First Time Guinea Pig owner

[amyloulaw]

Hi Everyone, I have had Milly & Bubble for 6 days now, Milly is 6 weeks old, Bubble 9 weeks, I got them for my daughter Amber who is 9 years old but I am already feeling very maternal towards them and where as Amber is desperate for interaction with them and disappointed that they don't seem to "love her" I am concerned about the do's & don'ts and what's best for them (of Course!!) I have been pouring through books and websites trying to find the answers I need, but feel a bit helpless. When you have a baby you have all sorts of instructions & support from professionals, other mothers, groups etc, but I feel as a new "mummy" to these two very nervous little furballs I feel a little in the dark & paranoid! So I'm just looking for a few words of wisdom and a bit of advice really...and hopefully confirmation They (and I) are doing OK!!
So here's whats happened so far, We collected them on saturday from a private breeder, a lovely old couple who have been reccomended to me by somebody who is very much an Animal lover and has two piggies herself who have beautiful temperaments and seem very happy & healthy :) The breeders told us that both piggies were very used to being handled by their grandchildren.
Milly & Bubble have a Cage 4ft x 2ft with a hidey place each and some straw balls for playing etc. They hid for 48 hours solid (coming out at night when we were asleep for food etc) On Monday Amber's freind who has had two piggies for 3 years and is very confident with them came over and showed Amber & I how to hold them etc, we then let them have a little runabout (Bubble just sat stock still the whole time , Milly was more inquisitive, sniffing around) whilst I cleaned they're Cage out, since then they have come out daily for cuddles either from myself & my husband or from Amber, we let them sit on our laps so as to not make them feel smothered, stroke them and talk to them gently and they don't seem to mind too much once they are actually out with us! They are eating fine, hay, grass substitute, guinea pig nuggets etc aswell as cabbage/carrot/red pepper / spinach etc morning and early evening. So - what's the problem you are asking?...well...
1. They just seem so constantly scared, they hide 90% of the time, I am home most of the day, but have tried leaving the TV on quietly when I go out so that they get used to noise and it's not a shocker for them everytime we're around - is this a good thing or bad thing?
2. They don't seem to be drinking ANY water atall, they have a bottle which I change daily, I have tried a titch of peanut butter on the tip to draw their attention to it, I have tried putting a bowl in, but they just don't seem remotely interested in drinking???
3. Although like I say we have had them out Daily for cuddles & once we do they seem ok, BUT, they do everything in their power to avoid being picked up, Milly's so Tiny & fast that she just darts out of my reach everytime, she really gets quite panicky and squeaky too, yesterday I just decided to let her stay "home" because I sensed the whole game of "Catch" was going to stress her out too much. I wonder should I be leaving them longer to get more used to their environment before forcing them to come out for cuddles? It just seems to upsetting for her in particular...however once she is in on our lap she'll have a little sniff around and look up at me, I can even hear a little murmuring squeak coming from her, but I can't work out whether this is nerves or contentment?? Bubble does not seem overly chuffed about being picked up and we'll dodge & try & wiggle out of my grasp, but doesn't seem as panicky as Milly & is a bit more robust!! Also although Bubble sits stock still on our laps we've found she will lift her belly right up and stand on her tippy toes, if we tickle it as if she wants more ( I presume this is what she means?)
4. I feel bad that they're not getting to run around and have floor time yet, but it seems so traumatic to them to go through the whole coming out of the Cage experience that I feel it's best to take it one step at a time, also to be honest I'm worried I won't be able to Catch them to put them back in the Cage without it all getting to Panicky for them.

I'm sure everything I've mentioned is Normal, I know Guinea Pigs are naturally nervous and understand it takes them a while to settle and build confidence, but I just don't know whether I should be leaving them in Peace or showering them with love ( whether they want it or not!!!) at the moment!
All advice & personal stories would be welcomed!!
Thanks
Amy x@)

[Andi]

Hiya,

I would say it sounds like you are doing alright to me :D...piggies are nervous creatures and it can take months rather than days to get them used to handling and even then some dont like being picked up at all. One of mine is still very jumpy when you go to pick him up although he likes being stroked and loves cuddling once he's out...i find picking him up in a blanket or a towel is easier and keeps him calmer as i think he feels more secure in my arms then.

regular handling should see them become more confident but it will take a while yet,if theyre getting very stressed out at being picked up right now then you could try just sitting talking to them and putting your hands near them offering treats etc so they learn that you being there is a positive thing....also when you do get them out having both of them out together can help as they can be more confident when theyre together rather than when theyre alone!

