Hi, I don't no if I'm in the right place? I've had guineapigs for years, I've had a few years without them but now I have two sisters, they were 6 months old when I got them last year, they turned 1 on 31st dec, just need a few ideas on how to calm them down, they live outside but I bring them in while I'm in, they seem very skittish, more so than my previous girls? Any ideas welcome. Thank you for your help and time. Xx
Help
- Thread starter T146
- Start date
Welcome to the Forum.
It's great to have you here.
Guinea pigs can take a while to settle in a new environment, and changing things around for them can make this even harder.
You might find some of our guides helpful.
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information
In particular this thread might help:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
What I would say is that right now it isn't advisable to be bringing outdoor piggies inside, and then putting them back out again - the temperature variation is really stressful for them.
I would also add from my own experience that outdoor life, noises and smells, are very different to the indoor environment.
Constantly switching them from one to the other doesn't make it easy for them to settle and adapt.
It might be wise (at least in the short term) to put them in one place and allow them to settle and get used to you there.
Hand feeding, gently chatting to them, and spending time around them on a daily basis will help them get used to you.
Keeping their cage set up the same and making them feel secure in one place is key.
It would help us if you could give more details about their current set ups - are they outdoors in a shed or hutch?
When they come inside what is the living situation like (lots of people, are they in a main living area, is the cage size similar, etc).
You sound like a very caring owner, and I am sure your new piggies will settle down soon.
It's great to have you here.
Guinea pigs can take a while to settle in a new environment, and changing things around for them can make this even harder.
You might find some of our guides helpful.
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information
In particular this thread might help:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
What I would say is that right now it isn't advisable to be bringing outdoor piggies inside, and then putting them back out again - the temperature variation is really stressful for them.
I would also add from my own experience that outdoor life, noises and smells, are very different to the indoor environment.
Constantly switching them from one to the other doesn't make it easy for them to settle and adapt.
It might be wise (at least in the short term) to put them in one place and allow them to settle and get used to you there.
Hand feeding, gently chatting to them, and spending time around them on a daily basis will help them get used to you.
Keeping their cage set up the same and making them feel secure in one place is key.
It would help us if you could give more details about their current set ups - are they outdoors in a shed or hutch?
When they come inside what is the living situation like (lots of people, are they in a main living area, is the cage size similar, etc).
You sound like a very caring owner, and I am sure your new piggies will settle down soon.
At the min they have the hutch in my greenhouse, I've been hand feeding them etc since I had them, panda is the dominant out of the pair, marble is more nervous, I have actually seen an improvement with them as I take them in, I think it's more quieter inside 2 b honest, and prob the same temp, they have heat pads 4 night & day, they have their own fridge (please don't lol, my partner got mardy with me putting their greens in my fridge freezer) they have the 1 of their 5 a day grasses, dried herbs things & their nuggets. When I fuss marble she is talking 2 me but panda just chills out. I love spoiling them can you tell? Xx
I agree with Swissgreys.
Settling them can take a lot longer for some piggies than others. One of mine took six weeks, the other took a year and a half. Patience and following the guides helped and slow and steady won the race. But also accepting that they may never want to be handled.
Do you have a thermometer to actually check the temperatures? I’d be surprised if it is the same temperature in the hutch as it is in the house. My boys live in an insulated shed and I can say that although my shed is warm (and warm enough for them to be out there year round (except summer when they have to come indoors due to the heat) and they have four heatpads, it is definitely not as warm as the house. The heatpads don’t heat the hutch, they only provide a warm place to sit. Therefore, they can’t come in as there is always a temperature change.
Settling them can take a lot longer for some piggies than others. One of mine took six weeks, the other took a year and a half. Patience and following the guides helped and slow and steady won the race. But also accepting that they may never want to be handled.
Do you have a thermometer to actually check the temperatures? I’d be surprised if it is the same temperature in the hutch as it is in the house. My boys live in an insulated shed and I can say that although my shed is warm (and warm enough for them to be out there year round (except summer when they have to come indoors due to the heat) and they have four heatpads, it is definitely not as warm as the house. The heatpads don’t heat the hutch, they only provide a warm place to sit. Therefore, they can’t come in as there is always a temperature change.
I agree with the replies above.
Some piggies are naturals at being handled and human interaction and others are skittish forever. To enjoy human interaction they have to overcome their inborn pray instinct so it can take quite some time for some to settle compared with others. I have some piggies who even after years of living with me can barely tolerate being handled for health checks. And I have one like a rocket who even now is a nightmare to catch!
At this time of year, there really can be a big temperature swing between inside a house and inside an even well insulated hutch under cover, unless you are bringing them into an unheated room (like a garage or conservatory without heating). The temperature changes can be difficult for piggies to deal with and can lead to some health issues for them. To prevent this, it would be preferable if you were to stay in the greenhouse where they are housed and perhaps interact with them in there.
Some piggies are naturals at being handled and human interaction and others are skittish forever. To enjoy human interaction they have to overcome their inborn pray instinct so it can take quite some time for some to settle compared with others. I have some piggies who even after years of living with me can barely tolerate being handled for health checks. And I have one like a rocket who even now is a nightmare to catch!
At this time of year, there really can be a big temperature swing between inside a house and inside an even well insulated hutch under cover, unless you are bringing them into an unheated room (like a garage or conservatory without heating). The temperature changes can be difficult for piggies to deal with and can lead to some health issues for them. To prevent this, it would be preferable if you were to stay in the greenhouse where they are housed and perhaps interact with them in there.
I totally understand the heat thing but the greenhouse is only 6"4" so not big enough for me to stay in, the piggies are very happy when they come in, I don't have a very warm house as my partner pays that bill, the piggies have settled down well with me, when I bring them in, they run around, even have played tug of war with a lettuce leaf, which was really funny! I've had very skittish piggies b4 so understand marble but panda loves fussing, I can genuinely c them enjoying being in, there is always a window/door open. Thank you for your help and support. Xx
Thats good
We don’t recommend using fleece outside/in sheds due to the risk of damp. Hay with an absorbent bedding underneath is best for outdoor piggies.
It would be well worth you having thermometers in the hutch and greenhouse. Piggies ideally need to be above 15 degrees so its good to monitor what is actually happening particularly at night. There can be swings during the day also in sheds/greenhouse. Ive just noticed my shed has got quite warm in the sun today, around 20 degrees (10 degrees outside) so I’m now cooling it to keep it more at a stable temperature and more along the night time temperatures the shed usually has (around 12-15) so they aren’t having too many large fluctuations from day to night
Last edited:
They get the fleece igloo changed everyday, I've not had damp problems with the fleece & the girls love it, they are checked at least 3 times a day so they seem very happy in them. They do have a thermometer in the greenhouse and I have the door open as I've also got wood round the bottom & lino on the floor to stop the cold & damp coming up through the base, I've never let them get below the desired temp as I can't cope with the cold either, if it's horrible at night I think of them so check they are warm enough. It will soon be warm enough to have them outside properly again, I hope! 
Bill & Ted
Forum Buddy
is there any chance of having them inside permanently? They sound quite happy being inside with you 
I would jump at the chance but not enough room 
I have a 2 bed house but the washing goes in the spare & granddaughter sleeps there (wen she comes) I really hate having them out there at night especially so that's why they have fleece etc, they also have a blanket to stop drafts getting in. X
I have a 2 bed house but the washing goes in the spare & granddaughter sleeps there (wen she comes) I really hate having them out there at night especially so that's why they have fleece etc, they also have a blanket to stop drafts getting in. XI would jump at the chance but not enough room
