Guinea Pigs Won’t Let Me Touch Them

[AJ Casper]

i have two sows, one I got from an accidental litter and the other I got from a pet store. they’re both under a year old and i’ve had them for almost 2 months now. i’ve looked through thread after thread trying to find a solution to my problem with these pigs, but I haven’t been able to find anything that could help so I decided to start my own.

anyway, my issue is that they won’t let me touch them. people say this is typical, but for some reason my pigs just seem to be terrified out of their minds all the time. I make the smallest sound and they go sprinting for the nearest hiding spot. sometimes I even scare them by talking to them, which people say is supposed to be comforting for them. I talk quietly and softly, it’s not like i’m being loud or aggressive at all. they won’t come anywhere near me unless I have food in my hand, then they’re both happy to eat right out of my hand. but they will absolutely never let me touch them. I haven’t been able to pet them anywhere a single time unless i’m holding them (after chasing them in circles around their cage for ten minutes, giving them breaks to settle down too) and even when i’m holding them it’s like they only let me pet them because they’re too scared to do anything about it. they just sit frozen and silent with wide eyes, and finally they’ll start biting me if I have them out for more than 10 minutes without being in their cage. one of the girls is slightly more confident than the other, and is more willing to come up to me to see if I have food, but they both would never let me touch them. I hold a treat out for them sometimes, something they love, and then try to carefully pet their heads while they eat it out of my hand like people say I should. but as soon as they see that my hand is going anywhere near them, they bolt away. doesn’t matter if i’m holding food, doesn’t make a difference.

I guess I just really want to know what i’m doing wrong. why are they so deathly afraid of me after having them for two months? they’re both young and they’ve both been around humans before I adopted them. i’m gentle and quiet and slow when talking to them and handling them. nothing seems to work. i’m frustrated and honestly slightly worried. does anyone possibly have any tips?

 

[Janice C]

i have two sows, one I got from an accidental litter and the other I got from a pet store. they’re both under a year old and i’ve had them for almost 2 months now. i’ve looked through thread after thread trying to find a solution to my problem with these pigs, but I haven’t been able to find anything that could help so I decided to start my own.

anyway, my issue is that they won’t let me touch them. people say this is typical, but for some reason my pigs just seem to be terrified out of their minds all the time. I make the smallest sound and they go sprinting for the nearest hiding spot. sometimes I even scare them by talking to them, which people say is supposed to be comforting for them. I talk quietly and softly, it’s not like i’m being loud or aggressive at all. they won’t come anywhere near me unless I have food in my hand, then they’re both happy to eat right out of my hand. but they will absolutely never let me touch them. I haven’t been able to pet them anywhere a single time unless i’m holding them (after chasing them in circles around their cage for ten minutes, giving them breaks to settle down too) and even when i’m holding them it’s like they only let me pet them because they’re too scared to do anything about it. they just sit frozen and silent with wide eyes, and finally they’ll start biting me if I have them out for more than 10 minutes without being in their cage. one of the girls is slightly more confident than the other, and is more willing to come up to me to see if I have food, but they both would never let me touch them. I hold a treat out for them sometimes, something they love, and then try to carefully pet their heads while they eat it out of my hand like people say I should. but as soon as they see that my hand is going anywhere near them, they bolt away. doesn’t matter if i’m holding food, doesn’t make a difference.

I guess I just really want to know what i’m doing wrong. why are they so deathly afraid of me after having them for two months? they’re both young and they’ve both been around humans before I adopted them. i’m gentle and quiet and slow when talking to them and handling them. nothing seems to work. i’m frustrated and honestly slightly worried. does anyone possibly have any tips?

It’s very upsetting when you try your best to bond with your piggies yet they still seem worried about you. Even with time and patience these particular piggies may never enjoy petting. Have you tried picking them up while in one of their beds? Sometimes this is the only way you will get to interact with them by putting your hand in and petting them where they are lying! Not great but will give them some human interaction that should eventually let them know you don’t mean any harm! I’ve 16 piggies and years of experience but I’ve got two youngsters that Hate being lifted! One squeals loudly and wriggles on a daily basis when lifted. All she wants to do is go about her own business without any fuss from me! I’ve used little nests like these before to get near reluctant piggies.

 

[Delitedcavy]

Try keeping to a very strict schedule with them that might help

 

[Reenie]

Eating from your hand is a huge achievement if they are skittish piggies. My boys, who will jump on my knee to get treats, still run away if I go to pet or pick them up, so don't be worried about that, it might always be the way.
When you pick them up, always give them treats while you are holding them, and they will learn to associate you with food - always a good thing for guinea pigs. The more time you spend with them, the more they will trust you. Try not to approach them from above, as they see you as a predator. You've plenty of time, so just be patient and persevere. Good luck.

 

[Pigwhisperer]

When they start "biting" you after a few minutes, that's probably what's called "tweaking", they tug at your clothes or skin to say they've had enough and want to back. It's a good sign they are communicating with you & starting to trust you, and as you're already responding by showing them you understand & putting them back, that will increase their trust.

Piggies are NEVER easy to pick up. After 18 months mine still run like I'm a wolf or something - it's the prey instinct. A cardboard tube or similar that you can put your hands over the ends is easiest. Read the Piggy Whispering Tips on this site, I found them so fab that's where I got my username!

Especially when you've got one sat on your lap, stroke its cheek under the eye. That says "I love you"!

