Storm1974
Junior Guinea Pig
Bramble and Herbert are both around a year old and living separately because they didn't get on after we tried to bond them, and a fight broke out!
Anyway, they are both very difficult to catch, to do health checks etc., and Herbert (especially) who we've had since March races all around the cage and will not let us pick him up, although we do eventually catch him, but it's always quite stressful for all of us! Bramble (Who we've had since last August) also still runs away, but usually into his box, so it's easier to catch him, and then he's always fine once he's out of the cage, but Herbert is a bit less happy about it!
So, as it's obvious through the bar biting and Bramble rumbling at Herbert (quite often throughout the day), that they're both quite hormonal and wound up, do you think it will be more likely that they will become easier to handle and more relaxed as they mature?
It's really difficult because sometimes I feel really bad as an owner, that they still seem so terrified of being picked up out of the cage, and sometimes I just long to be able to pick them up to give them cuddles/kisses, but it's virtually impossible to do that, so I just have to wait for the once a week health checks when we 'have' to get them out of the cage, and then the second time, when the cages are cleaned out.
Also, we do have an outside run for them which they have only been in a couple of times over the last two weeks, because it has either been too cool or too wet to put them in it. But we can't leave them out in it over night because it's just literally a run with no hutch attached, and it gets too cold and damp at night to leave them out, so we have to/will have to, , handle them every time they get put in the run, and then when we have to bring them back in again, and this could be potentially over a few days in a row if we are lucky and get a prolonged dry, warm spell. So they will/may get used to being picked up more then, I suppose, over time.
Anyway, they are both very difficult to catch, to do health checks etc., and Herbert (especially) who we've had since March races all around the cage and will not let us pick him up, although we do eventually catch him, but it's always quite stressful for all of us! Bramble (Who we've had since last August) also still runs away, but usually into his box, so it's easier to catch him, and then he's always fine once he's out of the cage, but Herbert is a bit less happy about it!
So, as it's obvious through the bar biting and Bramble rumbling at Herbert (quite often throughout the day), that they're both quite hormonal and wound up, do you think it will be more likely that they will become easier to handle and more relaxed as they mature?
It's really difficult because sometimes I feel really bad as an owner, that they still seem so terrified of being picked up out of the cage, and sometimes I just long to be able to pick them up to give them cuddles/kisses, but it's virtually impossible to do that, so I just have to wait for the once a week health checks when we 'have' to get them out of the cage, and then the second time, when the cages are cleaned out.
Also, we do have an outside run for them which they have only been in a couple of times over the last two weeks, because it has either been too cool or too wet to put them in it. But we can't leave them out in it over night because it's just literally a run with no hutch attached, and it gets too cold and damp at night to leave them out, so we have to/will have to, , handle them every time they get put in the run, and then when we have to bring them back in again, and this could be potentially over a few days in a row if we are lucky and get a prolonged dry, warm spell. So they will/may get used to being picked up more then, I suppose, over time.
