Questions (new Guinea Pig Owner)

[Ambre]

Hey! I just recently obtained a guinea pig, she is almost four weeks old now and I have had her for three days. I just had a few questions, I did research but nobody quite had the situation I seem to have.

My new guinea pig, Penny, really likes to hide in her little cardboard house we made her. I hear that that is normal but I have never seen her come out. I hear her bustle about inside of the house so I know she's fine but I was wondering if this is normal?

I don't think she's drinking water either. I have been soaking any veggies I give her with water before I feed them to her so I know that she is getting some sort of liquid in her system. I put both a bowl of water and a bottle feeder in her cage. Should I be concerned?

I try handling her and every time I do I watch her and listen closely to make sure I don't hear any stressed out noises. She seems okay with being held and when you set her down she doesn't run away but when I try to put her back into her cage she starts making a distressed sound until I set her down, then she runs straight into her house. She even eats vegetables straight out of my hand if she likes them enough. Any advice on how to bond with her without making anything stressful for her?

I was also wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to let her know I don't mean her harm when I try to take her out of her house for floor time?

If anyone has any other advice I would be so excited to hear it! Thank you =^.^=

This is her:

 

[Deleted member 114675]

to the forum. What a beautiful guinea pig.

it takes a while for guinea pigs to settle in so it is perfectly normal that she is hiding . This is a useful thread ...
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/

Some guinea pigs don't drink a lot of water - she's probably getting what she needs from her veg.

This may help when trying to pick her up for floor time ...

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-pick-up-your-guinea-pig.126359/

 

[Lady Kelly]

it does sound normal and she sounds fairly happy with you. Putting them back can be a mare especially with wriggly pigs... most of mine seem to see the hutch door open and realise they didn't want lap time and must go back that instance! The more skittish/wriggly ones I tend to try to put in backwards so they don't see the hutch so quickly

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

What a beautiful little baby!

But she must feel very alone, lost and frightened, as guinea pigs are group animals and not wired to live alone. She not only misses company, but also the guidance of older piggies that can teach her what is safe to do eat, how to drink and how to interact with her kind. The best way of bringing her out is getting her a sow or a neutered boar companion, if at all possible. Sadly, far too many shops still sell babies into single situations.

Sitting quiet means that she is still frightened, but she hates it even more being alone in her cage without the constant round-the-clock stimulation and support that only a same species companion can give her. In return, you will get the benefit of enjoying the lively interaction that makes guinea pigs so endearing and unique as well as having two happy piggies to dote on!
You may find these threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/companionship.37654/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/cage-size-guide.120795/

We have got a good standard, piggy savvy UK rescue locator on top bar, but can also provide links for recommended rescues in other countries. These specialist rescues are by far the best and safest places to get guaranteed healthy guinea pigs from without running the risk of bad advice, illness, unplanned pregnancies etc.

It would also be great if you please added your country, state or UK county to your details, so we can always tailor any advice and recommendations to what is available and possible where you are, as we have got members from all over the world. As you can imagine, climate, brands, access to good vets and rescues etc. can vary a lot! Please click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

 

[Ambre]

to the forum. What a beautiful guinea pig.

it takes a while for guinea pigs to settle in so it is perfectly normal that she is hiding . This is a useful thread ...
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/

Some guinea pigs don't drink a lot of water - she's probably getting what she needs from her veg.

This may help when trying to pick her up for floor time ...

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-pick-up-your-guinea-pig.126359/

Thank you so much for the helpful links! I will have to try picking her up using some pvc once we get a different house for her, for now we have her in a house with a bottom on it. Next time I take her out I will remove the bottom so that if an emergency comes up I can easily remove her from the cage. Thank you again!

 

[Ambre]

it does sound normal and she sounds fairly happy with you. Putting them back can be a mare especially with wriggly pigs... most of mine seem to see the hutch door open and realise they didn't want lap time and must go back that instance! The more skittish/wriggly ones I tend to try to put in backwards so they don't see the hutch so quickly

I didn't know that, thank you for the helpful information! I'll try that next time I put her back and see how she likes that, thank you again!

 

[Ambre]

Hi and welcome!

What a beautiful little baby!

