Scared Piggies

[chelliepops]

Hi, I've had my Guinea Pigs for over 2 years now, there both female and get on very well with each other, the only issue I have is that they're both still quite scared of me. If I have food, they will come to the front of the cage and take food from me no problem but if I go to the cage to take them out or to just stroke them they will both run away from me and hide. When I do eventually have them out for cuddles they will both try to escape. I would have thought that they would be used to me by now. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do please? It's upsetting me that their both still scared of me

 

[Piggies&buns]

It is normal for them to be like this. They are prey animals. They aren’t cuddly animals and some are just more fearful than others.
Mine are the same. One of them is better than the other, he will stay out and about while I do things in them cage such as replenish hay or put food in, but if I go to touch him it is hit and miss whether he will let me - sometimes he does, sometimes he runs off. the other one doesn’t like me at all and runs off whenever I go near even when I go to feed them. I have to stand back and make him think I’ve gone so that I can watch whether he is eating etc.
Making slow movements, not trying to grab them but sometimes, sadly, it isn’t going to make a difference, not all of them like being touched,

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I've had my Guinea Pigs for over 2 years now, there both female and get on very well with each other, the only issue I have is that they're both still quite scared of me. If I have food, they will come to the front of the cage and take food from me no problem but if I go to the cage to take them out or to just stroke them they will both run away from me and hide. When I do eventually have them out for cuddles they will both try to escape. I would have thought that they would be used to me by now. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do please? It's upsetting me that their both still scared of me

Hi!

Try our piggy whispering and picking up tips.
Most piggies will never enjoy being picked up as it cuts too close to their prey animal instincts, but you can work around that. Most of my piggies also don't like being touched in the cage (boars less than sows on the whole) when they have the choice to move away.

It is unfortunately a perpetuated myth that guinea pigs are cuddly pets, which creates false expectations. Some piggies will revel in attention, but the majority in fact won't. Because you see all those videos of people showing off their cuddly piggies but NOT the majority of those that don't it creates a misleading impression.

Take those unrealistic expectations out of the equation and concentrate on interacting with your piggies as their own personalities and as a species of animals very much with their own social system and needs, and not as an animated cuddly toy - and you will discover a whole new world! Guinea pigs are a very interactive species; if you enter their world instead of expecting them to perform to your human expectations, you will be richly rewarded.

Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

 

[Beemz]

Hi!

Try our piggy whispering and picking up tips.
Most piggies will never enjoy being picked up as it cuts too close to their prey animal instincts, but you can work around that. Most of my piggies also don't like being touched in the cage (boars less than sows on the whole) when they have the choice to move away.

It is unfortunately a perpetuated myth that guinea pigs are cuddly pets, which creates false expectations. Some piggies will revel in attention, but the majority in fact won't. Because you see all those videos of people showing off their cuddly piggies but NOT the majority of those that don't, it creates a misleading impression.

Take those unrealistic expectations out of the equation and concentrate on interacting with your piggies as their own personalities and as a species of animals very much with their own social system and needs, and not as an animated cuddly toy - and you will discover a whole new world! Guinea pigs are a very interactive species; if you enter their world instead of expecting them to perform to your human expectations, you will be richly rewarded.

Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

This is SUCH a reassuring post for me! Thank you

 

[Seven7]

I don't expect my Finn and Lara to perform for me in any way. My relatoinship with my pets are that I love, provide, protect, and care for their needs. I have zero expectations that my pets should or would do something.
But they do recognize me and run towards me when I have food for them, or topping hay onto their hay pan. All I ask is that they stay healthy and active.

 

[chelliepops]

It is normal for them to be like this. They are prey animals. They aren’t cuddly animals and some are just more fearful than others.
Mine are the same. One of them is better than the other, he will stay out and about while I do things in them cage such as replenish hay or put food in, but if I go to touch him it is hit and miss whether he will let me - sometimes he does, sometimes he runs off. the other one doesn’t like me at all and runs off whenever I go near even when I go to feed them. I have to stand back and make him think I’ve gone so that I can watch whether he is eating etc.
Making slow movements, not trying to grab them but sometimes, sadly, it isn’t going to make a difference, not all of them like being touched,

Thank you! This is the first time I've had Guinea Pigs so this has really reassured me!

 

[chelliepops]

Hi!

Try our piggy whispering and picking up tips.
Most piggies will never enjoy being picked up as it cuts too close to their prey animal instincts, but you can work around that. Most of my piggies also don't like being touched in the cage (boars less than sows on the whole) when they have the choice to move away.

It is unfortunately a perpetuated myth that guinea pigs are cuddly pets, which creates false expectations. Some piggies will revel in attention, but the majority in fact won't. Because you see all those videos of people showing off their cuddly piggies but NOT the majority of those that don't it creates a misleading impression.

Take those unrealistic expectations out of the equation and concentrate on interacting with your piggies as their own personalities and as a species of animals very much with their own social system and needs, and not as an animated cuddly toy - and you will discover a whole new world! Guinea pigs are a very interactive species; if you enter their world instead of expecting them to perform to your human expectations, you will be richly rewarded.

Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

Thank you so much! Yeah I've seen quite a lot of videos online like that, that's why I thought there was something I was doing wrong so thank you, you've completely reassured me I will definitely try those picking up tips though!