newbie struggling

[daw]

decided to get guinea pigs for my two kids, read up on them and spoke to other guinea owners. thing is, now they are here, I am struggling a bit adjusting to them. It's not like I thought it would be. For a start I don't like the smell (they are indoors), feel a bit wobbly trying to pick them up, they are extremely jumpy and it doesn't help that they run away at ever opportunity. They are males and one of them seems to want to fight all the time. Keeps making the warning sound and does the swaying dance. They have had a few scrapes already and have only been here 4 days. I was told that I would only have to clean them out every few days and a full clean out once a week. I am gutted to find out it's an every day job because of the smell. I am considering getting them an outside hutch but squeamish about clipshears and other insects. I think I may also be allergic to either the hay or the wood shavings or the guinea pigs themselves, something is irritating my throat! The guinea pigs are total scaredy cats. An aquaintance told me to get slightly older guinea pigs as they are used to being held, so advice headed and we got our two at 10months old. Trouble is, I don't think they were handled much in their previous homes - is it too late now? They wont let us near them. As soon as I try to take one out it just scrambles back to its cage! I feel like I am failing miserably as a guinea pig owner - help!! All and any advice gratefully received.

[flips]

Guinea pigs are fabulous pets but it can take a little while for them to settle and for you to get a routine established that you're happy with. There are other options for bedding that you can consider. Hay is essential for eating and foraging but you could also use a paper-based bedding such as megazorb or look into using towels/ fleece (instead of shavings). Have a look at the reviews in the housing section. I personally think sawdust gets smelly quickly indoors but others will have different opinions. Urine soaked hay also smells so I change the bedding hay every day.
Guinea pigs are naturally wary as they are prey animals. With time they will get more used to you handling them. You can save a treat for laptime- parsley is a favourite here. I also use a cozy- a kind of fleece pocket- to handle my pigs as it is less stressful for all of us. They have somewhere to hide on my lap and they can't jump off- also great for children to learn to handle pigs.

You're not a failed owner- it's all just very new. It's great that you're looking for some advice. :)

[CiaraPatricia]

First of all, it's not too late to tame them. Getting baby ones probably would have been better, but yours are still young. I wouldn't try to handle them much yet, but would sit by the cage (and get the kids to too) quietly a bit everyday, and watch them, talk to them softly, etc. You can also try to see if they'll take some veggies out of your hand, or if they won't then just put down some veggies and let them eat them while you're there (hopefully they'll feel relaxed enough to do that soon.) Soon they'll associate you with treats so they'll come out to you squeaking!

I've found with timid guinea pigs that are older than a few months then it's just all about patience but they will get tame. Maybe not as tame as ones handled from babies though. But yours are inside (mine are outdoors) so they'll have loads of contact so should get friendly. :)

I'm afraid they do need a lot of cleaning, but outdoors they would too. They wouldn't smell as much outdoors (or you wouldn't notice) but they'd still need as much cleaning, because if they're sleeping in damp bedding they'll get cold outdoors.

An idea could be using fleece bedding to make it easier to clean. I don't use it, but maybe someone here can tell you about that? And any ways to keep it smelling better? I don't really know because I've never found them too smelly, but mine are outdoors so I guess the smell just goes away. Have you tried keeping a window a bit open all day. I find with cats indoors that I have to have a window slightly open (about an inch only) all day and night, I really like fresh air though! :) My family are always giving out about it!

Have the males been properly fighting, like biting and stuff? If they're biting each other and drawing blood then they should probably be seperated. Are the making a teeth chattering noise, because that's aggressive.

But if they're just making the rumbling noise and bum swaying then that's normal, and probably just because of them settling into a new territory. Also they might fight if the cage is too small (should be at least 4'X2' for 2) but the bigger the better. And maybe it would be a good idea to have two beds/houses for them, two bowls of food, two water bottles, etc. to make them less territorial.

[Sarah from Chucklebunnies]

Guinea pigs are better off not on woodshavings, there are some good ideas about alternatives in the housing bit. I have mine on fleece which is a lot easier to keep clean.

