Petrified Guinea Pigs 😢

[Naserian.8]

Hi

I am totally new to guinea pigs. I got 2 beautiful female 9 week old Peruvian guinea pigs on Friday. Poor little things are absolutely petrified they shake with fear sometimes. I sit and stroke them in there cage and talk to them calmly. They are eating which is really good. Is it best to leave them to settle in or hold them on my lap and stroke them calmly so they get use to me.

 

[Piggies&buns]

It’s best to cover their cage with a blanket and leave them alone for a few days/up to a week, doing nothing more than feeding and removing any soiled bedding from their cage. They need to be able to settle into their new environment and with each other

After that, you start slowly by offering them food from your hand and gaining their trust. It needs to be done very slowly and accepting that a lot of piggies are not cuddly creatures, some not liking much human contact and others are fine with if. You need to take it at their pace and at their individual characters - for example, one of mine doesn’t mind a little contact with me, but the other one hates it and doesn’t like to be touched at all.

 

[Piggiefordayssss]

Here is some great advice I received from @Mo & Stubbins & Vani it really helped me bond more with my piggies and now my shy/scared piggy will relax on me - unfortunately sometimes that means I get a bit wet

 

[Piggies&buns]

This link is to a collection of guides for new owners. You will find some useful guides on how to settle new and shy guinea pigs along with lots of other useful information. New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

I am totally new to guinea pigs. I got 2 beautiful female 9 week old Peruvian guinea pigs on Friday. Poor little things are absolutely petrified they shake with fear sometimes. I sit and stroke them in there cage and talk to them calmly. They are eating which is really good. Is it best to leave them to settle in or hold them on my lap and stroke them calmly so they get use to me.

Hi and welcome

Please take the time to read these guide links here. You may find them very helpful; they contain all the tips that have stood the test of time. You have to work out yourself over time what yours respond to best. Please be aware that it is not a quick process.
We have also included information on how guinea pig prey animal instincts work, how you can avoid triggering them and coming across as a predator. The first guide shows you how arrival in a pet home looks for guinea pigs that have never had any friendly human interaction, so you can learn to understand better where your piggies are coming from.

Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely

These guide links are all part of our very helpful New Owners guide collection, which covers all the areas we get the most questions or cries for help about in the kind of comprehensive practical 'how to' detail that we cannot pack into every single post.
It is well worth bookmarking and reading/re-reading as a great resource as you go along.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[DM260620]

You shouldn’t pet your guinea pigs until they completely trust you because they can get really scared if you pet them or try to pick them up because they are prey animals and might think that you are a predator. Best of luck!