Settling in 3 piggies

[x3littlepiggies]

Hi everyone! New owner here :-)

Myself and my partner welcomed 3 beautiful 6 week old female guinea pigs into our lives last Thursday (Tofu, Peanut, and Noodle). They have a large 4x2 enclosure with lots of places to hide, things to explore, and interesting chew items. Since they've arrived I've just left them to their own devices to expire their new environment. I pop in with fresh food morning, lunch and evening, saying 'food time' as I put it down and chat quietly to them (they're always in hiding) then leave after a minute or two (they're in our spare room). I do a quick spot clean morning and evening. They obviously spend time exploring the enclosure as there are poops all over it morning and evening.

Ive been hiding treats to make exploring more fun and, hopefully, make them feel that their enclosure is a nice place to be. I've seen people stuff food and hay in a toilet roll as an enrichment activity, do you think it's too soon for that?

I want the piggies to feel really settled and happy before handling, but also aware that they need handling when young to get them used to it... Any advice for the next steps of settling them in and when I know it's time to take the next step?
For example, I know it's early days, but while one of the guinea pigs was under their bridge I held a piece of food at the entrance but she wouldn't take it. When would be the right time to start trying to hand feed? Or is it more about perseverance? They don't come out of hiding yet when I come in with food or put it down.

Any advice for settling in guinea pigs, bonding with them, or anything else useful would be really appreciated! I just want the girls to grow into happy confident piggies :-)

 

[x3littlepiggies]

Sorry I dont know why there's a picture of my dog running attached!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone! New owner here :-)

Myself and my partner welcomed 3 beautiful 6 week old female guinea pigs into our lives last Thursday (Tofu, Peanut, and Noodle). They have a large 4x2 enclosure with lots of places to hide, things to explore, and interesting chew items. Since they've arrived I've just left them to their own devices to expire their new environment. I pop in with fresh food morning, lunch and evening, saying 'food time' as I put it down and chat quietly to them (they're always in hiding) then leave after a minute or two (they're in our spare room). I do a quick spot clean morning and evening. They obviously spend time exploring the enclosure as there are poops all over it morning and evening.

Ive been hiding treats to make exploring more fun and, hopefully, make them feel that their enclosure is a nice place to be. I've seen people stuff food and hay in a toilet roll as an enrichment activity, do you think it's too soon for that?

I want the piggies to feel really settled and happy before handling, but also aware that they need handling when young to get them used to it... Any advice for the next steps of settling them in and when I know it's time to take the next step?
For example, I know it's early days, but while one of the guinea pigs was under their bridge I held a piece of food at the entrance but she wouldn't take it. When would be the right time to start trying to hand feed? Or is it more about perseverance? They don't come out of hiding yet when I come in with food or put it down.

Any advice for settling in guinea pigs, bonding with them, or anything else useful would be really appreciated! I just want the girls to grow into happy confident piggies :-)

Hi and welcome!

You may find our new owners guide collection most helpful and interesting, as it addresses specifically all the areas newowners have the most questions and worries about - from settling in, handling and making friends; understanding behaviours and what makes them tick; caring for them; diet and housing; to learning what is normal and what not, spotting illness early etc.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Please make sure that you double check the gender upon arrival; we are seeing a lot of mis-sexing lately.
What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)

Respect your guinea pigs as a species with their own needs and as their own personalities. We have included guinea pig whispering tips that copy their own social behaviours so you can make friends with them in their own body language rather than expecting them to learn human behaviour first. Guinea pigs are prey animals, so you want to work around their instincts. Winning trust is a gradual process that takes time; but it is worth giving it that extra time at first as you'll gain ground much faster once trust has taken deep root.
Interact with them, but respect their limits, take their 'no'/'I have had enough' seriously and they will trust you sooner when you invite them into the group you are leading and assure and praise them plenty. Food is always a good start.

Since we have members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and then down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make and saves everybody time. Thank you!

 

[Betsy]

Keep going as you are. It took a long time but now mine trust me implicitly. They know I will never hurt them. I can even put eye drops in without them flinching which a lot of piggy slaves find hard to do. The piggy whispering advice is very good. I followed the advice on there. The bit I found most useful was to talk to them as I approached them so they knew that I was coming. I have different voices for things that I am going to do. "Breakfast time" means pellets, "getting out time" means run time, "cuddle time" means coming in the house for a cuddle and a run around in the inside run, "dindins" means veg time etc.