelion leaf/herb/ or veg and make them take it from your hand. This has always worked for all the piggies I’ve ever had and chickens too! Your piggies are gorgeous x
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Thank you 😊

I think I’ve realised now that our long hair really needs a haircut after reading the guide on it, maybe that’s why he looks a bit scruffy at the moment, will attempt a trim if we can keep him calm and still 😊
 
Ooh look at his coiffure! :wub: It's good if they're already eating from your hand!
 
Were they living outside when you got them? Be aware that the temperature is still a little low at night if they've been used to living indoors.

How old are they? (Sorry I can't remember if you mentioned it 😬) Boys can be more territorial and need more space than two sows or a sow/boar pairing. So the cage has to be at least 150x60cm on one floor. If you can go bigger then even better. Of the cages I've seen, I don't recall if that one is the recommended minimum size. You also need two of everything - bowl, hay station, hides (I would say more than 2) and bottle.

I'm sure they will get a clean bill of health from the vet tomorrow. You're welcome to start a thread for their photos. Lots of members here do that :)
 
Welcome to the forum.
Your piggies are gorgeous.
I have one with crazy fur too - she looks quite similar to yours.
Hope we will see lots more pics of them.
Enjoy the forum
 
Siikibam said:
Were they living outside when you got them? Be aware that the temperature is still a little low at night if they've been used to living indoors.

How old are they? (Sorry I can't remember if you mentioned it 😬) Boys can be more territorial and need more space than two sows or a sow/boar pairing. So the cage has to be at least 150x60cm on one floor. If you can go bigger then even better. Of the cages I've seen, I don't recall if that one is the recommended minimum size. You also need two of everything - bowl, hay station, hides (I would say more than 2) and bottle.

I'm sure they will get a clean bill of health from the vet tomorrow. You're welcome to start a thread for their photos. Lots of members here do that :)
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They are 10months old, yeah they were living outside before too, we have made sure to put a lot of hay in there especially around the houses, luckily we have been putting two of everything in already food and water and hay we didn’t know this but did just incase as one clearly always get first pick.
This hutch is 165cm x 74cm each floor and then we open the doors so they come out too.
 

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I have a crazy haired one too! This is Posh, (she reminds me of a mini Yak) Ginger and Ted in the middle!
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For information, as ground roaming creatures, their cage needs to meet size requirements on the ground floor and Upper levels are bonus spaces only so do not increase or count towards the total cage size. Ie having an upper level doesn’t double their total amount of floor space.
At those measurements, your cage is a good size for them.
 
DanBarn19 said:
They are 10months old, yeah they were living outside before too, we have made sure to put a lot of hay in there especially around the houses, luckily we have been putting two of everything in already food and water and hay we didn’t know this but did just incase as one clearly always get first pick.
This hutch is 165cm x 74cm each floor and then we open the doors so they come out too.
Click to expand...
That's a good size for them. You're obviously on the ball already, great going! If you're interested, my piggies are on this thread. I got the boars first - despite being put off them, they kind of chose me when I saw them :wub: The girls came home 14 months later :D
 
In terms of handling. When I worked part time and lived on my own and had them indoors I would handle daily. When I moved house and they had to move outdoors plus I was working full time it was less frequent. Now I have a 7 week old baby as well as a 1 year old puppy they don't get handled all that often. Once a week as a minimum for their health check, nail cutting, hair cuts and weigh depending on what they need. Two of my sows are not fans of humans and not keen on being held though they will tolerate it for short periods so I like to leave them where they are more comfortable. My neutered male changes his mind each day so if he doesn't start screaming like a drama queen he will have some extra cuddles. Daisy is the most confident and loves human attention so she gets the most cuddles.
 
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