The smell I can't advise about, sorry. I only keep girls and they don't have that same male smell I think.

Picking up and cuddling is a whole lot easier when you can pick them up in something - a soft home, an upturned pigloo with a teatowel over, a cardboard box even - and then put them onto a lap from there. If they haven't been handled much then try letting them find shelter while being cuddled, wrap in a towel perhaps, as they are prey animals and will want to hide. Attempting to get back into the hutch and not liking being picked up are absolutely classic - imagine how you would feel if you were scared and normally eaten by predators and swung through the air!!! It really doesn't mean that they don't like you - they are just heading for safety that's all.

Picking up can be difficult when you are not experienced and they are faster and bigger than you think. Nerves transmit themselves to the piggies so the whole thing gets harder. Don't be hard on yourself, time and practice will make you all much better at being picked up. Using a home/box to go into and then lifting this out of the cage really can be a lot easier.

The rumblestrutting is normal, as is some mounting. Only panic if there is blood.

Allergies - this sounds yucky but try testing yourself. Breathe near the hay - any trouble breathing or immediate reaction? Put your face near the fur of the guinea pig - any watering eyes/soreness/trouble breathing? You do need to find out if it is the piggies as if you are genuinely allergic then keeping piggies really isn't for you. But a sore throat can have lots of other causes, so try testing and see properly.

I do wish you all the best, for yourself and your piggies. I hope the initial problems can be overcome, that it's a cold or stress rather than an allergy and that you have many happy years getting to know your new boys. Sarah

[CiaraPatricia]

Oh yeah, is the throat irritation bad? I'd wait and see how that goes.

I'm allergic to hay (sneezing and runny eyes) but mine are outdoors so it's not too bad. My friend has two guinea pigs though, and she's allergic to them. She has to wear gloves when she touches them or cleans the cages or she gets a rash! She gets it every now and again when one of them runs up to her neck. The rash goes away after a few hours though. She doesn't want to give them away though because she loves them :)

[Claire W]

Please do not be to downhearted. You are not a bad piggy owner.
Guinea pigs are fabulous pets but like any other animal, they need to learn to trust you and with time and patience, they will do. Some piggies have a poorer start in life so need to be able to build trust.
When I first adopted Eleanor, she was skittish and would run away. However, I took things slowly with her and she is such a happy and gentle girl.
Just take things slowly with your boys. Sit and watch them whilst talking to them gently. Keep putting your hand in to their cage and let them come and sniff you. Once they have learned to do that, you can try handling them. I promise you that you will be rewarded in the end :)
As for the smell, I can not advise as my 4 girls live in a hutch outdoors.

[Wiebke]

Shy new guinea pigs can come as a bit of a shock!!!
Here is a collection of tips: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36239

You may find inspiration for alternative beddings in our housing section (have a look at the hutch and cage gallery (but start at the back).
There are more informative thread that you might find useful in our reference section.

Here is a link to boar behaviour: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28949
And here is a link to guinea pig sounds:
http://www.jackiesguineapiggies.com/guineapigsounds.html

The more you understand what your guinea pigs are doing, the less giddy you'll feel. Best of luck!

[daw]

Thanks to everyone who has replied to me. There is loads for me to look into, I personally think it's the hay that is bothering my throat, hopefully I can build up a resistance to it. I am going to look into an alternative to the sawdust. Thinking about the fleece idea, so will check that out. I have been a bit down hearted about it, but your posts have perked me up a bit. I have been sitting next to the cage every day talking to them and letting them sniff my hands, and they do take fruit and veg out of my hand and my kids hands too. I will get something to handle them with as well, I hadn't thought of that and I think it will be a good thing. The fighting isn't as bad as I thought then, it is just rumblestrutting and swaying. No teeth chattering as far as I can tell. There has been no blood. The cage is a rabbit one 4x2, so hope that's big enough?