But she must feel very alone, lost and frightened, as guinea pigs are group animals and not wired to live alone. She not only misses company, but also the guidance of older piggies that can teach her what is safe to do eat, how to drink and how to interact with her kind. The best way of bringing her out is getting her a sow or a neutered boar companion, if at all possible. Sadly, far too many shops still sell babies into single situations.

Sitting quiet means that she is still frightened, but she hates it even more being alone in her cage without the constant round-the-clock stimulation and support that only a same species companion can give her. In return, you will get the benefit of enjoying the lively interaction that makes guinea pigs so endearing and unique as well as having two happy piggies to dote on!
You may find these threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/companionship.37654/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/cage-size-guide.120795/

We have got a good standard, piggy savvy UK rescue locator on top bar, but can also provide links for recommended rescues in other countries. These specialist rescues are by far the best and safest places to get guaranteed healthy guinea pigs from without running the risk of bad advice, illness, unplanned pregnancies etc.

It would also be great if you please added your country, state or UK county to your details, so we can always tailor any advice and recommendations to what is available and possible where you are, as we have got members from all over the world. As you can imagine, climate, brands, access to good vets and rescues etc. can vary a lot! Please click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

I am looking into getting her a female companion, I just don't want to risk anything with a male guinea pig. I have updated my location, thank you for all the helpful threads! I need to get a new guinea pig cage before I can even think about another yet, the one we have for now is cramped even for one piggy. Thank you again, it means a lot to me!

 

[Wiebke]

I am looking into getting her a female companion, I just don't want to risk anything with a male guinea pig. I have updated my location, thank you for all the helpful threads! I need to get a new guinea pig cage before I can even think about another yet, the one we have for now is cramped even for one piggy. Thank you again, it means a lot to me!

There are a number of very good guinea pig rescues in California and in Arizona where you will be in very safe and experienced hands. Neutered boars are much rarer in the US due to the high operation cost whereas many rescues in the UK and the one good guinea pig rescue in New Zealand have a strict simgle boar neutering policy. It is one of the reasons why we ask members to add their state; as that allows us to take the climate as well as rescue and vet access and brands into account when we give any recommendations.

Here is a list of recommended good standard rescues for the US (in cooperation with Guinea Lynx): http://www.guinealynx.info/rescue_organizations.html
If you can get to one of these rescues, it is well worth it, as you can be guaranteed to only rehome a totally healthy and guaranteed not pregnant companion sow for a smooth ride. You also have the rescue to fall back on if there are problems along the way for the duration of any rescue pig's life.

 

[Ambre]

There are a number of very good guinea pig rescues in California and in Arizona where you will be in very safe and experienced hands. Neutered boars are much rarer in the US due to the high operation cost whereas many rescues in the UK and the one good guinea pig rescue in New Zealand have a strict simgle boar neutering policy. It is one of the reasons why we ask members to add their state; as that allows us to take the climate as well as rescue and vet access and brands into account when we give any recommendations.

Here is a list of recommended good standard rescues for the US (in cooperation with Guinea Lynx): http://www.guinealynx.info/rescue_organizations.html
If you can get to one of these rescues, it is well worth it, as you can be guaranteed to only rehome a totally healthy and guaranteed not pregnant companion sow for a smooth ride. You also have the rescue to fall back on if there are problems along the way for the duration of any rescue pig's life.

I'll have to look into the one in Nevada, they are closest to me and that would be very good for me. I wanted to know if this shelter was an okay one to get a guinea pig from?http://www.utahhumane.org They have guinea pigs there and they are in my state, I don't know if they are safe to adopt from though.

 

[Wiebke]

I'll have to look into the one in Nevada, they are closest to me and that would be very good for me. I wanted to know if this shelter was an okay one to get a guinea pig from?http://www.utahhumane.org They have guinea pigs there and they are in my state, I don't know if they are safe to adopt from though.

Neither do I! The questions you can ask: Do you have a euthanising policy? Do you quarantine and provide vet care for any incoming guinea pigs? Do you have a pregnancy watch for potentially pregnant sows and can you guarantee that any adopted sow is not pregnant? Do you take guinea pigs back if the bonding fails?
This should give you an answer.