GreenThings
New Born Pup
I knew that guinea pigs "popcorn", but I hadn't ever seen it in person or watched many videos. Gave me a real moment of panic! It looks so involuntary!
I've been working on taming since bringing the two boys (probably about 3 months) home from a parrot rescue on Saturday. I think these guys had been a bit desensitized by the experience of being rescued and being fed up to a healthy weight in an environment full of screeching cockatoos, macaws, and conures of all kinds, because they have been rather bold.
I've been following the same strategy I did with my budgies-- lots of sitting next to them and chatting, coy side-glances and no predatory staring, leaving my hands in the environment for them to investigate if they choose. They require the same kind of patience-- no pursuit, no guarantee they will enjoy physical affection, and they must come to you on their own terms. I've also (and I don't know if this is right-- let me know!) been sort of imitating guinea pig behaviors with my hands (that's what puts my budgies at ease and teaches them things are safe)-- gently fiddling with the pellets and the hay. They seem to really like this! When I crunch lettuce with my thumbnail (trying to imitate a little guinea pig cronch cronch) they come out to investigate.
Tonight I was fiddling with the hay and started pulling some out of the litter bin, and this incredibly simple action seemed to send them into total play mode? They are in a temporary set-up until Friday, and I didn't expect to see any happy signs until they were settled into that larger home, but they were darting back and forth and... well, the term isn't a misnomer, they literally look for all the world like they have a pot of hot oil under their feet!
I've been giving a brief gentle stroke to the cheek under the eye while they are eating, just to get them used to touch, and I've gotten some curious snuffles! I got an investigative nibble tonight that accidentally broke the skin, ow!-- but it paled in comparison to the punishment I've been getting from my poor female budgie (she just completed a round of antifungal medication tonight, huzzah).
I know they have a deserved reputation for being fragile, but compared to budgies they are SO much less nerve-wracking to handle! I can't get over how their little round bums look like they were made to be cradled.
I've been working on taming since bringing the two boys (probably about 3 months) home from a parrot rescue on Saturday. I think these guys had been a bit desensitized by the experience of being rescued and being fed up to a healthy weight in an environment full of screeching cockatoos, macaws, and conures of all kinds, because they have been rather bold.
I've been following the same strategy I did with my budgies-- lots of sitting next to them and chatting, coy side-glances and no predatory staring, leaving my hands in the environment for them to investigate if they choose. They require the same kind of patience-- no pursuit, no guarantee they will enjoy physical affection, and they must come to you on their own terms. I've also (and I don't know if this is right-- let me know!) been sort of imitating guinea pig behaviors with my hands (that's what puts my budgies at ease and teaches them things are safe)-- gently fiddling with the pellets and the hay. They seem to really like this! When I crunch lettuce with my thumbnail (trying to imitate a little guinea pig cronch cronch) they come out to investigate.
Tonight I was fiddling with the hay and started pulling some out of the litter bin, and this incredibly simple action seemed to send them into total play mode? They are in a temporary set-up until Friday, and I didn't expect to see any happy signs until they were settled into that larger home, but they were darting back and forth and... well, the term isn't a misnomer, they literally look for all the world like they have a pot of hot oil under their feet!
I've been giving a brief gentle stroke to the cheek under the eye while they are eating, just to get them used to touch, and I've gotten some curious snuffles! I got an investigative nibble tonight that accidentally broke the skin, ow!-- but it paled in comparison to the punishment I've been getting from my poor female budgie (she just completed a round of antifungal medication tonight, huzzah).
I know they have a deserved reputation for being fragile, but compared to budgies they are SO much less nerve-wracking to handle! I can't get over how their little round bums look like they were made to be cradled.
