My guinea pig is scared in his new enclosure?

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Snowflower

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I have three guinea pigs. Two are female and are bonded and really happy in general and live in a big enclosure. The male, though, is the one I am worried about. His name is Cloud and he's all white with black eyes and black-speckled ears. I got him when he was just a baby so I had him in a Petsmart cage at first (it was one of the bigger ones, the big blue house style one with the upper portion) with plans to move him into a bigger permanent home later. It's been about 7 months since getting him and the entire time he's been really happy, excited, joyful (popcorning) and brave! He also liked talking to the females through his cage. We are not breeding them, but they talk to each other and all popcorn at the same time.

I was really excited to finally be done building his new enclosure. It's much bigger and took a lot of work. I thought he was going to love it (the other two love their enclosure which is also handmade and large). He was excited at first but all of a sudden, since putting him in there he is acting totally different. He is hiding pretty much constantly, is really quiet, he keeps sleeping or just kind of laying in his hidy hut and it almost looks like he is moping with his chin on the ground and big sad eyes. It's the exact opposite reaction I expected.

I thought maybe he just needed time. It's been a week and nothing has changed and now he isn't really eating his hay anymore. I found this really strange because he always ate buckets of hay. He is eating the ends of lettuce, carrot, and his pellets for some reason, but not his hay. He still looks depressed. I had him out on my lap in a towel to try to cheer him up. Also whenever he walks out of his hidey hut, he crouches...like he's scared.

Does he just need more time? I'm wondering if maybe the switch from the petsmart cage to the large hand built enclosure was too much for him. I really don't want to put him back in the petsmart cage. Although it's a bigger one, he's outgrown it. The other two, are as loud and frisky as ever, but Cloud just isn't the same since moving him. It is sad watching him be so sad :( He is 8 months (I think) although he could be 7 months. The other two are 2 years old and 1 years old in the exact same kind of enclosure built of wood/glass (no bars) and other materials.

Also these are the first 3 guinea pigs I've ever had, so even though I am trying to take really good care of them, I must be doing something wrong :(
 
It can take them a long time to settle into a new space, so yes, he could just be scared of a bigger area. Giving him more time is a good idea. I also wonder, if it’s made of glass and not wire bars whether he isn’t able to smell the presence of the other piggies so easily and he feels lonely and unsure. Have you considered getting him either bonded with another Male, or having him neutered and either putting him in with your female pair, or getting him a female friend of his own? He would really benefit from not living alone.
You need to get him eating plenty of hay though, it should be 90% of their diet. Perhaps a health check is a good idea. Make sure you weigh him regularly as that is the only way to know whether he is eating enough hay.
 
Snowflower said:
I have three guinea pigs. Two are female and are bonded and really happy in general and live in a big enclosure. The male, though, is the one I am worried about. His name is Cloud and he's all white with black eyes and black-speckled ears. I got him when he was just a baby so I had him in a Petsmart cage at first (it was one of the bigger ones, the big blue house style one with the upper portion) with plans to move him into a bigger permanent home later. It's been about 7 months since getting him and the entire time he's been really happy, excited, joyful (popcorning) and brave! He also liked talking to the females through his cage. We are not breeding them, but they talk to each other and all popcorn at the same time.

I was really excited to finally be done building his new enclosure. It's much bigger and took a lot of work. I thought he was going to love it (the other two love their enclosure which is also handmade and large). He was excited at first but all of a sudden, since putting him in there he is acting totally different. He is hiding pretty much constantly, is really quiet, he keeps sleeping or just kind of laying in his hidy hut and it almost looks like he is moping with his chin on the ground and big sad eyes. It's the exact opposite reaction I expected.

I thought maybe he just needed time. It's been a week and nothing has changed and now he isn't really eating his hay anymore. I found this really strange because he always ate buckets of hay. He is eating the ends of lettuce, carrot, and his pellets for some reason, but not his hay. He still looks depressed. I had him out on my lap in a towel to try to cheer him up. Also whenever he walks out of his hidey hut, he crouches...like he's scared.

Does he just need more time? I'm wondering if maybe the switch from the petsmart cage to the large hand built enclosure was too much for him. I really don't want to put him back in the petsmart cage. Although it's a bigger one, he's outgrown it. The other two, are as loud and frisky as ever, but Cloud just isn't the same since moving him. It is sad watching him be so sad :( He is 8 months (I think) although he could be 7 months. The other two are 2 years old and 1 years old in the exact same kind of enclosure built of wood/glass (no bars) and other materials.

Also these are the first 3 guinea pigs I've ever had, so even though I am trying to take really good care of them, I must be doing something wrong :(
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Hi! Guinea pigs are prey animals. In some of them, these instincts are stronger. Any new territory is potentially dangerous.

What you can do to help:
- use used bedding at first to give the new area a familiar scent and mark it as theirs.
- don't clean any hideys and sprinkle them around so they can be used as safe bases from which other areas can be explored from.
- peg a sheet or blanket over the new area to make it feel protected. This encourages exploration. Guinea pigs instinctively avoid large open areas they don't know and feel exposed in.

I hope that this helps?
 
