Bonding with my new babies

[Chloe.123]

Ive been having a cuddle with my new piggies, they’re only 7 weeks old. One of the ‘purrs’ when I touch her and the other can’t seem to stop shaking. Is the shaking normal? or should I put them away and try again later? Little and often? The one that’s shaking is currently trying to hide in my hair

 

[Wiebke]

Ive been having a cuddle with my new piggies, they’re only 7 weeks old. One of the ‘purrs’ when I touch her and the other can’t seem to stop shaking. Is the shaking normal? or should I put them away and try again later? Little and often? The one that’s shaking is currently trying to hide in my hair
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Hi and welcome

It sounds like your piggies are not quite used to human handling. Guinea pigs are prey animals; they are not born as cuddly toys. If their mother has been frightened by humans and is being bred without any friendly human interaction, then the babies can internalise any stress and her attitude.

Please take the time to read these guides here. They tell you how guinea pig prey animal instincts work, how you can avoid predatory behaviours that trigger them and make friends with them in ways that they instinctively understand as you are mimicking social guinea pig behaviours. The last guide will help you to spot and understand many of the interactive guinea pig behaviours.

We recommend to wait with handling until your piggies are comfortable with their new cage and are taking food from your hands. Veg and dry forage is a great way of making friends. Be patient but do not push too hard. If you do, step back, give them time to get their bearing again and re-start two steps back. Even skittish piggies will eventually come round again a lot faster each time you have pushed them just over the limit. Trust is a tender plant that needs time to make deep roots to grow fast. If you respect your piggies and their feelings, they will respect you.

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

These guides are part of our new owners' starter kit; you may find it very helpful as we are addressing the most often asked questions and problems encountered in it: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Chloe.123]

Thank you. I’ll read the guides my boys were a lot easier and now they’ll just wait to be picked up and handled. I supposed I was hoping it would come as quick to the girls as it did the boys when they were younger

 

[Chloe.123]

Hi and welcome

It sounds like your piggies are not quite used to human handling. Guinea pigs are prey animals; they are not born as cuddly toys. If their mother has been frightened by humans and is being bred without any friendly human interaction, then the babies can internalise any stress and her attitude.

Please take the time to read these guides here. They tell you how guinea pig prey animal instincts work, how you can avoid predatory behaviours that trigger them and make friends with them in ways that they instinctively understand as you are mimicking social guinea pig behaviours. The last guide will help you to spot and understand many of the interactive guinea pig behaviours.

We recommend to wait with handling until your piggies are comfortable with their new cage and are taking food from your hands. Veg and dry forage is a great way of making friends. Be patient but do not push too hard. If you do, step back, give them time to get their bearing again and re-start two steps back. Even skittish piggies will eventually come round again a lot faster each time you have pushed them just over the limit. Trust is a tender plant that needs time to make deep roots to grow fast. If you respect your piggies and their feelings, they will respect you.

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

These guides are part of our new owners' starter kit; you may find it very helpful as we are addressing the most often asked questions and problems encountered in it: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

I’ve just had a quick look at one of the guides and I’ve noticed it said not to put them into the run yet. I have already done this and it does seem to be one areas they are very confident it, they have started to come out of the hides and will go to either end and be away from each other to eat. Is this ok? And should I continue putting them out?

 

[Wiebke]

I’ve just had a quick look at one of the guides and I’ve noticed it said not to put them into the run yet. I have already done this and it does seem to be one areas they are very confident it, they have started to come out of the hides and will go to either end and be away from each other to eat. Is this ok? And should I continue putting them out?

If they are OK with their cage and run, then it is fine to continue. You have to judge where your babies stand in terms of how confident they are in their new surroundings and then take it from there.

This advice is for guinea pigs that are not coming out of hiding at all after their arrival; it is important to give those piggies time to get confident in their new cage before throwing even more 'dangerous territory' at them.

 

[Merab]

Those babies are very gorgeous.
Can't add to the good advice already given