Stressed New Piggy

[RomyAndMichelle]

Hi all,

Today I adopted a new piggy from a sanctuary. She is understandably scared and stressed by the move.

I've popped her in a cage on her own for now, just to let her chill out for awhile before I start the bonding process with my other piggy. I've covered her cage to help her feel safer.

She's currently been sat in a hidey for about 3 hours, and not come out for any veg, hay or water. I've put some fruit and veg inside the hidey and she not even touched that. I think she's too scared.

Is there anything else I can do to help her feel comfortable?

I'm also wondering how long I should leave her be for, before it becomes a concern?

Should I continue to give her space, or should I actually just go ahead and pop them both in the neutral bonding cage now because having an another piggy there might make her feel safer?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all,

Today I adopted a new piggy from a sanctuary. She is understandably scared and stressed by the move.

I've popped her in a cage on her own for now, just to let her chill out for awhile before I start the bonding process with my other piggy. I've covered her cage to help her feel safer.

She's currently been sat in a hidey for about 3 hours, and not come out for any veg, hay or water. I've put some fruit and veg inside the hidey and she not even touched that. I think she's too scared.

Is there anything else I can do to help her feel comfortable?

I'm also wondering how long I should leave her be for, before it becomes a concern?

Should I continue to give her space, or should I actually just go ahead and pop them both in the neutral bonding cage now because having an another piggy there might make her feel safer?

Hi

Please follow the advice in this very practical guide here. Unless she is under 4 months (in which case the need for companionship outweighs any other considerations), it is better to give her time to get her bearings next to the other piggies, provided she has undergone a mandatory quarantine at the sanctuary (if unsure pleas ask). This settling in period depends very much on quickly she is finding her feed; I have had anything from a few days to a few weeks with new adoptees. It is worth not to rush it so the risk of fear-aggressive overreactions during a meeting in teenagers and adults is lowered.

Thread 'New Guinea Pigs: How to Best Manage Arrival and Settling In'

May 20, 2023

Intro
1 What to do on arrival at home
- A welcome in piggy language
- Health check, sexing and weighing
- Quarantine or not if you have other guinea pigs?
2 Helping your guinea pigs to settle in
- Some practical tips for settling in new guinea pigs
- Avoiding predatory behaviours
- Skittish or ill?
- Group establishment and dominance
3 Handling and human...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 2
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

Thread 'Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics'

Jan 23, 2019

1 Introduction
2 Pre-bonding
- Quarantine and sexing
- The need for a plan B
- The rule-breaker: Youngsters under 4 months (sub-teenage)
3 Setting up an introduction
- Getting to know each other
- ‘Buddy baths’ – why not
- Scent swapping - why not
- Setting up a neutral bonding area
- How to start the bonding
4 Acceptance phase: Do we like...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

 

[RomyAndMichelle]

Thank you for that info.

How long should I leave her alone for, before it becomes a concern? I mean if she just stays sat in this one hidey and doesn't come out for food or drink?

I'm hoping her hunger will take over and get her moving, but I'm worried she's just going to sit there and starve if I don't intervene

 

[Piggies&buns]

I would put hay inside the hide as well as hay is more important than veg (and certainly more important than fruit)

Cover the cage with a sheet so she feels more covered and safe as that will encourage her to venture out of the hide

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for that info.

How long should I leave her alone for, before it becomes a concern? I mean if she just stays sat in this one hidey and doesn't come out for food or drink?

I'm hoping her hunger will take over and get her moving, but I'm worried she's just going to sit there and starve if I don't intervene

Hi

Please read the first guide link in my previous post; it contains all the practical settling in skittish piggies advice. Piggies will come out when nobody is around and there is a sheet or towel pegged over the cage.