Not sure if I should rehome my male piggies

[Jasminejay21]

Hi guys,
I have had Frankenstein and Beethoven for 7 months now and they are still really nervous and uncomfortable around me, I’m not sure if I should rehome them or keep trying but the only really why I say maybe rehome is because 7 months seems like a long time to not get use to an owner who hand feeds them everyday, they are very very stressed and agitated when I pick them up and put them in my lap,especially frank. He always seems like he’s about to bite me and not in a nibbles cute I want to taste you type of way. sometimes they absolutely hate being stroked by me and I just don’t want to keep stressing them out so maybe I should rehome them? I really don’t want to ‘give up’ but clearly for 7 months straight I have been doing something wrong so I don’t want to keep stressing them out, their cage is a 2x6 so they have loads of space and toys but I rarely pick them up/they don’t really have any endrichment time because they literally are so scared of me, not really sure what to do, open to any suggestions/ honesty

 

[poggle]

Honestly, it might more be a problem with expectations rather than pet care. Guinea pigs are prey animals wired to avoid being caught, and some never like being handled. They're not all the cuddly creatures they're made out to be, and it may just be that you've got two who aren't rather than anything you're doing wrong; as long as they have company of their own kind and a lovely space to live, they're quite happy.

Are they indoor or outdoor piggies? We have ours indoors and really only handle them when necessary, but still get a lot out of watching them

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. I’m sorry you feel this way. I don’t think 7 months is too long. Most piggies will never like being held or picked up. Do they run to you and take food from you when it’s veggie time? If so, this means they trust you. You’ve given them a great life. They have lots of space and each other for company. I think if you were happy to watch them interact with each other and take food from you then that is enough. They don’t really need us to “play” with them. You will need to handle them weekly to weigh them and check them over. The best way to do this is to herd them into a box or a cuddle sack. Good luck. Your piggies sound like normal piggies to me.

 

[Sweet Potato]

Spend time with them, sit by the cage, hand feed them, sit by them on the floor, chat to them, sing to them share their space. They may never want to be cuddled or held but that doesn't mean they don't like you, I mean what's not to love about a snack delivering giant. I recently lost my two boys after 6 years. It was only in the last month they actually came to me for cuddles and let me pick them up without running away. As lovely as that last bit of time was I'm greatfull for every moment I had with my boys not just the cuddles. Sometimes piggies might prefer cuddle time under a blanket or in a snuggly pouch so that's worth a try or try getting them to step onto one hand while you're hand feeding in their cage so they get used to your hand. Enjoy the process of bonding with your piggies it's one long process that will take their whole life and you've still got plenty of time.

 

[Dwarfpotato]

I've had Tico for two years. I accepted a long time ago that she was never going to be one for pets and strokes. She would take food from my hand and always came to see what I'm up to, but never ever let me touch her. But just recently she's started letting me stroke her!
In contrast, Cookie would let me stroke him within a few weeks of arriving. He loves a scritch behind the ears and completely zones out.
The wonderful thing about pigs is how unique and big their personalities are. Some pigs aren't cuddly, some pigs are. As others have said, just enjoy being with them, in whatever way they decide they want to be.

 

[Lorcan]

The goblins don't want me touching them ever. I've got cold hands and they've got no fur, it's not exactly a happy match. But when I open my bedroom door they'll come running because clearly the human can magic food out of thin air lol, and they'll get almost nose to nose with me in an attempt to leap over the bars for whatever food I might have. They're definitely not afraid of me, just of my cold hands. Other people have tried offering them food, and they come to me instead anyway. I'm the Human. I bring the food.

I've had them here about 16 months now. I know they're comfortable with me.

Comet, Jack and Jake were always good about being handled. Comet didn't like being picked up but once you had him, he was okay with it, he was good with people in general. All three were very outgoing with people. Rocco didn't like people, being handled by people, or...anything, really. Blitzen was fine with being picked up then immediately fought to be put back down again, and like Rocco he was a biter. It's just how they were. But all of them were socialised, the goblins included. Socialisation isn't just about whether they'll let you touch or handle them, it's about how they are with themselves, with the world around them, footfall traffic through the house.

 

[Roselina]

Bobby and Geoff don’t like being handled - I’m able to weigh them and clip their nails ( usually one paw at a time !) and a gentle fur brush and a health check every week
They run up to me when they hear me talking to them and always know when it’s breakfast and supper
They run up to the clear side of their c&c cage when I pass by
I have them indoors and it’s interaction for them and me
I’m ok with them not being cuddly piggies and we get along just fine

 

[Piggies&buns]

You are not doing anything wrong.
You say you hand feed them everyday - do they eat the food from your hand? If they do, then you have their trust! They would not take food from you if they are scared of you.

I have four guinea pigs.
My two older boys are now five years old and they came to me at four months old. Of these two Dexter is the most confident. He was eating out of my hand after six weeks of being with me. Popcorn, however, took a year and a half before he would even take food from me. From then on they were both much happier to be around me and wait at the bars each morning when I first enter their shed. Dexter will have a bit of a head scratch but Popcorn 9 times out of 10 still actively avoids letting me touch him, they (as with most piggies - it cuts too close to their prey instinct and they associate being picked up with being eaten) do not like being picked up and it’s been 5 years! I only handle them once a week for their health and weight checks but we do not sit and have cuddles - we chat and I sit with them but little more. They are happy, healthy and doing what piggies want to do so so I am in no way concerned.

My two younger piggies are now almost 8 months old. As babies they were very cuddly and would actually climb into my arms and I was able to handle them from day 1. Now they are a little older, they are becoming even more confident particularly one of them (Hugo). I am perfectly able to handle him daily but he tries now to get away and doesn’t tolerate it for as long - this is actually a really great sign - it means he is very comfortable with me and able to tell me that he doesn’t want to be held, he would rather be running around! The other, Wilbur, is a very rumbly, active boy but he does still enjoy a cuddle and a good stroke every time I see him.

So you see, we all have very similar stories and they are all normal for prey animals.

In terms of enrichment, you can provide all of that in the cage. The best thing is to add large loose piles of hay on the cage floor for them to play in, cardboard boxes with two holes cut in each one, hide their veg and tablespoon each of pellets amongst the piles of hay and boxes. That is one of the best forms of enrichment - for the to be able to use their natural ability to forage for food, that will keep them occupied for ages!