Comfort to my shy little guinea

N

ninja guinea pig

Junior Guinea Pig
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My shy guinea of the two little guys is suoer timid. It’s day 4 so I tried to pet him since he was taking food out of my hand. He squeaked and now I am wondering what this poor guy went through before we got him. So I would like to bring confort to him and treat him as nicely as I can. I’m new to guinea pigs so earning trust is challenging for me.
If you could lend some knowledge that would be awesome and thanks for reading and your time
 
Hello!

Don't worry, that is completely normal. They will shy away from you for a long time yet. They're not naturally used to petting, and as a matter of fact they see you as their predator, so they get scared when you approach them with your giant hand. :lol:

You may want to check the beginner's guides on this forum. I particularly recommend these ones:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

You can find the others here: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Have fun getting close to them! :)
 
tatals said:
Hello!

Don't worry, that is completely normal. They will shy away from you for a long time yet. They're not naturally used to petting, and as a matter of fact they see you as their predator, so they get scared when you approach them with your giant hand. :lol:
Click to expand...

That's not entirely true. Each pig is different but it's heavily learned to "hide" from what I've seen. It really depends on how well they've been handled since day 1. If rarely handled or handled roughly, or exposed to overly aggressive pigs, they'll be more resistant to handling as they get older. I've had day 1 pups that allowed petting w/o wheeking, sitting on my chest for 5 minutes+. They also didn't/don't run when reaching in, even after a couple weeks old. It also helps if the cage is more open with minimal hiding spots or spots only the pups can hide in, but are too small for the adults to go in. Reason is, if the adults have somewhere to hide, they'll see the adults run and hide and then immediately run and hide themselves.

As far as the pup wheeking, it's being submissive OR it might be expecting a treat if it was given veggies prior (I'm assuming it isn't injured or has a defect). Wasn't there, so unsure what wheeking it was doing. IF it was being submissive, get into the habit of giving a small amount of veggies, several times a day (alternate lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, broccoli, etc.; lettuce and cucumbers are easier to get them to eat off the bat, other veggies can be worked in if they are picky or won't initially eat it; if they get the runs, back off a little bit until their poop takes the pellet form again) and ANNOUNCE what you are doing. I use the "TREAT" word (use whatever word you want) to get my piggies excited and then reward them with a veggie. But starting out, I'd put the veggie in their bowl while saying "TREAT". Once they start eating it, say TREAT again. Eventually, once used to you and your words, they'll stand against the cage walls wanting some. If they don't run, say "TREAT" while holding something a little bigger like a piece of lettuce, perfectly still. It will eventually approach (may take a couple tries over several days once eating veggies from a bowl). If it nibbles but does NOT pull it from your hand, tug it slightly like you were fishing and try to get a fish to bite. It should instinctively try again to nibble. Once more, tug gently on the veggie again. Once it bites into it OR tugs back, let it go. This helps teach them to "take it" from you. If it grabs the veggie then runs away with it, that's normal. They do that to stop other pigs from taking it from them.

Just work on the veggies to gain it's trust. Can also put the gp on your lap/chest, and let it nibble on a veggie it LOVES, then follow up with nose/head pets. Keep reinforcing petting with the veggie reward. Do this several times a day, every day. It'll eventually warm up to you. Eventually, it'll let you pet in the cage w/o running away.
 
Little Piglets said:
That's not entirely true. Each pig is different but it's heavily learned to "hide" from what I've seen. It really depends on how well they've been handled since day 1. If rarely handled or handled roughly, or exposed to overly aggressive pigs, they'll be more resistant to handling as they get older. I've had day 1 pups that allowed petting w/o wheeking, sitting on my chest for 5 minutes+. They also didn't/don't run when reaching in, even after a couple weeks old. It also helps if the cage is more open with minimal hiding spots or spots only the pups can hide in, but are too small for the adults to go in. Reason is, if the adults have somewhere to hide, they'll see the adults run and hide and then immediately run and hide themselves.

