handling and hay waste questions

[horsefeather]

we got our guinea girls 3 going on 4 weeks ago. Lollie is about 3 months old and came from a shop. Lulu is about 9 months old and is a rehome.

both dont like to be handled i.e. pet in their cage or picked up but will sit quietly on me while being pet. however both scramble and try to jump out of my hands when I'm taking them back in the cage

Lulu will let us pet her but only if shes in her cave. Lollie just runs and hides behind lulu in the cave.


my question is should we continue to catch and hold them or leave them be for a later time when theyre more used to us and just work on petting in the cage. bt my 7 yo and me we interact with them briefly several times a day for 10-15 minutes

my next question is about hay waste. they normally leave the tougher bits and eat the softer stuff. will they eat more of it as they get older? we seem to waste so much. i dont like the hayrack bc someone crawls behind it and it falls off and and piling it on the cage floor seems to waste so much from poop pee and trampling. i do fluff it several times a day. we give a couple handfulls of hay in the morning and in the evening as they need it

and bc theyre super cute..Lollie is white Lulu is tri

 

[Mo & Stubbins & Vani]

Your piggies need time to acclimate. Guinea pigs are prey animals, and their natural instinct is to run from us (predators).
I have had two of my piglets since October of 2019, and I am lucky if I get to pet them! Bonding takes time, and you have to build a relationship of trust.
For example, I let my piggies climb onto my lap, but I don't try and grab or pick them up. If I did, they would associate me with fear and discomfort. Instead, they associate me with treats, affection, ear rubs, and personal space. They will come up to me and sleep beside me, but I need to respect their needs in return for their overwhelming cuteness.
Please refer to these guides for help:
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Are you located in the UK, or US (so I can recommend a hay bag for you)?
Hay bags reduce hay waste.
They are adorable!!

 

[Mo & Stubbins & Vani]

I forgot to ask, what size cage do you have?

 

[horsefeather]

Thank you. the cage is a midwest 47x24. I'm in the US

 

[Mo & Stubbins & Vani]

These hay bags are amazing: Amazon.com : ASOCEA Small Animals Hay Bag Guinea Pig Hanging Feeder Hamster Food Sack Holder Cage Accessories for Rabbit Bunny Chinchilla : Pet Supplies
They reduce hay waste and can be machine washed (not too often, though).
I would recommend one bag per piglet. I also offer my guinea pigs a litter box that has a large handful of hay on one half and bedding on the other. This allows them to snuggle in the hay.
The Midwest cage is about 8.8 square feet of space. 8 square feet is the bare minimum for two guinea pigs, but 10 square feet is strongly recommended.
Here is the cage size guide: Cage Size Guide
Is upgrading their cage possible?
If not, no worries at all!
Your piglets are absolutely gorgeous!!

 

[Sweet Potato]

what lovely piggies! my boys use a large hay rack but they still pull out the bits they don't like and sometimes just pull out a load to build a little nest with. Some brands of hay will have less coarse thick bits than others but your piggies will always leave some bits out. I handle my boys regularly and they both enjoy it once they've been taken out of the cage we're working on petting them in the cage (bribing with food) it's not going that well but they will take food from my hands. when it comes to handling your piggies I think you just have to find a technique and a routine that works for you. some people don't handle their piggies at all or it's all down to what the piggie wants but I really don't think there's a right or wrong way when it comes to handling as long as you are reading your piggies body language and you and your piggies are both happy with it.

 

[Siikibam]

I would go slow at their pace and see. So try hand feeding and maybe giving a stroke once they’ve taken their food. Most don’t like being picked up as it triggers their prey instinct, so don’t worry that they don’t like it. Perhaps try using something like a tunnel or sack or hide to pick them up in, they’ll feel safer. Remember you need to be weighing them weekly.

As for hay, I’m afraid there will always be wastage, it’s part and parcel of owning Guinea pigs.

 

[Piggylove82]

I use plain 8 inch square brown paper bags for the hay. They don't eat every bit of hay but it does keep it cleaner for them to eat. Having the luxury of an outdoor hutch , they have hay beds too. They can choose to lay in it or eat it! Hay beds get cleaned out only when I clean out their hutch. The brown paper bags get filled up whenever needed

 

[LMPigs]

Definitely check out the links that have been indicated above.

In terms of them getting used to you one thing I would recommend is spending time near them without trying to interact directly. E.g. take a phone call while sitting next to the cage / hutch, have your daughter read you a story near them etc. Or, just hang around and tell them about your day! Basically the idea is to get them used to seeing/hearing/smelling you so they understand that you're a non threatening part of their environment.