Taming A Scared Piggie

[ButtercupClover]

I've had my 3 girls now for just over 5 weeks. They gets lots of attention, both from me, and supervised time with my 3 children. We spend lots of time sitting watching and talking to them, as well as bringing them out for floor time, and cuddles on the sofa.

Daisy and Buttercup are both now really affectionate, and will come straight to me when I go into their room. They will sit for ages on my knee (just getting fidgety when they want the toilet), and climb onto me when I sit on the floor while they're out.

Clover couldn't be more different though! She runs away whenever I go near her, and generally just looks scared! If I try to sit her on my knee, she'll dart off and end up burrowing under the cushions on the sofa (or wherever else she can find). She has a little hidey hole in their cage that she spends a lot of time in, and will happily come out when I bring veg, but then dart straight back in to eat it, while the other two sit out in the open munching.

She seems to hate being held. I do try to cuddle her every day for just a few minutes, in an effort to get her to trust me, but she's clearly not happy. I've tried lots of the things suggested on here - stroking near her eyes, behind her ears, holding her in a cosy etc, but don't seem to be making any progress with her?

Should I persevere, or just accept that she's happier with as little human contact as possible?

 

[Wiebke]

I've had my 3 girls now for just over 5 weeks. They gets lots of attention, both from me, and supervised time with my 3 children. We spend lots of time sitting watching and talking to them, as well as bringing them out for floor time, and cuddles on the sofa.

Daisy and Buttercup are both now really affectionate, and will come straight to me when I go into their room. They will sit for ages on my knee (just getting fidgety when they want the toilet), and climb onto me when I sit on the floor while they're out.

Clover couldn't be more different though! She runs away whenever I go near her, and generally just looks scared! If I try to sit her on my knee, she'll dart off and end up burrowing under the cushions on the sofa (or wherever else she can find). She has a little hidey hole in their cage that she spends a lot of time in, and will happily come out when I bring veg, but then dart straight back in to eat it, while the other two sit out in the open munching.

She seems to hate being held. I do try to cuddle her every day for just a few minutes, in an effort to get her to trust me, but she's clearly not happy. I've tried lots of the things suggested on here - stroking near her eyes, behind her ears, holding her in a cosy etc, but don't seem to be making any progress with her?

Should I persevere, or just accept that she's happier with as little human contact as possible?

If you can, just take the gas off and let her dictate the pace. She is not likely to be ever a guinea pig that enjpys cuddles (by far not all piggies do). Concentrate on making friends with luring her to come up to you for a treat or play around your body without you trying to touch her, so she becomes comfortable with your presence.
Try to build up an interactive relationship with her that she can control, rather than a petting one. That is likely to take months and not weeks, but you will find that there are lots of things you can do apart from cuddling.

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[ButtercupClover]

OK, sounds like a plan we can manage. I think she's generally happy, and we've seen her popcorning around the cage (when she thinks we're not watching). I think I was a bit worried about neglecting her compared to the others, but she's got a different personality and doesn't want to do the same things as them.

Thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

OK, sounds like a plan we can manage. I think she's generally happy, and we've seen her popcorning around the cage (when she thinks we're not watching). I think I was a bit worried about neglecting her compared to the others, but she's got a different personality and doesn't want to do the same things as them.

Thank you!

Just take her as she is. The first step is to no longer push her and to let her realise that you are no longer after her. Let her come to you for her food instead. You can build up a very nice friendship over time that way...