Scared Piggies

[Lily-Victoria]

Hi, have had guinea pigs (or should say my children have had guinea pigs) for nearly 10 years. I think they're fab and they're very much part of our family. Our current pair are 2 females, about 2 years old. We have just settled them outside in their summer hutch, a great, safe space with plenty of room to run and play and plenty of places to hide.

However, today we're having a particularly vicious, freak storm. I heard a bang and looked out to see the hutch had been blown over, luckily it's my day off and I was here, otherwise I don't know what would have happened. Luckily the pigs weren't harmed, I rushed out to get them and have put them temporarily in a large plastic storage box, have filled with hay and veggies, but I can't get their large indoor hutch out the shed by myself, especially not in this weather. My worry is the littler pig was obviously scared and had hidden herself in the tiniest, most inaccesable corner, so I had to be quite firm handed to pick her up and get her inside. I have never,ever had to grab any of our pets like that and I feel awful.

Also both pigs are obviously terrified by the whole thing, I feel rotten. Any advice on how to calm them down and make them feel better?

Thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, have had guinea pigs (or should say my children have had guinea pigs) for nearly 10 years. I think they're fab and they're very much part of our family. Our current pair are 2 females, about 2 years old. We have just settled them outside in their summer hutch, a great, safe space with plenty of room to run and play and plenty of places to hide.

However, today we're having a particularly vicious, freak storm. I heard a bang and looked out to see the hutch had been blown over, luckily it's my day off and I was here, otherwise I don't know what would have happened. Luckily the pigs weren't harmed, I rushed out to get them and have put them temporarily in a large plastic storage box, have filled with hay and veggies, but I can't get their large indoor hutch out the shed by myself, especially not in this weather. My worry is the littler pig was obviously scared and had hidden herself in the tiniest, most inaccesable corner, so I had to be quite firm handed to pick her up and get her inside. I have never,ever had to grab any of our pets like that and I feel awful.

Also both pigs are obviously terrified by the whole thing, I feel rotten. Any advice on how to calm them down and make them feel better?

Thank you

Poor you!

Just leave them in the box with the hay and some watery, fresh veg for fluid, cover it with a blanket and leave be. They will calm down eventually, but it takes time for them once they are freaked straight out of reason - perfectly understandably. In this state they are not accessible for any comfort.

Making them feel as safe and calm as possible in an exclosed, small place is the best thing you can do, and you have done that. The rest is a matter of time and patience. Your girls are going to be more jittery for a while but they will eventually come round again. Just try to minimise behaving like predator while their prey animal instincts are very trigger happy, which may take a few weeks in my own experience and don't lean on them too heavily, even if it is your instinct.

Use the tricks in these threads here:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language

 

[Lily-Victoria]

That's great advice about the blanket, I hadn't thought of that, and I could see the felt very exposed. Have covered it and even heard a little wheak! Thank you for the links as well, they look great, will just give them a bit of time and space, and probably keep them indoors for a while longer.

 

[Wiebke]

That's great advice about the blanket, I hadn't thought of that, and I could see the felt very exposed. Have covered it and even heard a little wheak! Thank you for the links as well, they look great, will just give them a bit of time and space, and probably keep them indoors for a while longer.

You are doing right! Now go and do something for your lacerated nerves! There are more gales on the way during the afternoon, so just keep them indoors and let them settle down. One is probably being squeezed up by her mate, but that is a normal reaction and the best anti-stress reaction they can get. If necessary, they can survive in their carrier or their run on a cheap plastic shower curtain, an old beach towel and a cheap and softener-free acrylic fleece bedspread once they have calmed down. They will probably still appreciate a towel pegged over the top to make them feel protected; I have noticed that especially hutch piggies prefer a "roof" over their heads.
Temporary Housing Solutions?

 

[Tiamolly123]

Welcome to our friendly forum, poor piggies that gave them a fright & you too. Should imagine your abroad to be suffering that kind of weather. Take care of your piggies & yourself.

 

[Lorcan]

Welcome to our friendly forum, poor piggies that gave them a fright & you too. Should imagine your abroad to be suffering that kind of weather. Take care of your piggies & yourself.

Nope, hate to say it but that sounds exactly like the current weather here right now. Oh the joys of the north of England!

@Lily-Victoria welcome to the forum! Sorry your girls got such a fright, but accidents happen, and as long as they're physically okay there's nothing you really could have done to avoid it. I'm glad the girls seem to be physically fine

 

[Lily-Victoria]

Update. I left the blanket over the box and made sure to have a good old chat to them whenever I was in the room, like the link said, so they didn't think I was a predator. My family are home now and we have got their indoor hutch set up again. With more strong winds forecast for tomorrow, I def wouldn't feel safe putting them out again today or tomorrow.

Little one (Sqweak) is much happier, she even came up and had a good nosey and chat to me as I gave them some veg this evening. She's always been brave and feisty. And her sister (Topsy) is her usual self, refusing to share food, but still being very snuggly. Thank you all for your advice, and for calming me down. I really needed some friendly voices as I did feel rotten, and my head was full of "what ifs". What if I'd been at work, what if they'd been under the hutch, or if next doors cat had noticed the lid had blown open? Plus battling the hutch and the enclosure in the pouring rain, really took my breath away.

But alls well that ends well, thank you for the lovely welcome to the forum x