Guinea pig jumping out of arms

[Xmolxlie]

Hi,
I have two new baby Guinea pigs (the lady i adopted them from said she believed they were 10-12 weeks old) that I’m currently going through the bonding process with to bond them with my recently bereaved older piggy. After today’s bonding session I had moved the babies temporary cage onto the bed so I could have them out on the floor bonding, and I stood up holding Bonnie one of the babies to put her back in the cage, and somehow she managed to freak out and squirm out of my grip and over my shoulder and jump onto the floor. I’m 5ft 10inches for height reference, but I did try to crouch down a bit when I realised what was happening. She jumped onto the floor and seemed fine, she’s cut her lip slightly but can walk around/run absolutely fine, but she seems to be making a strange noise, kinda like a chattering/chewing noise, it’s not a constant sound as she’s able to stop it when I pick her up etc - I’m not sure if it’s just because she’s shaken up because aside from that nothing seems wrong, but I’m panicking a bit and feeling so guilty. I’ve given her some food to see if she’ll eat, and I’m going to keep monitoring her, if my exotics vet was open out of hours I’d take her straight away to get checked out, but my local out of hours vets doesn’t have much experience with Guinea pigs, and I don’t think they’d do anything besides give her some loxicom or something. Does anyone have any similar experiences or advice? Obviously I know now not to stand up without holding her in something if I have to now, and I already feel so guilty about it

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,
I have two new baby Guinea pigs (the lady i adopted them from said she believed they were 10-12 weeks old) that I’m currently going through the bonding process with to bond them with my recently bereaved older piggy. After today’s bonding session I had moved the babies temporary cage onto the bed so I could have them out on the floor bonding, and I stood up holding Bonnie one of the babies to put her back in the cage, and somehow she managed to freak out and squirm out of my grip and over my shoulder and jump onto the floor. I’m 5ft 10inches for height reference, but I did try to crouch down a bit when I realised what was happening. She jumped onto the floor and seemed fine, she’s cut her lip slightly but can walk around/run absolutely fine, but she seems to be making a strange noise, kinda like a chattering/chewing noise, it’s not a constant sound as she’s able to stop it when I pick her up etc - I’m not sure if it’s just because she’s shaken up because aside from that nothing seems wrong, but I’m panicking a bit and feeling so guilty. I’ve given her some food to see if she’ll eat, and I’m going to keep monitoring her, if my exotics vet was open out of hours I’d take her straight away to get checked out, but my local out of hours vets doesn’t have much experience with Guinea pigs, and I don’t think they’d do anything besides give her some loxicom or something. Does anyone have any similar experiences or advice? Obviously I know now not to stand up without holding her in something if I have to now, and I already feel so guilty about it

Hi

Please see a vet as soon as you notice that something is off with your baby.
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Take the time to read these helpful information links so you learn about prey animal instincts in guinea pigs and how to avoid falls and blind jumps during transport and lap time.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely

Please be aware that the bonding should be ideally done in one go; even more so with youngsters because with all the human interruptions and interference guinea pigs really struggle to work through the bonding process and it is a very upsetting, stressful and frustrating experience for them as they have to get their despite and not because of the owner. Babies are desperate to belong. Each time you take them out, upset them massively. In the end, it is always down to character compatibility and the dynamics between the personalities that involved. that is not something that you can change or influence.
Here is our comprehensive bonding guide, which covers the whole process from the run up to through the introduction phases step-by-step with attendant behaviours and dynamics plus extra chapters on baby and other special bonding aspects and also convers the very often overlooked post-intro 2 weeks dominance phase, which is an integral part of the bonding process, in which the group bond is truly settled and any details are worked out. You should find it very helpful, as our long forum and private experience with lots of bondings has gone into it: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
This is how arrival in a new home is looking from the guinea pig perspective: Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs

All these guides are part of our very extensive practical new owners information resource with lots of tips and detailed how to advice. You may want to bookmark the link, browse, read and re-read at need:Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[LMPigs]

You and your guinea pig must be very shaken.

I think it is a good idea to take her to the vets for a check up. She may well be completely fine apart from the stress but its hard to tell with a small scared creature so much better to be on the safe side.

The teeth chattering could be her expressing her fear / upset, but equally it could be that she's knocked her teeth about somehow, especially since you mentioned a cut lip.

Does she still seem to be able to pick up and chew food? If so, then given she's walking about I think you'd be fine to wait until tomorrow to get her checked over.

 

[Xmolxlie]

Hi

Please see a vet as soon as you notice that something is off with your baby.
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Take the time to read these helpful information links so you learn about prey animal instincts in guinea pigs and how to avoid falls and blind jumps during transport and lap time.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely

Please be aware that the bonding should be ideally done in one go; even more so with youngsters because with all the human interruptions and interference guinea pigs really struggle to work through the bonding process and it is a very upsetting, stressful and frustrating experience for them as they have to get their despite and not because of the owner. Babies are desperate to belong. Each time you take them out, upset them massively. In the end, it is always down to character compatibility and the dynamics between the personalities that involved. that is not something that you can change or influence.
Here is our comprehensive bonding guide, which covers the whole process from the run up to through the introduction phases step-by-step with attendant behaviours and dynamics plus extra chapters on baby and other special bonding aspects and also convers the very often overlooked post-intro 2 weeks dominance phase, which is an integral part of the bonding process, in which the group bond is truly settled and any details are worked out. You should find it very helpful, as our long forum and private experience with lots of bondings has gone into it: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
This is how arrival in a new home is looking from the guinea pig perspective: Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs

