Piggy taming problems!

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xfarmxgirlx

Hi, I'm new =-).
We have had 2 guinea pigs since xmas, they are indoor g pigs and have two savic nero 3 cages put together. When we got them they were really jumpy and nervous, so we have got them out 1 or 2 (or sometimes more) times a day since. They are lovely and I love them so much, but they are still not tame at all. They shake alot, and whenever we go into the dining room (our house in open plan, they always hear us and our voices and general noises) they run away frightened. We get them out on our knees on the couch for cuddles or in their 3 cubes by 3 cubes (the cubes you would use for cube and coroplast caging) run 1 or twice a day. Sometimes more. I am desperate for them tobe tame, they are over just over 6 months and still not at all tame. Can anybody think of anything else we can do to get them tame!?! Thanks.
 
Hi,
I know how you feel. I have the same problem. I have had Rudolf and Albin for nearly one year now and they are still scared of humans. Feels like i have tried everything but nothing seems to help. They love running on the floor and play with each other but as soon as i get close to them they run and hide. I'm sorry not to be able to give advise to you more than not to give up. Some guinea pigs are just scared it seems but i refuse to give up the hope of them to one day be tame and enjoy lot of cuddles. Good luck and keep on trying!
 
Good to see I'm not the only one. I was thinking it must be something I have done wrong. But I too will not give up until the g pigs like me, and most importantly cuddles!
 
Definetly not something your doing wrong. When I first bought my girls they ran from me all the time and it was hard catching them. I always felt that I was stressing them out. Now, Remy still runs when I try to take her out but once I hold her for a couple minutes, then she starts squealing and adjusting. She's almost a year so it's something that takes time really. It was so different then my previous pigs who would come right out to me and when I'd open the door they stand up on it to get petted. The new baby I just got doesn't run from me all the time which I was so shocked at. She just squeals and squeals and lets me grab her. Be patient, thats all you can do. 8)
 
I totally understand. It's a little disheartening as you buy a pet hoping it will love you back in the same way. :'(
Our two, Gizmo and Tilly, are a bit of a mare like that but you can only hope that one day they realise that we want what's best for them and make them happy little piggies.

They're still dead cute though ;D :D
 
Just be patient, they will become tame and love you just like you love them, when I first adopted Bridget back in the summer she would run away as soon as she saw or heard me coming,this continued for months and I thought she would never love a cuddle even though I tried every day. now she not only wheeks for food but for cuddles too, so much so that when I put her back in her cage she sometimes spins around, stares me in the eye and wheeks like mad to let me know she still wants to be with me! I was stunned the first time she did this and took her back out, she was very chuffed with her little self and cuddled down on my lap and much as to say "yes this is what I wanted"!

So good luck and just keep persevering
 
Great to know it has worked for somebody else in my situation. I definetly will keep trying. In training her, did you get her out for cuddles on your knee, or in a run? Or both? Just wondering the best way to do things. Thanks :).
 
Hi. I only got my piggies on Saturday and already I am noticing some really cute things but like you I have one piggie who is terrified. So much so she's actually jumped out of her cage when I literally tried to stroke her. Jasmine on the other hand has just come to me with a little bribery. I chopped some carrott and stuck it through the cage, held onto it and stood very still. she came and gnawed it and I just talked very calmly to her while she did it. I tried with Belle but as yet no success. I will continue with her but I can only hope she gets better. Jasmine is slightly bigger so I'm figuring she's possibly older. Whether this makes a difference i don't kknow. I'm sure you have tried what i did but maybe keep trying every day and don't leave the carrott with them unless they come to you first. That's what I did with Jasmine. Belle's carrott is currently sitting in my kitchen fridge and will stay there. I'll try a little later with her but it's so hard because they're so beautiful. Hopefully I'll get some pictures of them soon and ick them up here haha.
 
