New Scared Guinea Pig! Need tips please!

[Karla0822]

Hi there! I brought home a 3 month old male guinea pig named Hershey two days ago. Unfortunately I did not do enough research on cages and got him the wrong kind but a good c&c cage is shipping now so hopefully I’ll get it by next week. I know they are prey creatures and will hide a lot because they are scared. I have been doing nonstop research these last few days. I still did research before I got him but not enough and I think I scared him a little when he first came home. He lets me pet him and I keep my hand in his cage as much as I can while talking to him but he is always frozen in fear. I want to give him time but I also want to keep his cage sanitary as well as encourage him to be curious. I currently have a wooden hideout that he refuses to come out of. Should I remove it completely and only put it back for a few hours? Or should I leave it there? He does not go to his food bowl or water because it’s not next to his cage so I had to put a water bowl outside of it and have been giving him food outside his hideout for him to eat. Thankfully he started eating (only when no one is home or at night when I’m asleep). I am just concerned that he has been pooping and stuff in there and I want to be able to clean it without scaring him. I also want to give him floor time but I don’t know what is the right time to do stuff. I also have a vet appointment for him next week so I also would like advice on carriers to take him to the vet. Thank you so much!

 

[Piggylove82]

When you did your research, did you read that guinea pigs need a friend (as in a guinea pig friend). Maybe he'd feel more confident then?

 

[Karla0822]

When you did your research, did you read that guinea pigs need a friend. Maybe he'd feel more confident then?

Yea I did and I plan on getting one in the future but I can only have one for now. I am able to spend time with him and play with him a lot but I don’t want to force that. I hope he opens up soon so that I can keep him entertained until I get another piggy.

 

[Teacake]

Yea I did and I plan on getting one in the future but I can only have one for now. I am able to spend time with him and play with him a lot but I don’t want to force that. I hope he opens up soon so that I can keep him entertained until I get another piggy.

humans can’t replace guinea pig company, sorry

 

[Piggylove82]

I agree with @Teacake. They need a friend of their own species as soon as. If you can only have one now, then maybe you aren't ready to have a guinea pig as a pet, or perhaps you should have opted for a pet that can live on their own

 

[Karla0822]

Well I have never had a Guineas pig before and I have been trying my best to do what I can. I figured getting one would be easier for me to learn how to properly care for them before I get a second. I also came here to try and get some support and learn how to better be a guinea pig mom and am very disappointed to be hit with negativity.

 

[Piggylove82]

Sorry you feel that way. I was just being truthful about a guinea pig's needs

 

[Teacake]

i’m so sorry, i didn’t mean to be nasty. i’m sorry if it sounded that way. i only want what’s best for the piggy!

 

[Karla0822]

i’m so sorry, i didn’t mean to be nasty. i’m sorry if it sounded that way. i only want what’s best for the piggy!

Thank you. I am very open to getting another piggy but I need Hershey to trust me first. I also have to wait until his new cage arrives because two won’t fit in the one I have for him now. I took out his hideout so i can clean his cage and he became more curious. He is still cautious of me and sometimes freezes but I got him to eat from my hand and he was snooping more around his cage. I flipped his original hideout to the side so that it’s more open rather than a dark hole he can hide in and he’s not as inclined to just hide in a Corner anymore. It still is dark enough for him to rest though.

 

[piggieminder]

Settling in, Human Interaction and Children
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
The above guides should be of help to you. I use a small cat carrier to transport my piggies to the vet.

 

[piggieminder]

This is the type of carrier I use for vet trips.
I also unclip the doors on the carriers and use them in the runs in the garden.

 

[Karla0822]

Settling in, Human Interaction and Children
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
The above guides should be of help to you. I use a small cat carrier to transport my piggies to the vet.

I already read the first one, which was very helpful, but didn’t see the second. Thank you so much. Also thanks for the carrier. I saw a bunch that were not as sturdy and I wasn’t sure if that would work or not.