All these guides are part of our very extensive practical new owners information resource with lots of tips and detailed how to advice. You may want to bookmark the link, browse, read and re-read at need:Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Thank you so much! I’ll definitely read through everything tonight, I really appreciate the reference links, this is the first time I’ve bonded my pigs and I’ve done quite a lot of research on it but I could still definitely use the help! The only reason I haven’t done it all in one go is I wasn’t 100% that they were completely okay together yet, and I didn’t want to put them all together in the cage tonight and have things go sideways while I’m asleep, but I’m going to try to get them fully bonded tomorrow. I’m going to try to get her an emergency appointment at the vets in the morning, and keep her monitored through the night too!

 

[Xmolxlie]

You and your guinea pig must be very shaken.

I think it is a good idea to take her to the vets for a check up. She may well be completely fine apart from the stress but its hard to tell with a small scared creature so much better to be on the safe side.

The teeth chattering could be her expressing her fear / upset, but equally it could be that she's knocked her teeth about somehow, especially since you mentioned a cut lip.

Does she still seem to be able to pick up and chew food? If so, then given she's walking about I think you'd be fine to wait until tomorrow to get her checked over.

We’re definitely very shaken up! They have a full vets check up booked in for next Wednesday as I wanted them to have a full health check anyways, as my guinea pig vet is fully booked until then, but I will see if they can squeeze us in as an emergency tomorrow! I’ve left them settled down with a plate of veggies for a little while, they’re still very timid so don’t really eat while I’m around anyways, but I will check how they’re doing on the eating front in a few minutes, I think she is fine and it’s just me being a bit of an anxious hypochondriac pig mum, but definitely better to be on the safe side! Thank you for your advice

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much! I’ll definitely read through everything tonight, I really appreciate the reference links, this is the first time I’ve bonded my pigs and I’ve done quite a lot of research on it but I could still definitely use the help! The only reason I haven’t done it all in one go is I wasn’t 100% that they were completely okay together yet, and I didn’t want to put them all together in the cage tonight and have things go sideways while I’m asleep, but I’m going to try to get them fully bonded tomorrow. I’m going to try to get her an emergency appointment at the vets in the morning, and keep her monitored through the night too!

I am very sorry; it is a common human misunderstanding born out of fear of a failed bonding that you only bond piggies when they are ok with each other when this is exactly the process that is worked out during the bonding. You cannot anticipate the bonding before the bonding; it doesn't work like that.

Even if you bond piece-meal with highly fear-aggressive piggies, it is always about progressing the bonding process as far the problem piggy can stand it and just as far as they start going on overload but it is still all about allowing the bonding process to proceed as much as possible and for as long as the other party is with it and is not losing interest. Any other bonding has to be done in one go; you have to commit and ride the tiger or you won't get there.

Please take a deep breath; babies are in most cases accepted straight away and you have to sit through the ensuing crucial dominance in which the all important hierarchy is hammered out with the attendant baby dramas and submission squealing. The guide will help you to understand what is going on and that it is lot less bad than it sounds.

The teeth chattering means that your baby is not very impressed and rather shaken as much as you you after a fall. Give them space to recover and recoup.

 

[Xmolxlie]

I am very sorry; it is a common human misunderstanding born out of fear of a failed bonding that you only bond piggies when they are ok with each other when this is exactly the process that is worked out during the bonding. You cannot anticipate the bonding before the bonding; it doesn't work like that.

Even if you bond piece-meal with highly fear-aggressive piggies, it is always about progressing the bonding process as far the problem piggy can stand it and just as far as they start going on overload but it is still all about allowing the bonding process to proceed as much as possible and for as long as the other party is with it and is not losing interest. Any other bonding has to be done in one go; you have to commit and ride the tiger or you won't get there.

Please take a deep breath; babies are in most cases accepted straight away and you have to sit through the ensuing crucial dominance in which the all important hierarchy is hammered out with the attendant baby dramas and submission squealing. The guide will help you to understand what is going on and that it is lot less bad than it sounds.

The teeth chattering means that your baby is not very impressed and rather shaken as much as you you after a fall. Give them space to recover and recoup.

Thank you so much I’m an anxious over thinker when it comes to these things, I’m gonna dedicate all of Saturday to bonding and doing it all in one go then! And I will read up beforehand on the links you shared ❤ Kovu my older pig is very chilled out, and she seemed to love the company of the babies, and Bonnie and Chica seemed to take a shine to her too, so I think everything will be okay.

Thank you, I definitely think you’re right and the chattering was just fear, and being a bit shaken up. I’ve just checked her over now and she seems absolutely fine and back to herself, she’s running around and has stopped chattering and has eaten well. She even tried to squirm her way out of my arms again while I was checking her over, but thankfully we were on the floor (intentionally as I’m not taking that risk again ). But I'm still going to keep a close eye on her, and make sure she’s doing okay throughout the night.