How To Retame Guinea Pigs?

[AnthonyS]

Recently there my piggies have suddenly been afraid of me without me doing anything in particular. I'd sometimes stand around the room and all of a sudden they're intimidated by me and hide. Also the sound of my voice saying certain words will now cause them to hide too. Doesn't help that the downstairs neighbor has started some sort of construction and of course, my piggies think I'm the one that is making all that noise. It has gotten to the point that they no longer come to me when I walk in the room and is sometimes afraid of my hand.

I will make some points clear, there were a few times in the past few weeks I move objects around the cage and accidentally hit them or rattle the cage. That's just due to me being clumsy. There have also been more commotion around my neighborhood that is disturbing my piggies. Up to this point, I've been hand feeding them less frequent than I was when I first got them so maybe there is a lost of trust there too.

Whatever the reason of why they behave like this now, how can I "retame" them.

Side note: Sometimes when I walk in with food they will come and ask me for it. After feeding them and immediately leaving the room and coming back, it sounds like they're not welcoming me and telling me to go away. I'm not understanding this behavior.

 

[Wiebke]

Recently there my piggies have suddenly been afraid of me without me doing anything in particular. I'd sometimes stand around the room and all of a sudden they're intimidated by me and hide. Also the sound of my voice saying certain words will now cause them to hide too. Doesn't help that the downstairs neighbor has started some sort of construction and of course, my piggies think I'm the one that is making all that noise. It has gotten to the point that they no longer come to me when I walk in the room and is sometimes afraid of my hand.

I will make some points clear, there were a few times in the past few weeks I move objects around the cage and accidentally hit them or rattle the cage. That's just due to me being clumsy. There have also been more commotion around my neighborhood that is disturbing my piggies. Up to this point, I've been hand feeding them less frequent than I was when I first got them so maybe there is a lost of trust there too.

Whatever the reason of why they behave like this now, how can I "retame" them.

Side note: Sometimes when I walk in with food they will come and ask me for it. After feeding them and immediately leaving the room and coming back, it sounds like they're not welcoming me and telling me to go away. I'm not understanding this behavior.

Hi! It sounds like something is spooking them or has spooked them; they are prey animals. Sudden building noises can really throw guinea pigs. They remain what I call "trigger happy" for some time. I have days where the whole room is repeatedly stampeding for cover just because one of my piggies took a sudden fright over an unexpected noise.

Here are tips on how to settle down and interact with guinea pigs in ways that they instinctively understand.
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language

 

[AnthonyS]

Hi! It sounds like something is spooking them or has spooked them; they are prey animals. Sudden building noises can really throw guinea pigs. They remain what I call "trigger happy" for some time. I have days where the whole room is repeatedly stampeding for cover just because one of my piggies took a sudden fright over an unexpected noise.

Here are tips on how to settle down and interact with guinea pigs in ways that they instinctively understand.
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language

Okay I will try out your advises in your guides. I think only one of my piggie is really scared but if one is scared, the other one will follow.

I just wanted to also make an additional note which I think is very odd. I previously mentioned they no longer become excited when I walk in, but they're not completely scared of me.

 

[AnthonyS]

^^^ oops I pressed reply too soon.

Can I ask some questions about your guide so I can get specific answers regarding my piggies?

 

[Wiebke]

^^^ oops I pressed reply too soon.

Can I ask some questions about your guide so I can get specific answers regarding my piggies?

Yes, if you do it now, as it is nearly midnight where I am.

 

[AnthonyS]

Yes, if you do it now, as it is nearly midnight where I am.

Ahh I didn't reply soon enough. Oh well.

Anyways, here are my questions.

1. It seems that one of the things my piggies are afraid of is my voice at the moment?! I obviously cannot just walk in unannounced but at the same time, my voice is intimidating at times depending on what I say and the tone. So how do I overcome their fear of... my voice.

2. Ever since this skittish behavior, they have become couch potatoes. In other words, they just sit in their hiding places all day (With the exception of when I initially walk in and they check if I have food. If not they go back to hiding). This goes back to my first question, none of what I say tempts them to come to me. In fact what use to be their "calling" for food they now respond with basically "shut up".

3. I tried mimicking washing my face the way they do, one time it worked but I'm not sure if that's a coincidence. Anyways they are on ground level so it is very tiring for me to stay at that level for an extended period of time but they are in my bedroom so of course I'm walking around the place. Does me walking around negate me trying to avoid being the predator?

4. Lastly, does looking sideways make much of a difference than looking straight? I understand when it's up close you shouldn't do that for too long, but their vision isn't good from a distance and could they tell the difference? From what I've seen, they look like they're giving me the death stare every moment right now regardless of what I'm doing and where I'm looking.

5. This is just to throw it out there (not related to your guides), but my mother is returning after being away for several months. She has never met the guinea pigs in person so would this make this "retaming" process even more difficult? We share the same bedroom so they will have no choice but to deal with her for the next several weeks.

Thank you for your help!