I have found as they get older, they settle more. My youngest one Georgie is still quite jumpy and runs away when I go near the cage but he is a cheeky moo and will jump on my lap for his fave herbs!

Fresh herb treats for me work the best. During their floor time, I have a bunch of basil or mint and I sit on the floor and they will jump on me to eat it, make sure you hold on tight to the treat so they have to stay there. Work from there, it takes them a long time to trust as they are naturally prey animals. I always talk to them and give them a head scratch when I walk past their cage, they are all used to me now :)
 
Jasmine is getting to that stage now too but Belle.....she's a little Monkey. Again tonight she jumped out of her cage when I was trying to pick her up for my daughter. I knew she would try so I had her blocked and I literally caught her in my hand but she wriggled free. I swear she's going to kill herself. I'm in half a mind as to whether to take her back and get an exchange. I have until Saturday to do that but maybe I'm just fretting. Jasmine is so laid back it's untrue. she'll just sit on your knee. She's alert and listening for everything, squeaks when you put her back in her cage too. Belle just seems scared stiff of everything...literally trembling all over even freezing when you put her back in the cage. I think maybe things have owrsened for her since Jasmine has been seperated from her due to infection so maybe I'm worrying about nothing and she'll see Jasmine is ok with us and calm down. It's frustrating. beyond belief and I'm only in my first week of owning piggies.
 
Give her a chance - they can take time to come round, especially if they have not been handled, and she may seem wild but they usually do get much better - they just need regular handling and to associate you with good things.

Also if she's not well either - I would not consider taking her back to exchange her, as you don't know what treatment she will get!

Good luck with them

Sophie
x
 
Please don't take Belle back. It's frustrating but some pigs are more confident that others. Plus, whatever you think, Jasmine and Belle are probably well bonded now and it seems sad to seperate them. Belle probably is out and about when you're not around. Have you tried wrapping her in a towel when you hold her? Pigs usually don't feel so 'exposed' with something round them.
 
our girls are like this, they run every time we go near the cage or when we pick them up they try and get away all the time, they just hate being picked up and our coco runs too and we have had him since last year, i dont think they will change even though we pick them up as much as we can.
 
I couldn't take her back really. I just worry for her that's all. With my not being able to see welll enough to catch her and my daughter only being 4 I just stress that something will happen to her. She's beautiful thoughh and i don't think I could take her back. She'll either calm or she won't. I suspect things might calm down when she's back with jasmine. Maybe when she sees how brave Jasmine is and that there's nothing to worry about she'll calm too. God love her. 0:)
 
:smitten: Good luck with both of them. I have a very frightened little pig in with two older sows at the moment to give her confidence, it seems to be working so hopefully Belle will also improve.
 
I tried with the towel and Belle was so much better. She's still scared naturally but she just lay there. I think she was too scared to do anything but she did stop trembling so that's progress. Poor little thing. she'll get used to being handled soon enough i suspect. She's got to have cream in her eye twice a day for the net week so either it'll scare her silly or she'll brave up. We had Jasmine out at the same time and had them on the same towel. Jasmine was making the funniest little squeaking noises. sort of like chirping or something. What does that mean? Anyone know?
 
just checked back in on this thread and wondered how you are doing...With bridget I just got her out as much as possible on my lap, as she is a real piggy I always gave her some of her favourite foods as a treat when she was with me, like romaine lettuce or dandelion leaves. She is such a cuddly pig now though I dont need the food as an incentive, but this may work well for you.
 
I've had my girls now for 9 months and one of mine always runs away from me - the other one will sit still for me! The one that runs away though is the only one brave enough to run about all over the house with 2 cats on the loose - and yet if I go near her she wheeks and runs away. Me no understandy! 98)
 
Jasmine is really tame now. As long as she thinks she's in with a chance of some food she's there. she'll even come to the front of the cage when you come to talk to her. Belle still won't eat out of my hand but she's getting a lot better. i guess she's just gonna take some time.
 
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