My Piggies are terrified of me!

[Carla1231]

Hey fellow piggy parents!

I have had my my two boys (3 month and 2 month). They’ve lived with me for a little over a month.

I literally hangout with my piggies everyday, all day (I work from home)! Their main cage is in my room, I make sure I hold them for at least 20 min a day. I give them plenty of food, they do eat food from my hand. I pet them curls my 3 month old loves the petting but Piglet really, really really hates it.

Should I give them space or keep trying?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Guinea pugs are prey animals and a lot of them just don’t like being handled. They aren’t always the cuddly animals that everybody thinks. The fact they take food from your hand is a good sign that they are gaining trust. You need to take things slowly and give them time. Offering them food is always a great place to start.
I have two boys. They are around 18 months old and I have had them for over a year. One of them (dexter) only took a couple of months to become comfortable with me but the other one (Popcorn) runs off when I go near to them. Neither of them like being picked up but dexter will take food from me and will let me touch him a little. Popcorn is actually getting a little better over the last month, he doesn’t run off quite as quickly and he then comes back out sooner but i don’t think, even with his little improvements, that he is ever going to be as comfortable with me as dexter is.

 

[Piggiewheekwheek]

Your not doing anything wrong,Guinea pigs are naturally skitty,they are prey animals and a lot of them don't like being picked up or fussed with.
It will take time and they may never fully trust you but don't feel bad it's natural,just enjoy spending time with them,talking and giving them food from your hand.
I have 2 piggies,one loves being fussed and will happily come over to see you but he hates being picked up,the other runs from me every time I go near the cage,but he will take food from my hand,that's about it lol.
X

 

[Wiebke]

Hey fellow piggy parents!

I have had my my two boys (3 month and 2 month). They’ve lived with me for a little over a month.

I literally hangout with my piggies everyday, all day (I work from home)! Their main cage is in my room, I make sure I hold them for at least 20 min a day. I give them plenty of food, they do eat food from my hand. I pet them curls my 3 month old loves the petting but Piglet really, really really hates it.

Should I give them space or keep trying?

Hi

Guinea pigs are prey animals; they are not natural-born animated cuddly toys. Sadly the many videos on social media give future owners an unrealistic expectation because for sale piggies have usually had very little in the way of friendly human interaction before they are thrust into the total alien and frightening environment of a home and the close company of what to them are very smelly monsters that can kill them any moment at a whim.
Picking up and handling is cutting very close to those instincts, which is why most piggies will never come to like being picked up by hand.

Please take the time to read our various information guides via the link below. They explain how guinea pig prey instincts function, what you can do to avoid triggering them and how you can use social interactive guinea pig behaviours to make friends with them, invite them into your group and tell them that you love them in ways that make instant sense to them ('piggy whispering') instead of waiting until they have puzzled out human communication. The link also contains a video and picture guide on how to best pick up guinea pigs safely without risking freak blind jumps and tips for lap time with skittish piggies: Settling In And Making Friends With Guinea Pigs - A Guide

 

[Carla1231]

Thank you so much

Guinea pugs are prey animals and a lot of them just don’t like being handled. They aren’t always the cuddly animals that everybody thinks. The fact they take food from your hand is a good sign that they are gaining trust. You need to take things slowly and give them time. Offering them food is always a great place to start.
I have two boys. They are around 18 months old and I have had them for over a year. One of them (dexter) only took a couple of months to become comfortable with me but the other one (Popcorn) runs off when I go near to them. Neither of them like being picked up but dexter will take food from me and will let me touch him a little. Popcorn is actually getting a little better over the last month, he doesn’t run off quite as quickly and he then comes back out sooner but i don’t think, even with his little improvements, that he is ever going to be as comfortable with me as dexter is.