Socialization

[Xavi]

I just started volunteering at my local animal shelter. We have 4 young guinea pigs (all 1 month old to be exact).

They're very scared. If someone walks by their cage, they bolt into their little house. When we hold them they shiver and squeak alot.

We try to take them out everyday. We put them on our lap, pet them, give them attention and let them roam around outside their cage.

I'm not very familiar with guinea pigs. Is it normal for them to be this afraid at this age? Can we do something to make them feel more comfortable (outside their cage)?

 

[Pearl and Zip]

Guinea pigs are normally afraid, as they are prey animals. Don’t try holding them yet. Just sit by the cage and talk to them so they get used to people. Do this until they stop running away.

Then move up to hand feeding them. This will get them to trust humans.

After they happily accept food from hands, then you can try handling them.

Those are my ideas. They work for my pigs. Just keep in mind they might stay scared when being handled, no matter how much you handle them. Some pigs are just like that.

 

[Gingerbread_Gem]

In my experience not many guinea pigs ever enjoy the act of being picked up - it instinctively feels like being caught by a preditor. They generally learn to settle down once on your lap or something though, especially if you have food for them at the same time. As they get older (usually years older, not weeks or months) they can learn to tolerate the picking up part more.

My current guinea pigs who I have had a few months now always bolt when i go into their enclosure, its just their instinct, but now they come straight out again because they know what I am and what sort of things I do. If I'm wearing my dressing gown and kneel down theyll all come and get inside it. If I move too quickly they bolt again.

Guinea pigs just have a strong flight reflex and it takes a lot of repetition before that reflex starts to dampen down around us much larger mammals, and they're generally always a bit skittish. The 1000th time you walk past the cage, they might not run away....at least not as quickly.