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i think i have guinea pig equivalent of the baby blues!

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dannyanddodgersmum

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I've been sitting here this morning thinking 'what have i done!'

I sat out by the hutch this morning -in the rain!- cleaned out their bedding and gave them fresh hay and bedding, fresh food, fresh water. Then i sat for about 15 minutes with my hand in the hutch with a big chunk of cucumber on it to try and tempt them to come near me. to no avail.

i just can't envision a time when they will let me stroke them or hold them.
i've been chatting away to them and letting them hear my voice and giving them food they like etc.

what do i do? how do i get them to make friends?
 
If I remember correctly these piggies have only been with you a couple of days?

So take a deep breath and be patient. It's going to take time. Firstly it'll take a couple of weeks for them to get confident in their new hutch and then get to know the Bringer of Food. Try not to crowd them too much, do the necessary and otherwise leave them be for a few days.

You'll soon be greeted by welcoming wheeks when you feed them and then you can work on gaining their trust.

Oh and you might want to read, mark and inwardly digest this very helpful post on settling in shy new piggies :)
 
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yes i only got them on sunday

i know it's early days

poor little things 0-i feel so sorry for them being so nervous
 
The problem is that patience is the key! Try to see it from their point of view: they have been plonked in this strange environment with all new smells, sounds and a big predatory smelling giant that is lurking...

Let them get their bearings first; then get them used to the fact that you are the source of all nice food and comforts. The more you let them do things in their own time, the quicker they will build up trust. It is VERY hard to hold back at first, if all you want is a cuddling a sweet piggy!
 
you are of course right-interesting that it will take weeks to get used to the hutch. i didn't think it would take that long.

ok-will persevere and leave them alone to come round
 
Ok imagine you were sitting there with all your pals suddenly you are put on a plane and taken to africa and put in a new cage with one of your friends and there are giraffe making funny noises at you and keep giving you food, now they are talking to you in a soothing language you do not understand - they might be saying how pretty you are or they might be saying how tasty you look! It would take you a while not to just go i want nothing to do with this i want to go home, they will come round just give them time and love and they will learn to trust you
 
AWW I know exactly what you mean - I have so been there and it's a really funny feeling for you and for them.

All advice on here is great. It will take time. Are they living outdoors? My personal opinion is that outdoor pigs take longer to tame and get used to their owners than indoor pigs but that's my opinion only based on mine.

My first 2 I got in May and they are now really quite tame although they always run for cover at the first loud noise or fast movement and I expect they always will - it's their instinct but they are much happier than when they first came home in may.
 
oh i feel the same i got my boys on saturday and i just want to snuggle them and play with them but have to try and be patient and i am not a patient person!
i was worried they hated me and were stressed but they seem to love their cage, theyre eating and drinking so thats the main thing.ive held them both but they dont want me to and run from me,its hard because i just want them to love me as much as i love them and know i wont hurt them but i have to understand they are scared.
what ive been doing is talking to them lots so that they know my voice and i creep down in front of their cage and sit there so that i dont seem so big and scary.
 
welcome to the wonderful world of piggies! as most have said yes it does take time,
all my piggies are fairly tame but ask Basil to even eat in front of me and thats highly unlikely let alone getting him to come to me and i have had him 4-5 months!
that being said 7 are good and one is a turtle so every pig is different and may take longer than others to warm up to you,give them all the time that they need,the best thing that worked with mine was talking to them as much as possible in a very sweet/calm voice,they now associate me with the "slave that brings food" which is good enough for me:)),goodluck xx
 
well yesterday i sat next to the hutch chatting in a quiet soft voice and dodger came out and ate some of his broccolli whilei was there and while i was speaking which is good i guess

i made a point of clinking the dishes a little as i was walking over to the hutch so they associate the sound with food.

yes they live outdoors-i don't have a lot of room indoors. i may have to bring them in if the weather gets very cold in the coming months and i'm worried about that as i don't have enough room for one of the really massive cages.i'm going to insulate the hutch and buy one of those pet heat pads for winter.
 
I've just looked up in my calendar and my boys will have been with me 4 weeks this coming Thursday. They were a very nervous 6 weeks old when they arrived and they still have a way to go confidence wise, but I get greeted with a chorus of Wheeeks! every morning when I come downstairs now, and again when I get in from work.

They have me well trained, they always eat before I do rolleyes
 
Ive had my girls since June and I still don't think they trust me completely :)) They know I'm their provider of fruit and veg since I get wheeked at very loudly when I walk out the back door, but otherwise their not to keen on being handled still, although if we do sit down and have a cuddle they will sit there quite happily, and I must say they were very well behaved when I had my first go at nail clipping.

As everyones said, it just takes time, and it wont be long before yours start telling you to hurry up with dinner! :(|) It depends on their personality I think as well, Biscuit is very laid back and quiet, so doesnt mind being picked up but is still too nervous to take food from me whereas Muffin is very loud, very cheeky and inquisitive so she hates me trying to pick her up (and tells me too!) but will come and steal food from me and then popcorns like mad when I plonk her in the run hehe.
 
Ha! I found the key to dodgers heart! :))

dandelion leaves! he LOVES them! i put some on my hand and put my hand in the hutch and he has been eating them from my hand!!x)

danny still shy but came up to the bars and ate them when i poked them through the bars!!
progress!!
 
YAY that's good news, success with a food! Pleased for your progress :)
 
dannyanddododgersmum said:
Ha! I found the key to dodgers heart! :))

dandelion leaves! he LOVES them! i put some on my hand and put my hand in the hutch and he has been eating them from my hand!!x)

danny still shy but came up to the bars and ate them when i poked them through the bars!!
progress!!
Click to expand...


Isnt it just wonderful when your piggy hand feeds for the first time. Patience and perseverance - thats my motto when it comes to bonding with piggies. I adopted a girl in earlier on in the year and she has only recently started to take food from my hand. It is such a great feeling. Hang in there. You are doing great..
 
Theres no nicer feeling than these defenceless little creatures putting all their trust in you xoxo I absolutely love it!
It does take a while though and sometimes for no reason at all they'll decide you're a big scary monster again (I had this tonight with my usually very trusting Heidi, not sure why?!) don't be dis-heartened if yours do the same.

Well done for perservering, it's horrible when their so scared but making the effort the way you have pays off eventually :)
xxxxxxxxxxx
 
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