Help Wanted With My Scared Piggies Please

[sylintheuk]

Hi all,

We've had Floopy and Bumba for three weeks now and they have really settled in. However, I think I have ruined it

They had lap time every evening, no way I could pick them up but someone on here (I think Wiebke) suggested a shoe box with a treat, and picking them up that way. That worked.

Until I decided I clean their cage. I could not get Floopy (the most confident one) into the box and he became very stressed out, even angry in the end. However I just had to clean the cage as I already postponed it, and it began to smell. So after a short chase, he finally went into the shoe box.

Since then he is dead scared of me. When my children, who are 2 and 4 and pretty loud, come near the cage, he squeeks and get's curious. When I come near (unless I have food or veg), he hides in his house. Bumba seems ok. I have been talking to him every day and it has improved a little - he is eating out of my hand again. But he hasn't been handled for nearly a week now! I don't want to make it worse But the cage is starting to smell again and I really can't wait another week.

My thoughts were that he is incredibly scared of the shoe box, combined with me chasing him. Try a different box maybe? I really don't know what to do. He seems happy otherwise though. Eating 24/7, very vocal. Bumba is a lot better, he just walks into the shoe box after a few minutes, I pick the box up and we have laptime.

They haven't even had floor time yet, as I can't get him out of the cage! Feel terrible.

Any tips?

Many thanks,
Sylvia

 

[Wiebke]

It is difficult when piggies learning a routine are throwing a wobble.

Take a step back and either put another convenieance with a treat in and leave it for day or do the same with the cardboard box. Give Floopy lots of encouragement once he is in there. It will take a quite a bit of patience and persistence, but you can get there. Just brace yourself that is rather going a two steps forward, one step back affair! Hopefully it will help seeing Bumba relaxed about it all. Piggies are very good at getting spooked just when you are really tight on time...

 

[sylintheuk]

It is difficult when piggies learning a routine are throwing a wobble.

Take a step back and either put another convenieance with a treat in and leave it for day or do the same with the cardboard box. Give Floopy lots of encouragement once he is in there. It will take a quite a bit of patience and persistence, but you can get there. Just brace yourself that is rather going a two steps forward, one step back affair! Hopefully it will help seeing Bumba relaxed about it all. Piggies are very good at getting spooked just when you are really tight on time...

Thank you Wiebke. I am not really tight on time, but surely I can't leave them in a dirty cage... I clean out my rabbits weekly, but the piggies seem to need more cleaning. I have spot cleaned a little, but it's starting to smell

I feel awful. He's not scared of my loud children, but of me! I hope I haven't traumatised him. I'll continue with what I am doing and burn some essence sticks

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you Wiebke. I am not really tight on time, but surely I can't leave them in a dirty cage... I clean out my rabbits weekly, but the piggies seem to need more cleaning. I have spot cleaned a little, but it's starting to smell

I feel awful. He's not scared of my loud children, but of me! I hope I haven't traumatised him. I'll continue with what I am doing and burn some essence sticks

Please do not burn any sticks - guinea pigs have a very delicate and small respiratory system.

Use the tricks in these threads here to make friends with Floopy again. I am afraid that if the cage is overdue, you will have to be tough again to get him out with your hands. Chivvy him into a corner where he cannot escape and go into a full flight reflex mode; that is when new piggies can easily freak out. Be confident that he will eventually come round, even if it takes a bit longer than expected! Be generous with praise and encouragement.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/

 

[AuntyC]

Aw, don't feel bad! Piggies can be easily spooked and Wiebke has pointed you in the direction of getting your piggy confident again. Sit and talk gently to them both before you start cleaning, keep all movements of your hands and arms slow motion, and as mentioned above praise when things go well. And relax!

 

[Thea]

Don't feel bad this wasn't your fault! You guinea pigs might be a little more screed now then they were but it will be calm soon piggies get scared over a lot of small things. Your guinea pig is still familiar with the area you just have to gain trust with the guinea pig to you