Handling of Piggies/Vegetables

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trufflepig

I was wondering if anyone could help me, we got a guinea pig for the first time yesterday, obvioulsy she is very scared and won't let us anywhere near her ! i am worndering the best way to win her round and handle her ?

Also what sort of fruit and Veg are they allowed ? I know they can't have spinach, but what else should be avoided ?

Many thanks :)
 
They are allowed Spinach but sparingly as I beleive it's high in calcium. If you look in the food section at the top their is a thread entitled shopping list or something. It's a great reference to guinea safe foods.

My two personally love cucumber, peppers, apples, coriander, romaine lettuce and more.
 
Hi Trufflepig. she will settle down after a few days, once she gets used to her new home & used to your voices. Is she indoors?

Miss.Piggy is right, you shouldn't give her too much spinach. Parsley is a winner & is good for their digestive system so alittle each day is good. Avoid ice berg lettuce, romaine is the one to go for & feed her fresh veg & fruit daily. The food section on this forum will help you further. Always make sure she has hay to eat for her teeth.

Also, piggies are very social animals & like company of their own kind so maybe she would like a friend :)
 
yes she is indoors :) she is sat in her house at the moment looking at me as if to say " I'm not coming out !"

I just don't want to frighten her but also don't want her to not let me anywhere near her !

I saw the food section just, and that shopping list is fab !

Thank you both :)
 
Bless her. Is she a baby? As she is indoors she will soon get to know you, especially if you talk to her when you approach the cage. Some of them stay timid & hide up rather then come striaght over to you but once she settles down you will find that when you pick her up she will enjoy a cuddle & her floor time. :)
 
Maybe you should get her a friend.
Try and bring her out of her house by offering parsley on your hand, She will eventually come out.
Parsley's a winner!
 
:) Going to a rescue where you can pair her with a friend would be a good idea. Take her along and let her choose.

Some guineas take a while to settle in to their new homes and relax, routine is good (eg feeding at the same time).

I don't put a house in for my newbies, but they must have somewhere to hide so a towel/cover over the end of the cage and a big pil of hay is what I do, but others will give them a house to hide in- your choice :)

Foods- naturally guineas eat grass, if you can't get this then a variety of good hays (or just one sort of good, clean, hay). Essential for a healthy digestive system and keeping constantly growing teeth worn down. Readigrass or other forage is good too.

Dry food- I use Cavy Cuisine because the size of pellets is good for piggies to pick up, it based on Timothy (correct nutritional values), fibre and Protein levels are good too. For younger pigs I use Perfvormance or Science Selective but as long as it doesn't have colourings (check the ingredients label) then thats a good start :)

Veg! A variety of, and little and often. I tend to leave out the fruits and roots as much as possible myself but they are OK to feed of course. Dark green leaves- Spring Greens and Kale are good as they need vitamin C.
Dill is gobbled up by mine as is Coriander. I don't give Parsley much as its got high Calcium content- though guineas need Calcium :) Feed a variety of veg and you'll be OK :)
 
Hi Trufflepig

Your new guinea is naturally nervous at the moment. Like the others have said, talk to her and if you can, get her out and have her on your lap for a little while each night. This will get her used to you. Piggies (esp new ones) normally do run when you first try to get them out, you just have to be quick (but obv gentle still)!

It might be a good idea to get her a friend, like spice and honeys mummy suggested. Guinea pigs are social animals and normally prefer to have another of their own kind with them. This might bring her out of her shell a little bit more too.

My piggies eat romaine lettuce, parsley, coriander, pepper, carrot, cucumber, celery, sweet corn, baby corn, green beans, apple, pear.
 
Thanks for all your advice, it isn't possible for me to have two or practical unfortuatly otherwise i would of got two together :)
I was thinking of taking out her house ( she still has a tube to hide in), but wasn't sure whether this was unkind ?

I can't even get near to pick her up, never mind put her on my lap ! :'(

Thanks everyone
 
Just persevere.... I've had mine for 6 months now and he still runs away from me like I'm about to murder him or something. Once I do catch him so he will curl up in my lap and go to sleep! What a contradiction!
 
My two love lettuce, carrots and cucumber. I never had a problem with Acorah as I had her from birth but I did with dandylion, now she beats acorah to eat from my hands (not actually a good thing -is worried over acorah-)
I decided to lay down as close to the ground as possable and hold a carrot out near the hidey house Dandylion is in and just wait. Acorah would then start munching happily and eventually curiosity took hold of Dandy and she'd come out and join Acorah.

Once I had Dandy comming out relatively quickly for the food I decided to work on the handling aspect. I mean I've always got her out and played but now I'll catch dandylion and take her to the fridge with me and give her something to munch on the way back. (This also helps as Acorah is very piggish with her food and doesn't like to share). Now she's getting used to being handled a lot faster than before. I think I've had dandy a month now...
 
Would you advise me taking out the house or leaving it in ? i feel taking it out might be abit cruel but i don;t know whats bets in the long run !

x

ps thanks jayms_fallen_angel ill try the carrot trick :)
 
Leave it in, I know it can be a bit fustrating but your piggy obviously feels safe there and if you're connected with the removal of that safty it's gonna be harder to build that trust.

Hope the carrot trick works, use whatever your piggy likes best that you can hold. The association is then between you and good things.
 
I've done several things with my dandy, such as waiting till she starts wheeking on my lap and then place a guinae pig chocolate drop in her mouth as she refused to try them and Acorah kept gobbling them up, now their her fave treat, but I don't recomend doing that until you're used to piggies otherwise there could be chocolate drops up noses, but once your new piggy starts to trust you, if you have patience you'll start trying new things with her and having fun.

Oh another good tip is to set up a run for her and then sit in the middle very still so she clan clamer over you too. Get's her used to being around you and floor time.
 
yeah its just the fact even when i am not sat on the ground low level talking to her and am out of the room she is still sat in her house at the back looking scared stiff ! Just worried i will never be able to handle her !

Have to be patient though i guess :) Just put a corn on the cob in there to show i ain't bad :D
 
It's early days yet Trufflepig as you say you've only had her since yesterday. I take it she was in with other pigs at the time so i expect she is missing being with them.
 
My piggies seem very partial to corn on the cob leaves. They love them. That and cucumber :)

Spinich does have a high calcium rate but, it has an enzyme in it the binds to the calcium that prevents the body from absorbing it. This is why if you have a broken bone doctors tell you not to eat it.


Typos :P
 
And everythings new to her. She's in a strange place, with a strange giant and no one she knows. She's bound to be scared. But don't worry, time, patience and a lot of effort and soon you'll be the best of friends. Some people have been trying for months on here to achieve a strong bond with their piggies but it always comes. Just a matter of time (well at least if you try and are nice).
 
She is still hiding :( she came out once when i was in the room, so i talked to her for abit, then she ran off, so i must of bored her !
 
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