[Claire W]

4 x 2 is the minimum requirement for 2 piggies so that is a good size. However, some boars require more space so you may want to purchase a bigger cage in the future if your 2 boars start picking at each other x

[RabbitFan]

Glad to hear you're beginning to bond with your piggies. They are delightful little creatures and they will get used to you particularly if you feed them a treat when you're with them. Mine squeak when they hear the rustling of a plastic bag because it's usually got their veggies in. :))

[flips]

It's great that they're already taking food from your hand. Only one of my girls will take food from me when they're in the run and it's only a recent thing- I've had them since December. Sounds like you're doing better than you think. :)

You'll find that there is a huge range of options when it comes to hay as well. You can buy dust-extracted hay but it's a bit pricey. I get hay fever and if I get a particularly dusty batch of meadow hay (cheapest from the local feed supplier) I often shake it in a black bin bag so most of the bits fall to the bottom. It then affects me less when I put the strands in for the guinea pigs.

[CiaraPatricia]

Thanks to everyone who has replied to me. There is loads for me to look into, I personally think it's the hay that is bothering my throat, hopefully I can build up a resistance to it. I am going to look into an alternative to the sawdust. Thinking about the fleece idea, so will check that out. I have been a bit down hearted about it, but your posts have perked me up a bit. I have been sitting next to the cage every day talking to them and letting them sniff my hands, and they do take fruit and veg out of my hand and my kids hands too. I will get something to handle them with as well, I hadn't thought of that and I think it will be a good thing. The fighting isn't as bad as I thought then, it is just rumblestrutting and swaying. No teeth chattering as far as I can tell. There has been no blood. The cage is a rabbit one 4x2, so hope that's big enough?

That's a great sign that they'll take veg out of your hand. They'll be friendly in no time :)

With the hay, is it a bit dusty maybe? You could try a better quality hay that might be better, I don't know what one to recommend though. My friend's rabbit was allergic to a lot of types of hay (really!) but she found that Tesco hay was good!

[daleksarah]

when i got Mac and Rascal i was disheartened that they just hid all the time and didnt make any noise, they hated me!!!but after time they came round, Mac is still a bit of a wimp and runs but Rascal is braver.
ive also got 2 younger boys and they are a lot more friendlier, but they were handled from an early age.
i`ll admit myself lately ive been struggling to keep on top of cage changes etc what with being so busy with work, moving house etc.
try and set yourself a routine get the boys out every night for a cuddle, they will soon get used to you

[chrissie]

hi sorry not read all post so may repeat what some one else has said.

First i have 11 boars who live indoor and don't find they smell. A through would be if fighting one may he spraying (not sure right word) one of mine does it and that is a very strong smell. it a very muske smell.

Also i used fleece for couple of weeks deferently easier to clean but i did find it had to be changed daily as the smell would be strong. then i also have 18 piggys in one room so may be different with fewer.

i found it hard with my first two and looking back did alot wrong. Now have 18 so does get easier so please don't feel disheartened.

i have piggys who hate being handled and some love it but they all are hard to catch they don't come with out a fight.

[CandyFloss]

Hang in there - sounds to me like youve made a great start with them - theyre taking food from you and you are looking at alternative bedding etc and asking for advice. I have 5 indoors (females) on fleece and change it every 2nd day.

You may get some different types of hay that are more dust free than others (sorry if someones already mentioned this) so if the hays the problem then trying different types might help.

They can take a little time to settle in - for you to get used to them and their ways and for them to get used to you - its worth it in the end. (When I first got mine I was a bit scared to handle them and thought they wanted to bite me :red .... but in actual fact they were more scared of me)

Keep us posted - Im sure you'll find with a few tweaks etc that you find out whats best for them and you and your family,

Theres plenty of people here to help when / if you need it.

x

[threelittlepigs]

On the point about the ages of the guinea pigs, older pigs are friendlier. However, in my experience this old/middle age would be about 3yrs and your pigs are still young at 10 months. I have adopted nearly all my pigs from rescues and I would say that they all mellow over time and 10 months is definitely not too late for them to become friendly.

As guide, I would say that two weeks is an average settling in period when you can expect them to be super anxious.