Thank you for the replies. I really thought everything over, since writing this message and I am thinking of getting the male neutered. I wasn't going to do this at first because I am scared of the procedure on such a small animal but he is young (9 months old now), and is healthy and strong. I considered all avenues regarding the happiness of him and I think he really would like to live with the two females. He is around them a lot (without being able to get to them) and always talking to them and he even sleeps at the edge of his enclosure where they are. I really think bonding him with them would work out.

I am not sure whether to make this a separate question but, is neutering generally safe. I guess that's the one thing stopping me from doing it, is I am a huge worrier and I can just see myself freaking out the whole time he is in there getting neutered fearing the worse. I have taken a huge liking to him, as he is very much a people guinea pig and is the bravest and tamest out of all of them (he loves cuddles). The other two are a bit scared in general so I thought letting them live with the male might make them feel a bit better. I thought of getting another male buddy for him to live with too, but in Canada they don't really offer trial periods to see if they would get a long and I don't know, my husband might get upset if I bring in another guinea pig lol. It was hard enough to get him to agree with the giant enclosure lol. So I am thinking of neutering Cloud so I can attach the enclosures together and they just all live together after properly introducing them.

Is the operation safe. Has anyone else neutered their male and something bad happen to them during the procedure. I guess I am just thinking about long term happiness and trying not to talk myself out of it due to risks, but I am not sure if this is a good idea.
 
For cloud’s long term happiness, then looking to bond him with the girls would be a great idea. (There is a six week wait after neutering before he can be anywhere near the girls.)

Regarding the operation, then no vet will ever tell you it is 100% safe but what you are looking for to make the operation as safe as it possibly can be are the hands of an experienced vet and that cloud is as healthy as he possibly can be going into it.

If it was me, then if you can be sure of your vet and of cloud’s health, then I would certainly get him neutered.

I personally haven’t had guinea pigs neutered - mine are both boys and there are no girls around so there is no need for me - but I have had rabbits both Male and female neutered, so I totally get how hard it is but it is worth it when you see how happy they are to be with a friend.
 
Thanks for the reply :) Okay, I am thinking I might get this done. I am going to get him an appointment for a health check first to make sure he is healthy enough for an operation. Then after he is neutered I will wait a month or so until I start introducing them so he can rest and heal. I will then let them live together but with a mesh in the middle for maybe a month after his recovery and then try an introduction with lots of hay in a safe area and see how this all works out. If it does work I know he will be so much happier. I noticed when I got him he was the underdog, pretty much every guinea pig was on top of him. Since then he has grown a lot and is bigger then both my females (Snowflower is pretty big) and Cloud is already bigger where as Sunflower is the smallest and most timid. I really hope they all bond. Actually even just bonding the two females was a bit of a challenge and took a few months but it worked out in the end. I know he really wants to be with the two females though just by the way he acts and I feel so bad. I already have a vet but I don't think they neuter guinea pigs so I am going to have to look around and try and find one with a good reputation.

Thank you :)
 
Snowflower said:
Thank you for the replies. I really thought everything over, since writing this message and I am thinking of getting the male neutered. I wasn't going to do this at first because I am scared of the procedure on such a small animal but he is young (9 months old now), and is healthy and strong. I considered all avenues regarding the happiness of him and I think he really would like to live with the two females. He is around them a lot (without being able to get to them) and always talking to them and he even sleeps at the edge of his enclosure where they are. I really think bonding him with them would work out.

I am not sure whether to make this a separate question but, is neutering generally safe. I guess that's the one thing stopping me from doing it, is I am a huge worrier and I can just see myself freaking out the whole time he is in there getting neutered fearing the worse. I have taken a huge liking to him, as he is very much a people guinea pig and is the bravest and tamest out of all of them (he loves cuddles). The other two are a bit scared in general so I thought letting them live with the male might make them feel a bit better. I thought of getting another male buddy for him to live with too, but in Canada they don't really offer trial periods to see if they would get a long and I don't know, my husband might get upset if I bring in another guinea pig lol. It was hard enough to get him to agree with the giant enclosure lol. So I am thinking of neutering Cloud so I can attach the enclosures together and they just all live together after properly introducing them.

Is the operation safe. Has anyone else neutered their male and something bad happen to them during the procedure. I guess I am just thinking about long term happiness and trying not to talk myself out of it due to risks, but I am not sure if this is a good idea.
Click to expand...

Hi!

Here is our extenside information on neutering and neutering ops. You will hopefully find it helpful as I have tried to include all aspects.
Finding a vet you trust is crucial.
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths And Facts

PS: I have my own 3 months old Llelo booked in for his snip on Friday as his testicles have started to descend and he is now a good weight that my operating vet is happy with. My Nye, who has provided the videos for a textbook recovery in the guide, is still doing perfectly fine two years on from his own operation.
 
I had my two boys (Christian and Dennis) neutered just over 2 years ago and they are doing fine. You do need to find a vet you trust though.
 
It sounds like a good plan and I am sure all of our guinea pigs will benefit.
I just wanted to add that you MUST wait a full 6 weeks after neutering before allowing him to meet your girls.
You mentioned waiting a month, but this is not long enough to be a 100% safe.
 
I had a lone boar neutered so he could live with sows.
It was fine.
We had a miserable day just after he came home but otherwise he was fine and after his 6 week wait bonded very happily with 2 sows
 
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