hope that helps just a few things i have found with my piggies! :)

[Glynis]

Hi Amy, Milly, Bubble and family welcome to the forum :)
You might like to look up the top of our food section re foods etc there's a great thread that will advise you on the foods they can and can't have... and please don't put the peanut butter on their drinking bottle....it's not a food that they will recognise or want:{
.... they will drink if they've learnt what a bottle is, maybe their carers before had bowls?? it might be worth a quick call to find out. I actually have both in my girls house cause i know they'll paddle around at times rolleyes It could take them weeks to get used to their new surroundings.......it's pretty scary stuff for them......give them time......... you're doing the right thing by giving them cuddles, and yes keep your t.v. on and chat to them, they'll eventually get used to that too :)

I would have a playtime for them, but you need for them to feel secure, maybe you can have a little area that can be blocked off that you can put things they're now used to aka their hidey and then leave some food just outside the doorway.......... keep trying this and even leave them alone......the more bolder one (which seems to be Milly) may stick out her nose and grab the food, if this happens a few time, Bubble might follow suit :)
Hope you can put some pigtures in our stories section, would love to see them both x)
You'll meet some lovely people on here, we've all been beginners and everyone is here to help :)

Glynis, Velvet and Onyx xxx

[lilmisscavy]

Welcome to the forum and welcome to the world of pig ownership, that must be said first and foremost! :)

Everything that's happening with them is totally normal, as you are aware so it's nothing to feel too conscious about.

Leaving the TV on or off doesn't make a difference to them but it might be nice for them to have a constant voice in the background as though someone is there and is showing no threat. So it's neither wrong nor right, it's a personal choice.

Peanut butter on the bottle isn't something advised, it's not a safe thing to give pigs. They will drink what they want, when they want. My 12 are all different in their water consumption. It's most likely due to getting water in their fresh veg and fruits anyway.

The reason your little one is up on her 'tip toes' when lifted up means she is petrified and doesn't want to move an inch around you, so it doesn't mean she wants more tickles or even enjoys it, although she may it doesn't seem that's the case here.

Handling-wise, they will be like this for a very long time, if not all their lives. It's just a piggy trait but if there is too much of a chase, use one of their houses to block them inside as they will naturally hide in them to get away from you so you have an advantage there. Try to be encouraging with soft words as you go near them. Let them run when they want to run. If you grasp them then they'll panic more as you're a predator to them so if they wriggle (whilst in the cage of course) let them go then try again.

I got my first pig when I was 9, its a relatively good age to begin with pets for children although obviously you must know to be with your daughter whenever she's handling them, and keeping yourself low to the ground just incase they decide to jump or wriggle. If she has a friend with experience in pig ownership then that'll give her a lot of encouragement to look after them properly and show responsibility.

My first pig, Pepper, was from a local breeder who was just my little baby lol, he was my best friend and such a laid back boy, I'd get him out of his hutch every night after school and watch TV with him on my lap and he'd fall asleep :) Then I remember I had him out for longer than I usually did and he peed on me and I cried my eyes out and told mum I hated him and she had to take him to his hutch lol such a drama queen! :p For about 2 weeks I refused to bring him inside but that's childhood for you! It didn't last long and he had a really good 6 and a half years with me :) I called him my 'poo-poo head' because it made me laugh that they ate their poop and he always used me as a toilet lol!

When I get any new pigs, I like to have them with me but not fuss over them too much, like you're doing with yours is perfect. Build it up each time they're handled, give them strokes behind the ear and round their 'muzzle' part. You will need to know they're comfortable with you for things like health checks (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, genitals and skin) and grooming (which could include bathing on occasion) so it's important when they're this age to handle little and often.

What you're doing so far is absolutely fine, couldn't fault it. Just change the peanut butter to something like apple juice (not a carton of it, the juice from an apple) to tempt them to it if you're concerned but they should be able to smell there water is there and they'll get some when they want to.

Hope that's helped you, you're bound to find other great advice on here :)

[Mummy2Jayden]

Hi and welcome, im new here also and have had my piggies for nearly 2 weeks, they have come on leaps and bounds and already love snuggling on me and falling asleep (well just vinny not so much pauly but he still loves a cuddle) Dont worry about them hiding they will come out when they are good and ready!

As for the water, are you putting vitamin c drops into it? only reason I ask is because I did this for a couple of days and they would not touch it. Then after asking for advice on here I stopped putting it in the water and they drank! If not then try water from a bowl, they may prefer this x