Piggies not cleaning themselves

[Trovalsa]

It's been a while since I've been here. How is everyone doing?

Anyway; a friend of my mum's has recently gotten two male guinea pigs, around the age of my oldest boy, who is turning 2. They had been living in a large enclosure, outside, and I think they had other pigs with them. They came from the same place mine did. She got them about one month ago or so, I think. The problem is that now, they spend their day huddled up in their hideouts, and won't come out for anything, pooping and peeing where they are. My mum's friend says she has to clean them every day because they won't clean themselves. I suggested she take them to the vet, but she says she has wormed them (with what, I don't know, but it was given by her vet) and nothing's changed. They won't eat anything other than vegetables, either, and pee in their food bowls. She's been spending time with them, petting them, picking them up etc. I think she has them separated now because there had been displays of dominance but I already told her that as long as they're not actively fighting, they can be together. Does anyone know why they may be acting like this? Even with their age, shouldn't they have warmed up to people already? One of them tends to make that purr-like annoyed sound when she tries to pick him up, but the other is completely apathetic. She's tried to give them back to their former owner to get younger ones, but she won't accept them back. Any suggestions?

 

[Wiebke]

It sounds like those two poor boys must have had a horrible life with their previous owner; they react like piggies that have grown up living in their own muck in dirty pens or tiny filthy hutches with never a chance to develop normal habits. They also sound like they have never had any friendly handling in their whole life.

Hay should make up to 80% of the daily food intake. Can your friend make sure that they have plenty of fresh hay in their hidey, so they can sit in it and have it changed once daily? Perhaps that will slowly entice them to eat properly and enjoy cleanliness while still feeling safe. Bringing round traumatised piggies can take a very long time; it is very much a one step forward/two steps back experience and it takes a lot of patience and persistence because it is such a gradual thing, but there is nothing like that VERY, VERY special moment when you finally realise that you have won their trust. It is makes it all worth while!

The good sign is that the bolder of the boys is talking to her; the other is still sadly playing "dead piggy", like any prey animal would when in the power of a predator.

Can your friend cuddle them underneath a towel, so they will feel safer. Ask her to please talk to them constantly as soon as she comes nearer to them, encourage them and praise them all the time (that means that she is not out to get them). If possible, she should not hover over them like a predator ready to pounce. Place the food and fresh water near to the entrance, but move it very gradually further as the confidence is growing. please weigh all guinea pigs weekly to keep an eye on their food intake and health.

Please ask her to give them a regular bum bath to prevent flies from laying eggs on their back ends until the boys get the right idea. they will probalby always stay rather scatty.

Here are more tips on how to deal with skittish piggies: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?36239-FAQ-How-do-I-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs
http://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/handling.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

 

[Trovalsa]

They did not have any handling since they were born, no. And while they lived in a large enclosure with shavings and the like, it was under a chicken coop, so all the dirt from the chickens ended up on them. Their pen and the pigs are washed with a hose every other day. She found a flea on the first piggie, so their conditions can't be the best, no. (I've never been there, but the lady who gave her the pigs described it like this, I wouldn't be surprised if it were worse...)

They were given vegetables mostly, I think that is why they haven't yet touched the store-bought food. Their new owner has read a lot on them, so when it comes to food and the like, she's doing the right thing, feeding them plenty of hay and lettuce and the like. She's cleaning them every day now, so I think there is no risk of health problems when it comes to that, thankfully. I'll pass your message on to her, then, and hopefully the boys will warm up eventually. In a way I'm glad their old owner hasn't accepted them back.

Thank you so much for your help!