As far as the pup wheeking, it's being submissive OR it might be expecting a treat if it was given veggies prior (I'm assuming it isn't injured or has a defect). Wasn't there, so unsure what wheeking it was doing. IF it was being submissive, get into the habit of giving a small amount of veggies, several times a day (alternate lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, broccoli, etc.; lettuce and cucumbers are easier to get them to eat off the bat, other veggies can be worked in if they are picky or won't initially eat it; if they get the runs, back off a little bit until their poop takes the pellet form again) and ANNOUNCE what you are doing. I use the "TREAT" word (use whatever word you want) to get my piggies excited and then reward them with a veggie. But starting out, I'd put the veggie in their bowl while saying "TREAT". Once they start eating it, say TREAT again. Eventually, once used to you and your words, they'll stand against the cage walls wanting some. If they don't run, say "TREAT" while holding something a little bigger like a piece of lettuce, perfectly still. It will eventually approach (may take a couple tries over several days once eating veggies from a bowl). If it nibbles but does NOT pull it from your hand, tug it slightly like you were fishing and try to get a fish to bite. It should instinctively try again to nibble. Once more, tug gently on the veggie again. Once it bites into it OR tugs back, let it go. This helps teach them to "take it" from you. If it grabs the veggie then runs away with it, that's normal. They do that to stop other pigs from taking it from them.

Just work on the veggies to gain it's trust. Can also put the gp on your lap/chest, and let it nibble on a veggie it LOVES, then follow up with nose/head pets. Keep reinforcing petting with the veggie reward. Do this several times a day, every day. It'll eventually warm up to you. Eventually, it'll let you pet in the cage w/o running away.
Click to expand...

Hey, Little Piglets! Great tips!

I said they are going to have this reaction because it's a general rule, I think? So owners don't get upset about them not reacting as a dog would. Also, from their posts, I assume they have adopted a somewhat grow-ish pig, not a newborn baby, and they will probably carry some history with them, even if they are just a few weeks old. My boys came here as babies, and yet they had a BIG past and were super scared of everything. (i.e., they lived in a small space and one of them was often bitten by the other boys; he arrived here with several bite marks.)

@Ygameplay2000, you should follow Little Piglets advice, it will help you a lot. :)
 
I was justing checking on the boys and giving them their goodnights and thought about something else to add which may help.

Oreo and Shoyu absolutely love their pellets. They go mad popcorning if they realize they're gonna get some of it. So I figured I'd use them to my advantage. I started saving the pellets for interaction time. I give some of them one by one, and they have to pick the pellets from my hand. But I pet them before - short, brief movements - and give the pellet as a reward. This is something I've been doing now, as my pigs are not fond of being petted while in their cage either. I'm taking small steps, but I already see progress, @Ygameplay2000, so it's and idea.
 
Little Piglets said:
That's not entirely true. Each pig is different but it's heavily learned to "hide" from what I've seen. It really depends on how well they've been handled since day 1. If rarely handled or handled roughly, or exposed to overly aggressive pigs, they'll be more resistant to handling as they get older. I've had day 1 pups that allowed petting w/o wheeking, sitting on my chest for 5 minutes+. They also didn't/don't run when reaching in, even after a couple weeks old. It also helps if the cage is more open with minimal hiding spots or spots only the pups can hide in, but are too small for the adults to go in. Reason is, if the adults have somewhere to hide, they'll see the adults run and hide and then immediately run and hide themselves.

As far as the pup wheeking, it's being submissive OR it might be expecting a treat if it was given veggies prior (I'm assuming it isn't injured or has a defect). Wasn't there, so unsure what wheeking it was doing. IF it was being submissive, get into the habit of giving a small amount of veggies, several times a day (alternate lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, broccoli, etc.; lettuce and cucumbers are easier to get them to eat off the bat, other veggies can be worked in if they are picky or won't initially eat it; if they get the runs, back off a little bit until their poop takes the pellet form again) and ANNOUNCE what you are doing. I use the "TREAT" word (use whatever word you want) to get my piggies excited and then reward them with a veggie. But starting out, I'd put the veggie in their bowl while saying "TREAT". Once they start eating it, say TREAT again. Eventually, once used to you and your words, they'll stand against the cage walls wanting some. If they don't run, say "TREAT" while holding something a little bigger like a piece of lettuce, perfectly still. It will eventually approach (may take a couple tries over several days once eating veggies from a bowl). If it nibbles but does NOT pull it from your hand, tug it slightly like you were fishing and try to get a fish to bite. It should instinctively try again to nibble. Once more, tug gently on the veggie again. Once it bites into it OR tugs back, let it go. This helps teach them to "take it" from you. If it grabs the veggie then runs away with it, that's normal. They do that to stop other pigs from taking it from them.

