Will My Guinea Pig Ever Like Me?

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Amanda LoBianco

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I just got my first guinea pig on the 14th, i try to pet him or hand feed him and all he does is cry's and runs away or cowers in the corner of the cage. i read about the towel trick but i cant catch him to pick him up. when i try to he just cry's and i'm scared ill hurt him so i just give up. Sometimes he even starts breathing fast and it looks like he is shaking. he eats his food and hay, and drinks his water, he also will eat in drink with me staring at him but he wont let me touch him. please help me! i really want to be able to play with him.
 
How old is he? Where did you get him? Also, it has only been three days! I wouldn't worry at all at this stage, it's still very early days. You have to be patient with animals :)
 
Hey,

Don't worry I'm sure you guinea pig will get use to you :)

Guinea pigs a prey animals and it takes them along while to get to trust you, my original two have been with me 8 months and somethings still scare them like music or a different object.

For the first week i didn't pick my pigs up i just sat by cage talking to them or reading out loud so they got use to my voice, then when they started coming out more often when i was in the room i would hold out veg on my hand and let them come and run off with it, this could take forever but i think it was worth it. After a few weeks of this they began to trust me more and would wheek for their veggies and then i started to get them out for 10 minute cuddles.

2 out of my 6 are very nervous and i understand it's going to take a lot of time before they will trust me and enjoy being cuddled but it just takes a little patience.

:tu:
 
Donna Lee Lewis said:
How old is he? Where did you get him? Also, it has only been three days! I wouldn't worry at all at this stage, it's still very early days. You have to be patient with animals :)
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i got him at a local family run petstore, i dont know how old he is exactly but he is small, so i know he isnt an adult yet
 
Welcome to the forum!

It will all just take time. Your baby furball will just be really nervous at the moment as he is in a new place with strange people/smells/house etc. Keep spending time with him and talking to him and offering him tasty treats from your hand. He will start to trust you eventually.

Does he have a guinea-friend or is he by himself?
 
AbiS said:
Welcome to the forum!

It will all just take time. Your baby furball will just be really nervous at the moment as he is in a new place with strange people/smells/house etc. Keep spending time with him and talking to him and offering him tasty treats from your hand. He will start to trust you eventually.

Does he have a guinea-friend or is he by himself?
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he is by himself, i might go back to the petstore tomorrow and see if they have anymore left, and if they do i might get another one
 
Where do you live - just so people can give you advice tailored to you country/area?

I would be very careful about going back to the pet store to get another piggy. If you get a girl before your little man has been neutered then you are going to end up with babies unless you keep them completely separated. Breeding is really not a good idea as there are so many unwanted piggies out there and it can be very risky to mummy pig. It is something that this forum would strongly advise against.

If getting another boar there is a chance that they will not get along together, may end up fighting and need to be separated. The best thing for you to do if go to a reputable rescue for boar-dating where your little man can find his own friend that he will get on with.

I know that sounds complicated but at the same time it is REALLY important that your piggy does have a friend. Guinea pigs are herd animals and are not designed to live on their own. Even if you give him loads of attention he will not be 100% happy without a piggy friend.

The forum members will give you loads of support and advice in helping you to find a little friend but you have to think your options through before you get a new addition.
 
AbiS said:
Where do you live - just so people can give you advice tailored to you country/area?

I would be very careful about going back to the pet store to get another piggy. If you get a girl before your little man has been neutered then you are going to end up with babies unless you keep them completely separated. Breeding is really not a good idea as there are so many unwanted piggies out there and it can be very risky to mummy pig. It is something that this forum would strongly advise against.

If getting another boar there is a chance that they will not get along together, may end up fighting and need to be separated. The best thing for you to do if go to a reputable rescue for boar-dating where your little man can find his own friend that he will get on with.

I know that sounds complicated but at the same time it is REALLY important that your piggy does have a friend. Guinea pigs are herd animals and are not designed to live on their own. Even if you give him loads of attention he will not be 100% happy without a piggy friend.

The forum members will give you loads of support and advice in helping you to find a little friend but you have to think your options through before you get a new addition.
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i live in tampa, florida in the united states. would it be ok for me to wait to get another piggie. like get another once the one i have is used to me.
 
The sooner he has a friend the sooner he will be happy. A friend will give him more confidence too.
 
@Wiebke

Have just tagged a really experienced member - hopefully she will be along soon and can give more advice. I naively bought my 2 boys together, not realising they might fall out. I have been lucky (so far) and have not had a problem. I have never had to bond piggies before so would like you to have advice from someone more experienced. Will be watching to see what happens though
 
Pigs take a while to come around. In my experience the hardest ones also form the strongest bond it took Rocky 6 months to get used to us and Marmite took 2 years but both will try to follow you now in the faint hope you pass the fridge ;)
 
Hi there
I would not worry too much. My baby boars basically hid from me for the first two weeks I had them and I didnt try to hold them at all for the first week.
My boys have been with me since October, and they have only just started to wheek at me, beg for food and stand at the door to their cage, so it has taken them 3 months to start to trust me. Your piggy will settle down, with time and gentle handling :)
 
Just give him some time! He'll get use to you eventually. Continue with the hand feeding but also look into getting a cuddle sack if you ever want to cuddle him he can feel a lot more secure in a sack.

http://www.cavycouture.co.uk
 
Hiya! Guinea pigs, especially youngsters, are desperate for company! They also take some time to come round and learn to be pets and not prey animals that have become separated from their family. Your patience and persistence now will pay off. So will a companion to help bringing him out.

I have found this guinea pig rescue when googling Tampa. I cannot say how good they are, but it might be worth contacting them. If they are knowledgeable, they should be the best place for helping you! Ask whether they quarantine any incoming piggies - that should give you a good idea. If they do and also provide vet care for any piggies that need it, they should be decent.
http://piggyville.com/

Ideally they would arrange a meet&greet session with your youngster, so the two piggies can be paired up for mutual liking and character compatibility, which is the keystone for every successful piggy bond. A larger and older boar would be a better companion for your baby, as that means that only your little boy is going through the hormonal teenage months, which will help immensely to additionally stabilise the couple. The older boar can also "daddy" your baby at first and give him the support and teaching/socialising that he will profit from.

We can give you tips on what to do when introduce/settle in a new piggy. Please always double check the gender of your guinea pigs to avoid some nasty surrpise down the line. Mis-sexing is sadly anything but rare. We can help you on that score, so don't panic!

You may find these threads here interesting and informative:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-companionship.37654/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/biological-facts-and-guinea-pig-society.109062/
http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm
 
Hi, I wouldn't worry too much, some guinea pigs take longer to feel more comfortable than others. Perseverance is the key! Start by talking to your piggy calmly, gradually putting your hand in to stroke him or hand him a treat, and eventually he will let you pick him up. His just nervous, another piggy would bring him out his shell :)
Good luck:)
 
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