Bringing Them Out Of Their Shells?

[PiggySmitten]

These are our two rescue sisters (Biscuit and Crumble - Crumble is the Rex one) we took on a couple of weeks ago from the lovely lady who had nursed them back to health.

We think they are about 12 weeks old now. Before they were rescued they had been living with their parents and all their siblings (male and females not separated) and were apparently covered in sores. When we got them they just had a little bit of fungal infection that needed to have treatment continued. What a wonderful job that kind lady did!

They are so very timid - much more so than our other 3. I've taken this picture about 15 minutes ago when we've got them out for a bit of floor time for the first time ever and one of them had moved a tiny bit in a single movement since then and that's it - they're not trying to explore at all.

We've had to handle them every day even when we first got them in order to continue the treatment and they have been outdoors for runs around, where they were more lively than they are now but still less than our other 3 are.

I can see them slowly making progress and becoming less timid - they do venture out of their hidey holes in their cage during the day now but still shoot off if they see or hear us - but oh it's slow progress. I long to see them running around and exploring and chattering like the others do!

 

[Stewybus]

It always takes time but handing them for treatment is a great way for them to get used to you. Obviously you don't choose for them to be ill but take advantage of it as they really get hand tame when you're giving them meds or treating them with ointments or lotions.

They are a beautiful pair of piggies.

 

[theoretikos]

They are gorgeous!

 

[Lilly]

Beautiful peas in a pod - however do you tell them apart?

 

[PiggySmitten]

Beautiful peas in a pod - however do you tell them apart?

There's no denying they are sisters! They are extremely alike in all ways (and only 20g between them in weight) except that Biscuit has an extremely silky smooth coat and Crumble has a Rex coat. But you can't even see that difference unless you're really close up! We're very fond of them already .

 

[piggyfan]

They are so pretty!

 

[sport_billy]

They do look alike, I couldn't tell one of them was a Rex. Lovely colourings.

We found the same with Widget and her fungal, we handled her from a baby so it does help them get used to you a little more... I am pleased you are making progress with them and I look forward to seeing lots more of Crumble and Biscuit.

 

[Beady Eye]

When I first got Blackberry and Honeypot they were the same, and I was really worried that they were never going to change. They were so nervous even with me just stroking them. In the first couple of weeks I could only stroke them when they were eating, and that was only because they probably at that point were unaware that I was there! I didn't know if this was just a guinea pig thing because we had had rabbits before, both in pairs and on their own, and they had never been so timid. How do other people compare their experience with rabbits to that with piggies?

Anyways, even floor time got them all spooked, and they would often just huddle up together and rush back to a corner when I moved too much. What we worked out in the end was this: we had some mattresses and a comforter and so what we did was put the mattress on the floor, and then the comforter over the top. We then allowed them to crawl under the mattress (it was messed up so to be more fun for them.) Because they weren't out in the open they were much more confident to play around here, and even split up from each other. Because they were still a little nervous, whenever they stuck their funny little noses out of the comforter and into the light they would rush back inside to where they felt secure. So there was no fear of them running away or getting lost from us! In time, what we then did was crawl under the comforter ourseleves, and they would slowly creep up to us, and then over and under us. You see, they already felt comfortable there, and flet they could still scuttle off to a corner for their own space.

After a while, and after lots of handling and patience, they of course came to be fine out in the open. And you wouldn't know them to be the same little Piggies now! But even so, when they have the chance they will always scuttle under a duvet if they can find one!