Disheartened About New Piggy

[piggyme234]

I have recently adopted three girls to be with my lonely girl Jemima. Henrietta, who we think is mum, and Alice and Joanna. Joanna was always very scared and would squeal loudly when I tried to pick her up. She was getting better and was calmer when I was holding her until her and Alice both developed little fungal patches that needed treating. Alice hates me having to touch and treat the sore area and wiggles and complains as I would expect but Joanna squeals and bites me and tries to leap out of my hands. I know she is terrified and it hurts her, I just wish I could explain to her that I don't want to hurt her and I am doing it for her own good. I should be happy that Henrietta is so much more confident now, she is bossing about Jemima and always first in line for the food it's just upsetting that Joanna is so upset and scared.

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Give them time to settle - piggies need to be aquainted to new smells, sounds, surroundings etc.
If you spend as much time as possible quietly talking to them, they will soon get used to your voice and trust you.
I have piggies here that just do not like us hoomans and still hide from me...
They will be ruling your life after a time so don't say you haven't been warned when they shout at you for food and attention.
Patience is required and it pays off

 

[Guineapigfeet]

I have a young trio and about a month after I got them one got a hay poke and needed eye drops three times a day for five days - until that point she was very comfortable been tube-caught and held (not interested in sitting still, but not frightened) but since then, she will do almost anything to not go in the tube and a sits scared-still, but not quite frozen, when being held (but unfortunately not for nail clipping!) I think just time will make it better. One of my others hates being stroked full stop. She'll sit on your lap or shoulder but if you touch her any further back than her shoulders she'll flip out and bite !

 

[piggyme234]

Thanks, I know she will get better it's just hard to see her as she is now. Even when I have adopted scared piggies in the past they haven't been this bad, she is even more terrified of being held than Toby was when I got him and I thought he was bad. They were badly treated before they were rescued and I don't like that she sees me the same as them. I couldn't run a rescue, it would make me so sad for the scared and hurt piggies.

 

[Freela]

It takes some time, especially with medical care required that makes it impossible to let them warm up gradually. If it's any consolation, my Hadley (in my avatar pic) was a 'screamer'- when you tried to pick her up she would let out this bloodcurdling shriek! She got over it and is now a lap pig. Hang in there!