Nervous, Anxious, And Scared Pig

Does your guinea pig get frightened when inside their cage?

  • Yes

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • No

    Votes: 2 66.7%
  • Total voters
    3
  • Poll closed .
AbbynBojack

AbbynBojack

New Born Pup
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Hi, I'm new here and I was just wondering what I should do to make my guinea pig more comfortable being touched while he's in his cage. He is still just a baby. He is fine being held when he's outside his cage, but if I try to pet him while he's in his cage he runs away. He doesn't bite he occasionally nibbles on my fingernails but he never bites in an aggressive way. Does anyone know why he does this, and what I can do to make him stop running away from me while he's in his cage? Thanks in advance :)
 
AbbynBojack said:
Hi, I'm new here and I was just wondering what I should do to make my guinea pig more comfortable being touched while he's in his cage. He is still just a baby. He is fine being held when he's outside his cage, but if I try to pet him while he's in his cage he runs away. He doesn't bite he occasionally nibbles on my fingernails but he never bites in an aggressive way. Does anyone know why he does this, and what I can do to make him stop running away from me while he's in his cage? Thanks in advance :)
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Hi and welcome!

Please take the time to have a look through our new owners' guide collection. Apart from the links you have already been given, it contains much more helpful information, including a guide on all kinds of biting and how to deal with them in ways and concepts that are understood instinctively by a guinea pig.
We have combined answers to the most often encountered issues by new owners with some important need-to-know information that can prevent major problems in the longer term, but that many new owners are not aware of.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice

Accept that not all piggies like to be touched; it requires a lot of trust.

Is your piggy a single or has he got a got a companion to play with? It makes a difference in his behaviour. Guinea pigs are prey animals that live in groups.when they are sold in a shop, they have hardly had any human interaction and have been ripped away from their friends to be expected to be natural cuddly pets in their new and strange environment without the reassurance and guidance of their own kind.
Companionship
 
I only have one guinea pig, I figured that that might be the problem, but he is fine being held outside his cage, he just doesn't like being touched when inside his cage, do u think it's because that's where his home is?
 
He might be a little too frightened to do anything outside his cage too though.
Start handing veggies through mesh or above, but if above slowly, then after mesh,feed from above, try petting your piggys nose everytime, if your pig runs, its fine!,after a week or 2 your piggy will probably look up for veggies, which will probably be a good chance to pet!

This method worked for me! my other 2 boars aren't keen, but my 3rd one (Ed) is fine with it!
Get to see gorgeous noses and lips greet me everyday!
 
We always start off after a few days by trying to hand feed a few veggy treats in the cage by offering some nice veggies to the new piggy when they are in their hidey, hopefully they will take it off you as you hold it in for them... after a while try offering it a little further from the hidey so they edge out and take it from you. Just go slowly as they are prey animal patience is needed to build up the bond, younger piggies are especially skittish

Food is the best way to bribe, use food when you get round to lap times also. Start lap time for a short amount of time at first and build up. We started off we laptimes for 1 minute with new piggies then pop them back, slowly increasing the time. They will soon associate you with food and good things but at first it takes a while to gain their trust.
 
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