Good morning. I’ve a 4 year old guinea pig (non-neutered female) and I adopted two other guinea pigs (females too) a month ago. I'm having difficulties in socializing because the 4-year-old female doesnt want to interact in any way with the other two. At first she was very scared and barely came out of hiding places. Now yes, but when they get too close, she runs away to hide. Is there a way to teach the eldest not to be afraid? Excuse my English, it's not my native language. Thank you
Scared piggy
- Thread starter Enelia
- Start date
Welcome to the forum.
You can’t teach her to not be afraid of them.
Could you give us a bit more information please?
How old are the two new piggies?
How big is their cage?
Do you have enough resources in the cage ie three hides, three hay piles etc?
Do you weigh your piggies each week? This will tell you whether she is eating enough hay.
If she is refusing to interact with them at all then that might be a sign that their bond is not working properly.
A bonded pair (as the two new girls are) can refuse to allow a single piggy into their relationship and can leave her out.
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
You can’t teach her to not be afraid of them.
Could you give us a bit more information please?
How old are the two new piggies?
How big is their cage?
Do you have enough resources in the cage ie three hides, three hay piles etc?
Do you weigh your piggies each week? This will tell you whether she is eating enough hay.
If she is refusing to interact with them at all then that might be a sign that their bond is not working properly.
A bonded pair (as the two new girls are) can refuse to allow a single piggy into their relationship and can leave her out.
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Hello! Thanks for answer so soon. The other two guinea pigs are 1 and 2 years old. They live in a c&c 5x2 cage + 2x2 loft with access to the outside. They have 3 drinkers, 3 feeders, 3 haystacks, and 4 two-way shelters. I weigh them every week and all three are gaining weight. The two new ones do want to interact with her, but she runs away all the time.
Does she eat with them at all?
Or is she completely isolating herself away from them?
When you say they went to interact with her, what are they doing to try to interact?
Please do read the guides that I have linked in as they explain behaviours more than we can in each post. It enables you to gauge the level their relationship (or lack of relationship) is at given we cannot see what is actually occurring.
Or is she completely isolating herself away from them?
When you say they went to interact with her, what are they doing to try to interact?
Please do read the guides that I have linked in as they explain behaviours more than we can in each post. It enables you to gauge the level their relationship (or lack of relationship) is at given we cannot see what is actually occurring.
Sometimes she eats with the other two, but other times she takes food and runs away (when she was alone she did it too). The other two want to smell her, but she just runs away. One of the others is a hairdresser with her, she has cut a lot of her hair since they have been together. Normally, any approach from the other two causes her to flee in terror, preventing any further interaction. I have read all the guides but I don’t know exactly where they are, some days it seems that it can go better, but others not
Left one of the new girl. Right scared piggy
Left one of the new girl. Right scared piggy
I’m wondering if you may be putting human emotion in it/potentially misinterpreting?
You say flee in terror. Is she actually terrified because from what you’ve said it’s not quite so cut and dry. She is eating with them, she is allowing grooming from the others (albeit barbering). I’m wondering if she is just bottom of the hierarchy and not actually scared.
You say flee in terror. Is she actually terrified because from what you’ve said it’s not quite so cut and dry. She is eating with them, she is allowing grooming from the others (albeit barbering). I’m wondering if she is just bottom of the hierarchy and not actually scared.
Has she lived with another piggy before or was she alone at all?
I would try covering a large area of the cage with a sheet or fleece blanket. This may help her to feel more secure.
If they are not fighting and all piggies are not loosing weight then it is fine to leave them together - hopefully in time she will settle down.
If they are not fighting and all piggies are not loosing weight then it is fine to leave them together - hopefully in time she will settle down.
That is what i want to know. The scared piggy remains hidden for a long time, she doesn't run around the cage like the other two. She only comes out when she makes sure no one is around. I have also seen that he only goes to one hay point, so if he is busy, he will not eat hay. I upload several videos, thank you very much from my worried heart.
She's been alone till now
Videos need to be uploaded to YouTube first and then a link to it posted here.
Did she used to run around the cage?
Has she lived with other piggies before?
It very hard for us to be able to tell you exactly what is going on. We can only give you the information to determine for yourself. The written word will have your interpretation on it but it can be misinterpreted
Did she used to run around the cage?
Has she lived with other piggies before?
It very hard for us to be able to tell you exactly what is going on. We can only give you the information to determine for yourself. The written word will have your interpretation on it but it can be misinterpreted
I have a zone like that, but she doesn't use it because usually the new girls are there and they scare her away.
She's been alone till now
Right. That may be significant. Was she ever with other piggies, as a youngster?
If she had been alone for a long time, and has only had human interaction until now, she may not recognise herself as a guinea pig anymore and may not know how to behave or socialise with other piggies. The time they learn this is when they are babies and young teenagers.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
I appreciate any advice, I understand that it is very difficult to give an opinion from a distance. The videos I'm trying to upload to another site, youtube shorts and the url is not allowed here. When I have them I will post them. She has always lived alone and she used to run around the cage
I suspect it may be this. I adopted her one year old from an individual, I don't know who raised her or how, but she surely isn't well socialized and has forgotten how to be a pig. If it's in her best interest not to teach her, I won't hesitate to separate them, but if I can try to get her to be a healthy guinea pig, I'll try.
As swissgreys has said as long as she is maintaining her weight and they aren’t actually fighting or bullying her, then it may be best to leave them together and see if she settles.
If she is very uncomfortable and really isn’t happy to share a cage with them, then the best thing would be to separate them but so she can live next door to them. The pair would need a 2x4 cage and she would need a 2x3 cage.
Doing this would enable her to have her own territory but still have piggy interactions which she would hopefully appreciate.
Sometimes they chase her, but it doesn't last more than a few seconds. No teeth chattering or biting, just nipping. To make sure she continues to maintain an ideal weight can I give her a single vegetable feed? The process can take months, right? I had planned to wait until approximately July and if there is no improvement, separate permanently. Thanks a lot again for everything
No, veg won’t help.
Piggies maintain their weight through eating plenty of hay. Hand feeding her veg is fine but it is a way for you to bond with her. It won’t maintain her weight because veg is a mere snack and only makes a tiny proportion of the diet.
She needs to learn how to be a piggy and how to socialise. It may take months but it may also never happen. You’ll just have to keep an eye on her
Okay thank you very much. I'll be sure to put in a few more hay points, so she'll feel safe and come out of her hiding places. I'll keep an eye on her and I just hope that this process won't be too traumatic for her.