I recently bought a guinea pig yesterday and he was playful the whole day. Walking around eating in front of me and drinking. But all of the sudden sinse this morning he hasnt come out of hiding and he barely moved. Anything is appreciated
-
Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement
New guinea pig
- Thread starter Conski90
- Start date
-
- Tags
- help advice needed
It is quite normal for new piggies to be very quiet and nervous. Does your piggy live with another piggy? Guinea pigs are highly social and should not be by themselves, they should be kept in same sex pairs (or males neutered and can then be kept with a female). Lone pigs are often much more nervous and can get very lonely.
If you are concerned that there may be a medical issue, then you will need to take your piggy to a vet.
If you are concerned that there may be a medical issue, then you will need to take your piggy to a vet.
He lives by himself. I plan on getting another male sooner rather than later. How long should it take for him to warm up?
While he is alone, it may take him longer to settle. Particularly if he is young, he need to have a new friend as soon as possible. It could take a couple of weeks before he properly settles into his new home, but it may take much longer before he becomes more comfortable being around you - it can vary from piggy to piggy. Some get comfortable in a couple of weeks, some it takes many months and some never like being handled.
When it comes to getting him a new friend, the best way is to get a rescue centre to help you find a suitable companion. Character compatibility is the most important part of finding a friend - if you go out and ‘buy’ a new piggy then there is absolutely no guarantee that they will get on. If you do go down this route (and we will always recommend rescuing rather than buying) then you need to ensure any introductions are done properly and following the correct procedure, as well as ensuring cages are big enough (two boys run the risk of falling out if they don’t have enough space)
I have attached some guides below that should help you
Cage Size Guide
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Thank you so much. You have been very helpful and I will try to get the next guinea pig ASAP with the same traits as him.