Still Worried About Behaviour/piggies Settling In...

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Rosyautumn girl

Rosyautumn girl

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Hello all
Gone quiet for a while, thought I should wait a little longer for the girls to settle in, so here's a little update on their journey with us so far (nearly 4 weeks on Saturday!)
They started off their life with us in a cage, but when I realised they'd need more space we invested in a playpen too, they was in the spare room downstairs but due to lack of space we decided to move them upstairs to my daughters bedroom which has much more space...
Sooooo, I know I am probably going to be told off for being impatient, please forgive me! But, they are both still soooo nervy/jumpy and we are still completely unable to get hold of them for cuddles! :soz: They both have a snuggle sack each and that's the only time we can get them on our laps, but they either huddle further inside or scarper out and scramble back into the cage!
Couple of other things.... as well as still being very jumpy, they do a lot of jumping around, especially Autumn the brown one, like almost flipping and jumping on the spot, I worry that it could be something physically wrong (as opposed to a behavioural thing?), and sometimes they both go mental, running around the cage, so fast sometimes they bash the sides of the cage, not sure if this is just exercise/running free, or again some sort of behavioural problem?
Sorry, one more thing... we have set up a little ramp for them to come and go between the cage and the playpen, but they NEVER venture into the playpen, and so I'm worried they are not getting their exercise. Could it be that they see the playpen as a place of threat, as that's where we tend to climb over in order to get into their cage to clean it/feed them etc, and whenever we do that they scarper about all over the place.
Sorry the long message and all the questions! I've been saving it all up, as you can see!

I’m just worried our piggies are just not happy/settled. Or am I still expecting too much too soon? I spoke to a guy in my local pet store and he said it took about 4 months before his GP’s actually seem pleased to see him and literally come to him for cuddles and interaction… that's all we kind of want really, rather than it all just being poop/wee and them scarpering for their lives!

Thanks for any advice everyone:luv:
 
I love the picture of the piggies in your avatar.

And it sounds like you are doing an amazing job with your girls.
Some piggies just take longer than otehr to feel confident and comfortable being handled (and some pigges never really love it).

How are they when you sit quietly by the cage and offer bits of fresh veg?
Will they feed from your hands yet?
That really is a big step forward, and I try to make sure I never approach the cage without some small piece of veg to offer, even now.

The jumpy and running part sounds like they are VERY happy girls indeed. the jumping is called pop corning (look for video on You Tube if you want a better idea) and Ruby used to popcorn and run so wildly that she would actually fall over!

Some guinea pigs can be wary of using a ramp, so you need to make sure that the slope is very gentle and the surface is grippy.
Then make their playpen a wildly exciting place to be by filling it with paper bags stuffed with hay and boxes to hide and play in. Basically put lots of stuff in there, because in my experience most guinea pigs don't really appreciate a large open space (there are always exceptions of course).

But it really does sound like you are doing a great job - it just take time, patience and lots of fresh veggies!
 
:agr:
Swissgrey has said it best :nod: the running around is really a good thing as its their way of saying its playtime, what they are doing is zoomies.
 
Rosyautumn girl said:
Hello all
Gone quiet for a while, thought I should wait a little longer for the girls to settle in, so here's a little update on their journey with us so far (nearly 4 weeks on Saturday!)
They started off their life with us in a cage, but when I realised they'd need more space we invested in a playpen too, they was in the spare room downstairs but due to lack of space we decided to move them upstairs to my daughters bedroom which has much more space...
Sooooo, I know I am probably going to be told off for being impatient, please forgive me! But, they are both still soooo nervy/jumpy and we are still completely unable to get hold of them for cuddles! :soz: They both have a snuggle sack each and that's the only time we can get them on our laps, but they either huddle further inside or scarper out and scramble back into the cage!
Couple of other things.... as well as still being very jumpy, they do a lot of jumping around, especially Autumn the brown one, like almost flipping and jumping on the spot, I worry that it could be something physically wrong (as opposed to a behavioural thing?), and sometimes they both go mental, running around the cage, so fast sometimes they bash the sides of the cage, not sure if this is just exercise/running free, or again some sort of behavioural problem?
Sorry, one more thing... we have set up a little ramp for them to come and go between the cage and the playpen, but they NEVER venture into the playpen, and so I'm worried they are not getting their exercise. Could it be that they see the playpen as a place of threat, as that's where we tend to climb over in order to get into their cage to clean it/feed them etc, and whenever we do that they scarper about all over the place.
Sorry the long message and all the questions! I've been saving it all up, as you can see!

