Hiya everyone
I adopted my pig on Wednesday and he is lovely but he is very timid around me
I pick him up everyday and if other people are in the room he keeps still but with me individually he is very fidgety and when in the cage whenever he spots me or I talk to him he tries to retreat as far back in the corner as possible
I may be worrying to early but I just wanted to get some advice as to how to make him better at being comfortable with me and being comfortable at being held
Hi!
Please take the time to read the guides via this link. You will find them very helpful and interesting!
Settling In And Making Friends With Guinea Pigs - A Guide
-They explain how guinea pig
prey animal instincts function and how guinea pigs perceive the alien to them home environment.
- Once you are aware of that, you can then start working around them and
avoid predatory behaviours that could trigger these instincts.
- Guinea pigs are highly communicative group animals. Use their interactive behaviours to make friends with them ("
piggy whispering"). Don't wait and expect your piggy to work out humans first; make that step and frame any communication in ways that make total sense to a being that is wired on an instinctive level to live in a hierarchical group and that identifies first and foremost by belonging to a group.
- Trust is a tender plant that needs to grow deep roots first before it can flourish. Be patient and listen to what your piggy has to say. Trust is something that works in both directions; you have to respect your guinea pigs and listen to them if you want them to listen to you and to respect and not just fear you.
Starting with ringworm has been a rather rough start, but the experience that you have made him better will help. Please be aware that guinea pigs take several weeks or even months to settle in fully.
The best and most loving gift ever you can make your little boy once he has recovered from his ringworm is to get him a same sex companion for the 24/7 round the clock companionship and interaction that he needs during the 5-7 years of a healthy normal life-span. You have your human life and your own evolving commitments and interests. A single guinea pig has only you. Whether you have time for him or not, his need for companionship and stimulation is not getting any less and can be conveniently packed away. Companionship is vital for mental and physical health and is truly life prolonging. Two guinea pigs need pretty much the same space to run around and exercise in (guinea pigs are a ground roaming species that needs all the space they can get), a second piggy doesn't cost you a lot more to feed and you get to enjoy the vocal interaction that makes them so unique.
Companionship will also make your little one instantly happier and much less lost.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
