Recently scared guinea pig (laptime/playtime)!

[lil_wheeks]

Hi everyone! I have had my 2 male guinea pigs for about 6 months (they are 8 and 8 1/2 months old). They have always been a bit scared, which I understand.. but over the last few weeks, they have gotten more and more comfortable around me.
The problem is that recently one of them seems normal in the cage (still hides when I'm around, but if I have food, he'll come out) but when I pick him up and hold him, he goes manic! He just wants to run away from me and won't take any food I give him anymore. He used to be okay/comfortable during laptime and would occasionally eat veggies or treats from my hand, but not anymore.
Nothing I do works, I try to drop a treat in front of him but if he sees me near him, he will not eat it. He just freezes on the spot. If I hold set him on my lap, he freezes or tries to jump off of my lap. I get down to his level but that doesn't help. If I set him on the floor, he'll dart to his cage and naw on the bars to be let in.

I don't understand why he's so scared of me now all of a sudden please help.

 

[Stewybus]

Some can be like this & it takes lots of tlc. You seem to be doing everything right but what's needed now is time x

 

[Tigermoth]

Hi everyone! I have had my 2 male guinea pigs for about 6 months (they are 8 and 8 1/2 months old). They have always been a bit scared, which I understand.. but over the last few weeks, they have gotten more and more comfortable around me.
The problem is that recently one of them seems normal in the cage (still hides when I'm around, but if I have food, he'll come out) but when I pick him up and hold him, he goes manic! He just wants to run away from me and won't take any food I give him anymore. He used to be okay/comfortable during laptime and would occasionally eat veggies or treats from my hand, but not anymore.
Nothing I do works, I try to drop a treat in front of him but if he sees me near him, he will not eat it. He just freezes on the spot. If I hold set him on my lap, he freezes or tries to jump off of my lap. I get down to his level but that doesn't help. If I set him on the floor, he'll dart to his cage and naw on the bars to be let in.

I don't understand why he's so scared of me now all of a sudden please help.

Aw, this is really common! Imagine you are a guinea pig in the wild. The only time your little feet get off the floor is when you plucked from the ground by a hungry predator. For your pigs, you are that predator. The best way to not be eaten is to be very very still, hope it doesn’t notice you. So that is what he has been doing at lap time. He’s worked out that you aren’t going to eat him straight away so he is comfortable enough with you to move and try and get away. So he does a runner. The next step is acceptance but he has to work through this first.

Keep trying, it will come.

 

[lil_wheeks]

Aw, this is really common! Imagine you are a guinea pig in the wild. The only time your little feet get off the floor is when you plucked from the ground by a hungry predator. For your pigs, you are that predator. The best way to not be eaten is to be very very still, hope it doesn’t notice you. So that is what he has been doing at lap time. He’s worked out that you aren’t going to eat him straight away so he is comfortable enough with you to move and try and get away. So he does a runner. The next step is acceptance but he has to work through this first.

Keep trying, it will come.

Everywhere I look, it says it could take a few weeks.. but it's been 6 months and no luck :/ just feeling a bit disheartened because I love them so much and I want them to feel safe and happy..

 

[Betsy]

You are getting somewhere. They are now comfortable enough with you to tell you that they want to get away from you rather than the "freeze so I won't be noticed". Try these Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips they are very good. It takes a while but it also takes you from "Big Scary Predator" to "Big Top Piggy". You feel silly doing some of them but they are not silly if you are talking piggy. You are basically telling your piggies in a language they can understand that you want to be their friend and you won't eat them. The most useful one I found is to talk to your piggies as you approach them as a predator is quiet.

I have had my piggies for over 3 years and whilst I know they trust me completely and enjoy their cuddles, they hate being picked up as piggie default is "Help I'm going to be eaten so I must run!"

Keep going You are making progress although it doesn't seem like it.

 

[lil_wheeks]

You are getting somewhere. They are now comfortable enough with you to tell you that they want to get away from you rather than the "freeze so I won't be noticed". Try these Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips they are very good. It takes a while but it also takes you from "Big Scary Predator" to "Big Top Piggy". You feel silly doing some of them but they are not silly if you are talking piggy. You are basically telling your piggies in a language they can understand that you want to be their friend and you won't eat them. The most useful one I found is to talk to your piggies as you approach them as a predator is quiet.

I have had my piggies for over 3 years and whilst I know they trust me completely and enjoy their cuddles, they hate being picked up as piggie default is "Help I'm going to be eaten so I must run!"

Keep going You are making progress although it doesn't seem like it.

thank you! I'll definitely check that link