I’m just worried our piggies are just not happy/settled. Or am I still expecting too much too soon? I spoke to a guy in my local pet store and he said it took about 4 months before his GP’s actually seem pleased to see him and literally come to him for cuddles and interaction… that's all we kind of want really, rather than it all just being poop/wee and them scarpering for their lives!

Thanks for any advice everyone:luv:
Click to expand...

Hi! Your girls are not unhappy at all if the are popcorning (the mad jumping around) and they get their exercise from that.

It takes time to build up trust, especially if you have a rather lively house.
You may find these threads here helpful in making friends with them in ways that they understand. Please accept that it is a slow process. Have you tried to get them to pick food from your hands (don't try to loom over them).
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
 
Ah OMG can't tell you all how relieved I am! Thanks guys. I was worried it was a trip to the vets, but it's popcorning and zoomies afterall! What great words, and what was the other one I learnt the other week.. rumblestrutting! XD

Swissgreys, I think the ramp is too steep then, I need to get creative and make one myself - any tips on this? (my husband made one from wood but it's steep and has no grip!), and I will defo make the playpen more fun and snuggly. I was thinking of putting their food down there as a way to entice them out of the cage, but then I think that could be a bit cruel?
They have taken food from me before, but lately they come up to me and sniff it and then zoom away again. But they have taken from my daughter quite a lot. When we sit in the playpen they tend to run about, hide, run about, hide, they are complete lunatics!

Once again, I need to be patient, I know it is the key. Could I also ask (sorry) their cage is positioned underneath a sloping roof, and I read somewhere they don't like the feeling of being closed in, could that be why they are still so nervy? Or is that one worry too far?!
 
I found with my two that initially they panicked if I looked in over their cage (it's on the floor), cos if you think of it from their point of view, there's this massive noisy thing that creates a huge shadow coming through the roof and that's got to be terrifying! So, taking tips from here, I'd belly crawl, GI-style, from halfway across the room to ensure I was on their level and they could see my approach in plenty of time (any onlookers might've thought it mad that I'm crawling stealth-like across my own floor!). Then sometimes I'd pop food in, sometimes just talk to them, importantly I'd not try to handle them every time - I didn't want them to associate my presence with being picked up every time. Now I can walk over normally to the cage then get down to their level.

With the playpen, I agree with all the above - make it irresistibly fun! You could also put your piggies in it, they might have a curious run round, they might make their way back to the cage (in that case at least they've 'discovered' the linking route). Much piggy behaviour is about self-preservation and 'when in doubt, hide' actions, so their natural inclination will always be - to a lesser or greater degree - to see humans and our actions as a threat.

I find the key is to be consistent and very patient - things quickly became easier with my girls when they made that 'eureka' link between me and food, so I feel they're more trusting (or at least tolerant!) because they know that there's a big chance of a food reward!

It might be an idea to have a really rigid schedule that you and your daughter stick to, e.g. lap time 8.00pm - 8.05pm, no longer than that to begin with. As your piggies might not like it, but if it becomes routine they'll get used to it and hopefully their fear will subside when they realise that a) they're not going to die and b) actually there could be food in it!
 