 

[Betsy]

I found the piggy whispering tips great too! When I approach the hutch I always let the my lot know I'm coming so that they expect me. It took me along time to get them to trust me enough for them to allow me to pick them up - well over a year. Sometimes they just let me, other times they run around for a bit. You just have to be patient. The prey instinct is very strong and you have to take it at their pace. It took Betsy 14 months to fully trust me and fall asleep in my lap. It was so rewarding when this happened:-

 

[Wiebke]

i have two sows, one I got from an accidental litter and the other I got from a pet store. they’re both under a year old and i’ve had them for almost 2 months now. i’ve looked through thread after thread trying to find a solution to my problem with these pigs, but I haven’t been able to find anything that could help so I decided to start my own.

anyway, my issue is that they won’t let me touch them. people say this is typical, but for some reason my pigs just seem to be terrified out of their minds all the time. I make the smallest sound and they go sprinting for the nearest hiding spot. sometimes I even scare them by talking to them, which people say is supposed to be comforting for them. I talk quietly and softly, it’s not like i’m being loud or aggressive at all. they won’t come anywhere near me unless I have food in my hand, then they’re both happy to eat right out of my hand. but they will absolutely never let me touch them. I haven’t been able to pet them anywhere a single time unless i’m holding them (after chasing them in circles around their cage for ten minutes, giving them breaks to settle down too) and even when i’m holding them it’s like they only let me pet them because they’re too scared to do anything about it. they just sit frozen and silent with wide eyes, and finally they’ll start biting me if I have them out for more than 10 minutes without being in their cage. one of the girls is slightly more confident than the other, and is more willing to come up to me to see if I have food, but they both would never let me touch them. I hold a treat out for them sometimes, something they love, and then try to carefully pet their heads while they eat it out of my hand like people say I should. but as soon as they see that my hand is going anywhere near them, they bolt away. doesn’t matter if i’m holding food, doesn’t make a difference.

I guess I just really want to know what i’m doing wrong. why are they so deathly afraid of me after having them for two months? they’re both young and they’ve both been around humans before I adopted them. i’m gentle and quiet and slow when talking to them and handling them. nothing seems to work. i’m frustrated and honestly slightly worried. does anyone possibly have any tips?

Hi! Some guinea pigs that have been born to very stressed mums have internalised this skittishness/constant high alert. It often takes years to work at least partially past it. I have had and have adopted piggies like that.

The trick is to avoid behaving like a predator and to trigger their extremely finely honed prey animal instincts. Creating a firm daily routine with a different melody of every activity from your side helps to turn what appears to be random violence or threads into something they can learn to brace for and anticipate. Be encouraging with your voice at all times and use some piggy whispering tricks to make friends with them in a way that they instinctively understand.

Please take the time to read these guides here. I have found that the combination of these tips that work around triggering prey animal instincts as much as possible works best for mine. They may never come to really be cuddle monsters, but they are OK with being handled and groomed; being medicated and syringe fed during illness and they trust me as much as they ever will around and above traditional laptime.
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig

 

[rome_italy]

there is nothing wrong in what you are doing, but our pets are naturally preys... this is their nature.
When you try all the official methods and none seems to work with you, it is time to find a personal solution which can be different with every piggie. I want to explain what I did with mine, just for giving you an idea. Then you will need to develop my ideas for your piggies and your situation.

Last year I adopted two young sows, not sisters, but always been together; they were 2-3 months when came here and they were surrendered just after the purchase (1 month old). They used to be skittish and shy even at the foster home (before my adoption). They used to run (and still do that) under their houses when I approach them, they never come towards me.
We have always cuddled them since the beginning and if they were not relaxed (wide eyes, frozen, sometimes trembling) we went on trying to find the right position for them. For example, Calliope preferred to relax hidden in our hair or our neck; Calipso stayed hidden into our sweater's sleeve; at the beginning they preferred being together wrapped into a towel (always the same, never washed!).
Persisting doing that, day after day, they started being relaxed... although Calipso sometimes bit at me while she was sleeping on my legs, when I tried to touch her!
After one year they have improved of course, but Calipso still runs away around the kitchen (when it is time to fetch her for going again into the cage). But I have learnt her "game" now. She wants me to run in circle around the table, then she will pass through a certain tunnel and then she will go into a certain wooden house. THERE, after all these scenes, I am allowed to open the roof of the house and to lift her, always with the same movements ans the same sequence.

Calliope, too: I can lift her only when she is hidden under the dolls bed...

And then there is Osvaldo, a boar who used to be very tame when he lived alone with his previous owner, but now that he has become the Boss of the group he runs away, bites, screams (probably swears!). The trick with him is to use a certain cardboard box: we can lift him using that box, then we will sit on the coach, put the box on our legs and... we have to knock on the box! only afterwards he comes out! rumbling, swearing, etc...
and this is not enough! afterwards he wants to stay on our arms with his bum on the left and the head on the right! otherwise he is scared! (wide eyes, frozen, crying, rumbling etc!).
And of course another blanket for him!
I am not joking... but all of that give us some results and some satisfaction.
I add some old pictures for you:
This was Calipso and Calliope at the beginning

below it was the time (one month later) when Calipso allowed me to cuddle her but without touching her:



One month later we could lift her (after chasing her of course) and then she wanted to stay hidden under a blanket:

she used to spend 1-2 hours there (weeing and pooing, too), but then she learnt to come out...

Calliope relaxed more easily (after trembling some minutes), but she wanted to have her head wrapped


Look: it is the same ideantical method used with newborns: they feel safer if swaddled and nurseries know this trick very well.
Try to think of the piggies as a newborn and try the same tricks (soft voice, soft music, silence, holding them in contact with your skin, etc)

what you don't have to do is let the piggies live in their natural way... that is, running far from the predators! (we are and we smell like predators...)

The result can be this one: (although before that we still have to run all over the kitchen and she will never approach me unless I have some food in hand)
NB: Calipso was NOT frozen in this pic, but only relaxed (10-20 seconds). This position was reached turning her very slowly when she was totally relaxed in my daughters' arms.

don't give it up!