New piggies advice

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Leahbrews

New Born Pup
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Hi everyone, I got my two guinea pigs close to a month ago at 9 weeks old. Since I’ve had them they really haven’t been making much progress and I’m worried they’re unhappy and what more I can do :no: I have two baby brothers in a big hutch style cage with a run, lots of hides, tunnels, chew toys but they barely play or even move from wherever they’re hiding. I understand it will take them a while to get used to me and their new environment but as it’s coming up to four weeks I’m starting to feel concern that they’re not progressing in terms of feeling comfortable to move around their cage/play. They mainly sit in a corner or hide scared as anything. Both me and my partner have mainly left them to their own devices, haven’t handled them other than once when we had to move them out the cage to clean it out, barely even petted them as I can see how scared they get if I go anywhere near the cage. Despite their fears I do go into the room now and again to talk to them and of course give them food but I’m just wondering whether this is all normal or if they should be more comfortable by now? And what else I could do to help them settle in better?

thanks everyone x
 
That is normal. You just have to give them time to become braver. Do they have hides in their hutch or are they only in the run? Do they come out when it’s time for dinner? I wouldn’t give them floor time as yet simply because they seem to still be very timid.

You need to weigh them weekly as part of their lifelong health monitoring. If they’re gaining weight then they’re absolutely fine. You can get them used to being herded into a box or carrier or similar to take them out of the hutch.

Some piggies can take mere weeks to settle in and become brave. Other ma can take years. As an example, my girls have been with us for 2.5 years. One of them only let me stroke her sometime last year, after almost two years of being here. And while they lived indoors, they preferred to hide under the bath mats. I left them to it except when I had to get them out to weigh etc. They are prey animals and may never like being stroked, held or taken out etc.

Have a read of the guides below. Patience is the name of the game unfortunately 😌
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
 
Thanks a lot for the response. So the run is attached to the cage and I tend to leave their food in that part so that they’ll get used to coming out but maybe I’d be better leaving it close to where they hide if that’s making them potentially more scared and forcing them to come out from where they are comfortable. They are definitely eating and I can visibly see they are growing. They don’t come out when I put food down they wait until I’m away from the cage/room and they are very silent no wheeking only ever a tiny chirp here or there.

so hard being patient just want cuddles already! Haha 😆
 
I would put the food in the hutch part. You have to remember that they are prey animals so open spaces scare them. You must weigh them weekly, that is a necessity. You can’t judge how much hay they’re consuming by eye and neither can you accurately judge their size by just looking at them. That is really important so I would start that now, regardless of whether they’re scared or not.

Also bear in mind that they may never like cuddles. Some do and some don’t. Be guided by them. Sitting still in the beginning doesn’t necessarily mean they enjoy it. Once they’re more comfortable they will let you know either way.
 
Welcome to the forum.
When Phoebe came to me she was very young and very shy.
It took nearly 6 months before she stopped being scared all the time.
A piggy’s default position is “you’re going to eat me”.

They take time and patience as @Siikibam has said.
Her advice to put their food close to them is very good.

Guinea pigs are not cuddly animals and some never like being held or cuddled.
Phoebe hates being held with a passion but now is happy to let me stroke her in the cage.
Your piggies will soon let you know what they like and don’t like and you will enjoy them for the characters they are.

Hope you enjoy being part of the forum
 
I had mine from babies and they took ages, but now stand on back legs at cage for treats , run over my feet and tolerate being held for bit. What has helped is they are used to being carried and picked out using a fleecy pet bed which is like a bag. As soon as they see that now, they run in and it got them used to being held without direct hands on.
Patience is key unfortunately and little n often!
Good luck and enjoy them
 
I’d start hand feeding them some veggies. They can definitely be bribed with yummies. Talk to them and move slowly. If you can’t catch them pick them up in a hide and then put them on your lap. Put a towel or blanket over them too. Leaving them to get braver on their own might not necessarily work. You need to start getting to know them and they need to start getting used to you. I’ve heard that they like routine. So I get mine out at the same time each day. Good luck. Enjoy them. They are great fun.
 
This is what I use to carry them from their hutch to floor time.
 

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weepweeps said:
I’d start hand feeding them some veggies. They can definitely be bribed with yummies. Talk to them and move slowly. If you can’t catch them pick them up in a hide and then put them on your lap. Put a towel or blanket over them too. Leaving them to get braver on their own might not necessarily work. You need to start getting to know them and they need to start getting used to you. I’ve heard that they like routine. So I get mine out at the same time each day. Good luck. Enjoy them. They are great fun.
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Thanks for the advice 🙌🏻 One of them will take a piece of food from my hand but the other is completely nope. I literally put a piece of lettuce touching his mouth and he wasn’t for it 😂 but will keep trying. See I really want to bring them out in a little bed I have for them but I’m just worried I’m going to scare them even more because honestly they are petrified 😩 maybe I’ll give it another week or so then try x
 
:wel:
It does take time

It took one of my boys six weeks to become comfortable around me, take food from me and be interested in what I was doing. It took the other 18 months. Whenever I went near them he would freeze with fear, would not take food, did not want me near him. Slowly at around 18 months of being with me, he changed and started taking food from me but would still be rather nervous. Now three years later, he takes food from me, is interested in what I am doing and even in the last few weeks has let me stroke his head a few times. He is always going to be the more nervous of the two but he is no longer scared. It can be frustrating that it took so long but slow and steady won that race and we got there in the end! Neither particularly like being held though - one will let me touch his head and the other likes an occasional chin rub both are on their terms though - so holding them only happens for health checks
 
Also mine are braver when I get them out of the hutch for floor time. They run around Popcorning. The nervous one will let me touch him loads. Tickle him all over. He’ll sit and lay by me. But when he’s in the hutch he runs away and I can’t touch him. Strange. They all have such different personalities.
 
Yesterday for the first time I seen the slightly braver one popcorn and made me so happy because I’ve done everything to try make sure they’re happy and comfortable and was getting worried they’re not happy just because they’re so scared. Patience is definitely going to be what it takes by the sounds of things!

it’s so funny because if we spy in the room and they don’t notice we can see them starting to move about a bit more but soon as you make a sound they’re fast as lightening to their hiding spot 😂 I feel like a monster! 😅
 
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