Ah OMG can't tell you all how relieved I am! Thanks guys. I was worried it was a trip to the vets, but it's popcorning and zoomies afterall! What great words, and what was the other one I learnt the other week.. rumblestrutting! XD

Swissgreys, I think the ramp is too steep then, I need to get creative and make one myself - any tips on this? (my husband made one from wood but it's steep and has no grip!), and I will defo make the playpen more fun and snuggly. I was thinking of putting their food down there as a way to entice them out of the cage, but then I think that could be a bit cruel?
They have taken food from me before, but lately they come up to me and sniff it and then zoom away again. But they have taken from my daughter quite a lot. When we sit in the playpen they tend to run about, hide, run about, hide, they are complete lunatics!

Once again, I need to be patient, I know it is the key. Could I also ask (sorry) their cage is positioned underneath a sloping roof, and I read somewhere they don't like the feeling of being closed in, could that be why they are still so nervy? Or is that one worry too far?!
 
For ramps, I used log rolls (from Poundland! But they're in most pet stores, Wilkos etc). They're bendy (held together by strong wire) and can be chewed.

IMG_2470.webp
 
Ooh Tiny, I've got one of those! I'll try that, great idea. Thanks again for your advice. I think I'm going to start holding back a little of their veg allowance each day for 'bonding' sessions! Like you say just 5 mins or so a day and using their fav veg to try and gain trust (and love!), I do say to my daughter to only give it a few minutes and then put them back, to be fair Rose (the grey one) is coming round to the cuddling (only in cuddle sack though), but Autumn is fast and furious! "You will not pick me up!" and off she goes zooming around again.

Will try the stealth-like crawling! Good job the neighbours can't see, they'll think we've gone mad! But yes I guess us just walking over to the cage and then climbing over the playpen must seem really scary to them.

Let's hope we get the 'eureka' moment one day. I love them so much but I just want to be able to come in from work and go "hi girls, right who wants a cuddle first?" :luv:
 
Some piggies just aren't cuddly, it doesn't mean they 'hate' their owners, they just have a stronger predatory drive I guess. So whilst some adapt to seek out people for food/love, others might just about be able to tolerate us and some might actively not like people touch at all! It all adds up to their wonderfully unique personalities, but first and foremost we can't ever ignore or forget that they are animals and to respect their wants, no piggy (or any animal) can be 'made' into a cuddly snuggly thing, as long as you're getting to know their personalities, likes and dislikes they will respect and tolerate you at the very least :)
 
You're so right Tiny, and even in 4 weeks I'm getting to know their little individual nuances. Maybe Autumn will just never be a snuggly, cuddly piggy, I remember when we chose her in the pet store she was the only piggy (out of 7) that hid right in the middle of a huge pile of hay and seemed the most nervous, I should have known it then! But I think Rose is the snuggly type, she will happily snuggle up in her fleece sack, and often when Autumn is racing and popcorning around her, sometimes on top of her, and she just continues to snuggle. Maybe we've got the best of both, one chilled out piggy and one loony piggy! :)
 
I wouldn't worry too much. I have had my boys since Aug and they are still nervous. They don't like being picked up or held but will eat from my hand and let me pet them in the cage. When i get them out for floor time, i sit in the run with them and they climb on my legs so i guess that's progress! :)
 
(D) hi guys, I'm pretty happy with the progress we've made all thanks to you. On my lock screen (on my iPad) I have a picture of Autumn with her paws on the food bowl looking at the camera. Then for the home screen I have rose snuggling in her little snuggle sack looking out like " look at me everyone, I'm really brave and I WANT CUDDLES" well, I hope she was thinking that! So, have one question, what sort of hiding places go in the play pen? Tunnels, arches, sacks? And thanks tiny, swissgreys, helloitsbecca and weikbe. Your all obviously quite good with animals :D (few) It's nice to feel that we always have someone to go to when we need help with our adorable, jumpy little piggies! (Not saying that all your GPs are not cute, I mean, anyone who thinks that they aren't cute are just, LOSERS. So thanks for all your help once again and bye.
 
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