Just work on the veggies to gain it's trust. Can also put the gp on your lap/chest, and let it nibble on a veggie it LOVES, then follow up with nose/head pets. Keep reinforcing petting with the veggie reward. Do this several times a day, every day. It'll eventually warm up to you. Eventually, it'll let you pet in the cage w/o running away.
Click to expand...
Ok thank you 😁😁😁
 
Thanks guys for your suoer awesome pawsome advice, I will continue to be looking through them, so much good information I need to look at more carefully
 
@tatals Sorry, didn't mean to come across as obtuse :hug: Guinea pigs remind of kittens in some ways. If you handle them right from birth going forward, they can be great cats. Don't handle them right, and well....

This is an unfortunate draw-back to getting pigs from others, as it's tough to know how they'll behave or how/if they were handled. If they already had a shaky temperament from birth, and are handled poorly or bullied enough that it alters them on top of the temperament, it might be a little more challenging going forward, and sometimes expectations need to be shifted to adjust.

One of my pigs "Amy" is overly vocal about being submissive with her sister "Griffinia", though she'll often stand up to her or they have little stand-offs where neither budge but both whine, followed by Griffinia eventually "rushing" her and Amy runs off, losing her coveted resting spot. It initially caused Amy to give the same submissive squeal to others in the cage if they got too close, and even me to some degree. So she gets extra petting (in-cage) w/o trying to pick her up. I'll mimic a boar (or sometimes a sow) and do a gentle "ear tug" a few times, pet her nose, maybe the chin if she allows it (they'll put their heads up high if they start liking chin rubs; I always say "want your chin rubbed" so they understand the intention over time; works really well with my boar Scottie too, rest don't overly care for chin rubs yet) but I avoid overwhelming her, and do it for 5-10 seconds then stop, or if she starts acting like she's going to move, stop. It's pretty cool though as she'll squint her eyes or completely close them with the ear tug thing now. But just from the bullying (or possibly a bad fight that wasn't witnessed) from the sister, it was enough to change her actions a bit.

It's taken time, but she's gotten more relaxed, doesn't whine as much when others get close (Griffinia is another story, they just don't like each other) and stays put w/o freaking out.
 
Little Piglets said:
@tatals Sorry, didn't mean to come across as obtuse :hug: Guinea pigs remind of kittens in some ways. If you handle them right from birth going forward, they can be great cats. Don't handle them right, and well....

This is an unfortunate draw-back to getting pigs from others, as it's tough to know how they'll behave or how/if they were handled. If they already had a shaky temperament from birth, and are handled poorly or bullied enough that it alters them on top of the temperament, it might be a little more challenging going forward, and sometimes expectations need to be shifted to adjust.

One of my pigs "Amy" is overly vocal about being submissive with her sister "Griffinia", though she'll often stand up to her or they have little stand-offs where neither budge but both whine, followed by Griffinia eventually "rushing" her and Amy runs off, losing her coveted resting spot. It initially caused Amy to give the same submissive squeal to others in the cage if they got too close, and even me to some degree. So she gets extra petting (in-cage) w/o trying to pick her up. I'll mimic a boar (or sometimes a sow) and do a gentle "ear tug" a few times, pet her nose, maybe the chin if she allows it (they'll put their heads up high if they start liking chin rubs; I always say "want your chin rubbed" so they understand the intention over time; works really well with my boar Scottie too, rest don't overly care for chin rubs yet) but I avoid overwhelming her, and do it for 5-10 seconds then stop, or if she starts acting like she's going to move, stop. It's pretty cool though as she'll squint her eyes or completely close them with the ear tug thing now. But just from the bullying (or possibly a bad fight that wasn't witnessed) from the sister, it was enough to change her actions a bit.

It's taken time, but she's gotten more relaxed, doesn't whine as much when others get close (Griffinia is another story, they just don't like each other) and stays put w/o freaking out.
Click to expand...

Oh, not at all! You were not obtuse. I'm always double-checking because I'm also a new owner, and there's always the language barrier and I worry I might sound weird sometimes.

Amy sounds very much like my Shoyu, so that's a great tip, thanks! I will start doing that.
 
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