I need some help. I have a female guinea pig Emma who is really moody. When I try to pick her up or pet her she chatters her teeth at me, kicks her leg at me, or runs around the pen. I talk to her in a soothing voice every day, give her veggies, hay, pellets. She has a cagemate who is also female, and a igloo and fleece blanket. Her cagemate Lilly is a sweetheart but I'm so nice to Emma and she always seems to be aggravated at me. Does anyone know why? Ive had her 6 months.
Moody Guinea Pig Help
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fanniephina
Junior Guinea Pig
I am not so knowledgeable with behaviors of Guinea Pigs but we now have a house full of them in both sexes and on both levels of our home so learning a little as we go. They all have different personalities and backgrounds. We even got some rescues at an older age that are completely different from the others. While I have some that are very, very relaxed and even one that is very interested in the 'giant world' around her, I also have a couple that will tolerate being held for only so long and in different days or will also click their teeth. Our last one came with another whom we were called to take for the fact they came from questionable circumstances. Although they aren't clear, one took some time and patience to trust us while the other hasn't come round to trusting us fully when we hold her and is even very skittish still when I give her food. It has been some months for her and I generally don't really force her if she seems that nervous.
I do know from our vet that guinea pigs are not 'biters' or 'nippers' so if they seem that agitated, it's for a reason they have that may have nothing to do with how happy she is in her home. Just can be personality or background. We did have agitation issues with the first rescue we had and knew she came from some not so nice circumstances. My daughter would coax her or bribe her with her favorite treat (first apples a few times and then cilantro when we got to understand her weakness). It took some time and we didn't hold her so much until she didn't seem so agitated.
This is just our experience. If she seems healthy, eating normally and interacting with Emma, maybe trying to just talk to her without picking her up and try to hand feed her some treats from her cage until she seems more relaxed can help. Hopefully someone else can jump on with other suggestions that can help out too.
Best to your sweet babies and yourself. You are being a really wonderful mommy to them.
I do know from our vet that guinea pigs are not 'biters' or 'nippers' so if they seem that agitated, it's for a reason they have that may have nothing to do with how happy she is in her home. Just can be personality or background. We did have agitation issues with the first rescue we had and knew she came from some not so nice circumstances. My daughter would coax her or bribe her with her favorite treat (first apples a few times and then cilantro when we got to understand her weakness). It took some time and we didn't hold her so much until she didn't seem so agitated.
This is just our experience. If she seems healthy, eating normally and interacting with Emma, maybe trying to just talk to her without picking her up and try to hand feed her some treats from her cage until she seems more relaxed can help. Hopefully someone else can jump on with other suggestions that can help out too.
Best to your sweet babies and yourself. You are being a really wonderful mommy to them.
Hi and welcome
The majority of piggies do not like being picked up; it cuts too close to their prey animal instincts. Your girl is also a teenager now and is pushing the boundaries.
Please take the time to read the guides below; you should find them very helpful and interesting. They help you to understand guinea pig instincts and behaviours. You can then work around the instincts and use guinea pig social behaviours to interact with Emma in ways and in a frame that she instinctively understands; you can call it piggy whispering if you like. It is surprisingly effective.
Copying the methods that socially very adept piggies use with disruptive/fear-agressive new members, start with love, then assert your dominance, switch to love again. Do this a few times, always ending with the assurance that you treasure her and want her to be a member of the group you are leading. Once the hierarchy between you and her is cleared, you should have less problems.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
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I can only echo what has been said already.
Not every piggy likes cuddles or petting anymore than not all people like to be hugged.
I have a 3 year old who really resists cuddles.
She does, however, like to sit beside me on the floor and be stroked. It’s rarely for more than a few seconds and I know when she wants to be stroked because I get headbutted if I don’t.
Be gentle and patient and learn to know what your piggy likes
Not every piggy likes cuddles or petting anymore than not all people like to be hugged.
I have a 3 year old who really resists cuddles.
She does, however, like to sit beside me on the floor and be stroked. It’s rarely for more than a few seconds and I know when she wants to be stroked because I get headbutted if I don’t.
Be gentle and patient and learn to know what your piggy likes
Thank you very helpful
Thank you. I think shes jealous. I had both of them on my lap and I was petting our newer pig Lilly and Emma nipped at my hand even though I wasnt petting her which hurt
Assert your dominance but also assure her that you love her. If she is jealous, always respect the hierarchy and feed, pet, handle her first as is her due as leader of her group.
SunshinePiggy
Junior Guinea Pig
My Guinea Pig and me have had some trust building since I first got her. I read the newspaper every morning to her so she can get use to my voice and she is now less skittish while being petted!
Betsy
Anniversary Herd
Put yourself where she is right now. She has been torn away from her family and put in big scary world where she knows nobody, has to make friends with a stranger, has food different to what she's used to and gets handled by a huge giant (you) with hands almost the same size as she is. No wonder she is frightened. Wouldn't you be in her situation?
You slowly have to build up the trust with prey animals. You know you'll never hurt her but she doesnt know that. You have to teach her this. It has taken 2 years and a lot of time and patience to get my herd of 5 to trust me and they still aren't keen on being picked up. I know they trust me implicitly and I have never shown them anything but kindness. I talk to them constantly when I am sorting them out. I just chat about any old rubbish really they don't care. Give your piggy time and follow the advice @Wiebke has given. Some piggies just take longer to tame than others. Be patient and take it at your piggies pace not yours and you will be rewarded in bucketloads.
You slowly have to build up the trust with prey animals. You know you'll never hurt her but she doesnt know that. You have to teach her this. It has taken 2 years and a lot of time and patience to get my herd of 5 to trust me and they still aren't keen on being picked up. I know they trust me implicitly and I have never shown them anything but kindness. I talk to them constantly when I am sorting them out. I just chat about any old rubbish really they don't care. Give your piggy time and follow the advice @Wiebke has given. Some piggies just take longer to tame than others. Be patient and take it at your piggies pace not yours and you will be rewarded in bucketloads.