Piggy not warming up to me

[vaughny]

When I got Ginger, I took her off my cousin's hands because she felt like her son wasn't paying enough attention to his new pet. THEY got Ginger from someone else who they said had this really crazy exgirlfriend.

Anyway, that was a year ago and Ginger still hasn't warmed up to me. She's still skittish, she tries to run away and hide whenever I come into the room. It breaks my heart because I've had lots of guinea pigs and never has one been this skittish for this long. Sure, in the beginning, but they eventually come to bond with me.

I've tried everything. Giving her treats in my lap, talking sweetly to her, giving her greens if not daily than as often as possible. But she won't take even her favorite food if I'm holding her on my lap while giving it. I thought for the longest time she didn't like carrots because she never took them from my hand. But she went crazy over them if I laid them inside the cage. She rarely coos when I pet her, and she very often nips, especially if I'm about to put her right back in her cage and I'm not doing it fast enough. She's so eager to run back inside and hide in her igloo that I've come close to dropping her on more than one occasion. It's for that, that I only take her out to clean her cage and she handles it fine so long as she can hide in her igloo while I do it.

My cousin thinks Ginger might be traumatized by the first owner she had, who supposedly yelled and screamed a lot and threw things. Even to this day, even the smallest movement sends Ginger jetting to her igloo to hide.

I know Ginger loves music, any music at all, and singing. So I tried getting her to warm up to me by singing to her. Not to brag, but I have a pretty good voice. And while she calms down when I sing to her, it all goes out the window when I reach for her at all, even through the mesh of her cage... and it's right back to scared piggy all over again. Even if my finger brushes her slightly, she flies off and right into her igloo.

I guess my question is... does anyone here have any advice on helping my piggy come around and trust me, even... like me a little?

 

[gizmo01]

she's like our ben. He is so feral sometimes its silly. I know it was unfair on the others but we gave him 100%of our attention one week solidly let him cuddle in bed for 15 mins morning and at bed allways met him with food and its made a big difference he's skittish but atleast he will sit and eat with you by the hutch side now

 

[ninz]

Patience is the key. What would help me is to try and see it from gingers perspective. Ginger has had a couple of owners and she must be frightened or not trusting humans. Slow talking everyday, sweet soft tones, call her name, tell her she's a good girl etc that might help, I really believe that animals pick up on the tone of your voice.

Then everyday clean out the cage for poos and food etc but very slowly. I would recommend giving her lots of healthy treats, first leave treats in the cage, then after a week of doing that, try and leave ** hand with the treat in there. Don't Chase Herr with your hand though. She might be brave and eat from your hand. Talk to her etc

All i can say is just give her time. I am speaking from my knowledge in keeping budgies so anyone can correct me if they wish. Some animals take a week to become friends, others months and others perhaps they just want to be on their wild side lol it took my budge a year to trust me and now he's the sweetest thing on earth.

Oh last thing, is ginger alone? Does she have a friend? I would advice getting her a friend, gps live in groups. Another sow or neutered boar would be a good idea. Might help her to have more confidence.

Good luck!

 

[piggyfan]

Is Ginger alone? Being alone is not suitable for guinea pigs. They need companionship of their own kind. The best thing you can do for her is to take her piggy dating and let her choose herself a friend from a rescue. You are doing all the right things with her but getting her a friend is the most important thing.

 

[vaughny]

I have been considering recently to get her a cagemate. I get the feeling that she is lonesome sometimes.

I do talk to her every day. Whenever I'm in my room and I pass by her cage, I always say, "Hello there, little one" (my subsequent nickname for her, I call her little one more than I do Ginger lol). Sometimes I even stand there and sweet talk her for a while. She knows what the word "salad" means as I often give her the remains of our salads whenever we have italian and there's still plenty left. And she also loves kale, red cabbage, butterhead, turnip greens and romaine lettuce. Since she eats such a variety of greens, I condense them down to "salad" for her sake. And she always acts excited and happy whenever I say the word.

She's at least gotten used to me coming over to the cage as she doesn't mind eating and drinking in front of me now. And even on occasion, she'll sniff my nose and put her front paws on my face. She's even licked my chin and nose once.

All bets are off once she's out of the cage though.

 

[vaughny]

DP

 

[guineagurl]

You can't consider getting another pig. Guinea pigs are pack animals and need another pig. You are not there with your guinea 24/7 so it needs a friend.

 

[Julesie]

If you get her another friend and they learn to trust you she'll realise from them that a human isn't a scary thing. I'd reccomend a piggy thats already used to humans and not overly skittish of them. If she realises they aren't scared of you she will become more trusty.

My boar and his cage mate were both skittish but within days Ludwig trusted me and would run over, Gilbert learnt from his friend that I'm not scary and now Gilbert is the tamest lump of love out of them all.

 

[Freela]

I think getting her a friend who is friendly with humans would be a great step- first because she would have company which is important to guinea pigs as they naturally live in herds, and secondly because pigs will learn behaviour from other pigs. I've seen this in action and I'm surprised at how fast they learn from one another- my older pig potty trained my younger pig to go back into the cage to pee! And it only took a few days of her watching and learning! I bet she will also have more confidence as part of a pair... in the wild, a lone pig would be easy prey.

 

[nejlika]

Ginger being alone might add to her nervousity, imagine if you were with animals that scared the life out of you with no friend in your own species, you would be ****ting your pants (lol sorry for wordusage). I think if Ginger gets a friend that it will help, if not to at least make her happier.