Trust

[Gracieffion]

Hi!
Had my guinea pigs around 8 months, boys Pickle and Popcorn! Any advice on how to get them to trust you?
They will both feed out of my hands, however I still struggle to pick them up and they never let me stroke them! Both still going through puberty so lots of rumbling etc!

 

[Piggies&buns]

If they are taking food from you then they do trust you. If they didn’t, then they wouldn’t take food from you, but you do need to be aware that this may be as good as it gets. It is very normal for them to not want to be picked up or touched - they are prey animals and most piggies don’t like it, being cuddly and wanting to be held and touched is a big misconception.
My boys have been with me three years, they don’t like to be to touched, held, picked up but they take food from me. They therefore trust me. They get more companionship from each other than they will ever get from me and the enjoyment I get from my boys is their relationship with each other.

 

[Free Ranger]

My nervous George got used to being picked up and started to enjoy lap time in a snuggle sack but we started this because he was alone for a while. When he got his new friend he got a bit shifty about being taken away from his house (he's very possessive of his heat pad - she doesn't get a look in unless he's gone for a rumble round!)

However, I initially started to build trust by sitting on the floor next to his cage in the mornings and having my cereal while he had his pellets. He would eyeball me eating - he was also eating - and I occasionally passed him a bit of veg. I tempted him out to take veg from my hand, eventually I got him on my knee for a minute or two to have it, but as soon as he looked to get down I let him go. Mind you, this will only work if yours are inside and you don't mind sitting on the floor for a bit!

They're unlikely to ever leap into your arms (be careful they don't leap out!) but comfortable interaction lets them get used to you. If they are happy with each other they aren't missing out though - when George had his two 'wives' I just let them get on with pigging around. In fact, if he wasn't bereaved during lockdown we might never have built such a bond. When I go to cover them at bedtime now I always sneak my hand into his snuggle tunnel for a gentle touch 'goodnight' (also to check he's actually there because you can't see him in the dark) and he doesn't move away. It's the little things...

The most relevant advice I ever read was that they love food, but if they associate you with food the lines will start to blur ☺