New rescue piggy - terrified

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Well we've adopted a new little girl, she's beautiful and very sweet. However she is terrified of us and of the other piggies I have. I suspect she was kept on her own with no contact with other people or piggies.

She was introduced to my piggies and sometimes she behaves like she should but in the end whenever one of mine came into her eye view she chattered her teeth ALOT and if they got too close lunged at them and chased them. She has bitten me too which has never happened in the 20 odd yrs I've had piggies but I don't care.

I'm not going to send her back, she'll be back to square one and its not her fault. Once I'm holding her she calms down but often tries to curl up and hide her little face and her body is soooo tense. We're keeping her in a separate large pet carrier which is on the floor of the piggies cage so she can still see them but they are all safe. (I have an open plan shed) WE're about to get the indoor cage we have for very cold winters and set her up in that. I'm determined to make her a happy calm pig and even if she never takes to my other girls she'll always have a home here.

Any advice welcome
 
well done for sticking with her, just give her time she will know shes loved and your not going to hurt her she will get there it just takes time with rescue piggies, shes lucky shes gone to live with you;)
 
does little piggy have a name? poor thing. it's a good thing she came to you xx
 
Hi

Thanks for kind replies, I didn't name her yesterday but I have been thinking of a few. Will let you know later and I'll post a piccie!
 
How lovely that she is now with someone who won't give up on her and won't let her down.

Maybe that's all she's been used to up until now.

It's hard for humans and animals to learn trust... I hope in time she realises you're on her side and nothing she does will stop you loving her.

Good luck :)
 
You're doing just the right thing for her. The indoor cage will give herthe chance to learn how to interact with other piggies but in a safe way. I would suggest putting a towel on top of the cage so that she feels she is in a more closed in environment as large open spaces can increase their anxiety at this stage.
On a positive note, I have fostered a few pigs that had previously had no piggy company. After a few weeks of interacting with my pigs through the bars, they have all gone on to be paired up with another pig and find a new home. I have one girl in my own herd. Biddy had previously lived with a rabbit and just didn't know how to talk piggy. She lived separately to my pigs for a while and, although the bonding was a little hairy (luckily my neutered boar was very patient with her), she managed to join the group. The next 2 weeks were a bit tense at times but she is now very much part of the group.
Good luck with your girl. x
 
how lovely you are being so kind and patient with her! i am sure given time she will come round, and you will feel so good about yourself that you stuck with her.
 
Give her more time to settle down and get used to other piggies. Some piggies have been separated very early, kept alone or stuck with a rabbit and are not at all used to company. It can take a lot of patience and persistence to bring them out; and with a very few you may find that they just don't get along with a group of others.

You are doing all the right things!
 
Her name may become Mouse! but I wanted a pretty name so will see, Mouse or Willow. I think she is already starting to trust me...I was lying on my bed with her and mom came in to fuss her and she ran over to me and pressed up against my chest! I've moved her into the large 'indoor' cage we have so she has a lot more space - I'll go up and put a towel over the cage too - she's got a tunnel too.

I don't think she's even seen grass as she didn't know to eat it at first...poor little girl

Anyone kind enough to tell me how to upload a piccie of her? thanks
 
Mouse.jpg
 
She is so gorgeous x) My first piggy Spike was very scared when we first got him to the point where he wouldnt eat :( my dad really came to the rescue gave him loads of cuddles and got him eating out of his hand and he became such a friendly little guy once he knew we could be trusted. Probably the friendliest guinea pig I've owned (not that my others arent lovely :P but none quite had the sweetness of little Spike)
So just keep at it with your girl and I'm sure she'll come around. Nice to hear she's already starting to trust you. :) Best of luck getting her to come out of her shell.
 
Aw, hellooo Mouse :)p
She will learn to trust you - we've all had piggies who we think are never going to like us :)) but it can take months.
Keep talking, handling her gently, treat her like a new baby and she'll repay you.
We fetched three little sows last week who had been kept outside, zero human contact grrrr - still nervous but are trusting us a little more. They don't wheek when the fridge door opens or go crazy at plastic bags rustling :... like my other piggies but within a week, they have starting coming to the front of the pen to have a peek and let me give them little fusses - slow and often is my plan to win them around.
It all takes time and you have lots of experience so go with the flow :))
 
aww what a gorgeous piggie, she is lucky to have you xx
 
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