old gal SCREAMING

[sundaepig]

hello!
recently my single piggie cashew has started to SCREAM. not just wheek, full out panic screams. she does this when I am in the room and when I'm not. she has fresh food, fresh bedding, fresh water... shes also started to chew on the metal bars of her cage whenever I'm in the room and then screams at me from her house when I try and get close. when I take her out for floor time she sits in her shelter and panics pretty much the entire time. lap time she used to explore my bed and then come up on my lap for cuddles and a nap and then yesterday she wouldnt even leave the blanket shelter she made for herself and whenever I tried to pet her or give her a snack to calm down shed purr at me. I dont know what happened. last week she was a happy pig chutting about and now shes scaring me my other two girls are totally fine and acting normally so I dont believe it's an environmental factor. I rearranged her hutch and bought her new toys cause I figured she was bored and she hasnt even looked at them. shes drinking and eating still and her teeth look okay. she hasnt lost weight either from what I can tell. I just want her to stop screaming and being so anxious my vet closed because of COVID, I'm so worried for my gal. any ideas what could have possibly happened? picture attached is just my sweet gal eating some grass

 

[Wiebke]

hello!
recently my single piggie cashew has started to SCREAM. not just wheek, full out panic screams. she does this when I am in the room and when I'm not. she has fresh food, fresh bedding, fresh water... shes also started to chew on the metal bars of her cage whenever I'm in the room and then screams at me from her house when I try and get close. when I take her out for floor time she sits in her shelter and panics pretty much the entire time. lap time she used to explore my bed and then come up on my lap for cuddles and a nap and then yesterday she wouldnt even leave the blanket shelter she made for herself and whenever I tried to pet her or give her a snack to calm down shed purr at me. I dont know what happened. last week she was a happy pig chutting about and now shes scaring me my other two girls are totally fine and acting normally so I dont believe it's an environmental factor. I rearranged her hutch and bought her new toys cause I figured she was bored and she hasnt even looked at them. shes drinking and eating still and her teeth look okay. she hasnt lost weight either from what I can tell. I just want her to stop screaming and being so anxious my vet closed because of COVID, I'm so worried for my gal. any ideas what could have possibly happened? picture attached is just my sweet gal eating some grass

Hi!

She may have taken fright from something she associates with you. Right now she is sounds like she's still fully freaked out.

Please keep your distance for a couple of days and see whether that helps to settle down her prey animal instincts again.
Then use the information in this guide here to slowly and carefully settle her down again over the next week: Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

 

[sundaepig]

I wonder what I could have done to frighten her so should I have my room mate feed her so shes totally separate from me?
thank you for your reply! as sad as it is I cant give her a lil smooch I'm sadder shes this scared and anxious

 

[Wiebke]

I wonder what I could have done to frighten her so should I have my room mate feed her so shes totally separate from me?
thank you for your reply! as sad as it is I cant give her a lil smooch I'm sadder shes this scared and anxious

Sometimes it is impossible to say what has set off a piggy as they cannot tell you.

Keep feeding (just put the food down in the cage) and a normal daily routine but use the tips in the link in previous post to avoid predatory behaviours and to set her off again.

Refrain from any close interaction, picking up, cuddling and grooming until she has relaxed again and is back to her old self. Don't hover and monitor from a distance!

 

[sundaepig]

thank you for your advice! I got worried since shes old she may have gone deaf or something, but far more likely I am a big giant and she is a tiny lil prey animal!
hopefully she'll be back to her old self soon for her sake!

 

[Wiebke]

thank you for your advice! I got worried since shes old she may have gone deaf or something, but far more likely I am a big giant and she is a tiny lil prey animal!
hopefully she'll be back to her old self soon for her sake!

Give her time to settle down in at her own pace. Monitor from afar whether she is still eating and behaving normally; otherwise don't worry - it will come right again.

 

[Merab]

Hope she settles soon