Taming and Bonding with Babies

[KawaiiBunny]

About a month ago, my husband and I welcomed two female guinea pigs into our home. Since then, we’ve tried taming them. Our fluffy Abyssinian Maple is fairly bold. She will eat from our hands (after a brief tug-of-war), and she loves when we pet under her chin. She’s even climbed over our laps when we joined them for floortime.

Now, our other guinea pig is a darling dark brown with the softest fur. We want so badly for her to feel comfortable, but she’s just not at the place that Maple is. That’s normal, since guinea pigs are all different, but since they’re still small we want to get them used to handling. I believe that Pecan has rubbed off on Maple a bit, since she now squeals in panic when we pick her up. Maple would run from us, but she wouldn’t panic vocally like Pecan sometimes does. I feel guilty about it, but she’ll lay down and enjoy being stroked.

Are we going about this the right way? I have seen posts where owners of new pigs very slowly let them become comfortable with them before attempting laptimd. I’m trying to do that with both, since I believe it will further solidify Maple’s confidence. However, I worry about not handling them enough at this young age, and the other posts I had aforementioned had adult guinea pigs. Mine are at the most eight to nine weeks old.

Pecan belongs to my husband, and he can’t resist holding her when he comes home from work. She’s doing a bit better about not making a fuss when he picks her up (though she still tried to make a run for it). She would even eat veggies while he held her, but not from our hands when she’s in the cage. I can’t help her relax for cuddle time the way I can with Maple, no matter how long I try.

Should we stop handling them and get them used to hand feeding first? Or do we keep handling them with regular lap time and let Pecan slowly get used to it?

 

[Wiebke]

About a month ago, my husband and I welcomed two female guinea pigs into our home. Since then, we’ve tried taming them. Our fluffy Abyssinian Maple is fairly bold. She will eat from our hands (after a brief tug-of-war), and she loves when we pet under her chin. She’s even climbed over our laps when we joined them for floortime.

Now, our other guinea pig is a darling dark brown with the softest fur. We want so badly for her to feel comfortable, but she’s just not at the place that Maple is. That’s normal, since guinea pigs are all different, but since they’re still small we want to get them used to handling. I believe that Pecan has rubbed off on Maple a bit, since she now squeals in panic when we pick her up. Maple would run from us, but she wouldn’t panic vocally like Pecan sometimes does. I feel guilty about it, but she’ll lay down and enjoy being stroked.

Are we going about this the right way? I have seen posts where owners of new pigs very slowly let them become comfortable with them before attempting laptimd. I’m trying to do that with both, since I believe it will further solidify Maple’s confidence. However, I worry about not handling them enough at this young age, and the other posts I had aforementioned had adult guinea pigs. Mine are at the most eight to nine weeks old.

Pecan belongs to my husband, and he can’t resist holding her when he comes home from work. She’s doing a bit better about not making a fuss when he picks her up (though she still tried to make a run for it). She would even eat veggies while he held her, but not from our hands when she’s in the cage. I can’t help her relax for cuddle time the way I can with Maple, no matter how long I try.

Should we stop handling them and get them used to hand feeding first? Or do we keep handling them with regular lap time and let Pecan slowly get used to it?

Hi and welcome!

Please take the time to read these guides here to understand where prey animals like guinea pigs are coming from and how you can make friends with them in their language and not expecting them to learn ours first. Be aware that pet shop piggies come from a supply mass breeder and that they haven't had anything in the way of friendly human interaction, but been ripped away from their families and friends before they are thrust into a totally alien environment in which they are expected to function as instant cuddly pets.

Some guinea pigs are more extrovert and other are more timid. Please take them at their own speed and on their own terms. By far not all piggies are actually happy cuddlers if they are given the choice, but they are great interactive personalities when you give them their own space and respect them as a species with their own needs and quirks.

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

These guides are part of our New Owners' guide collection that addresses all the areas which piggy newbies have the most questions and worries about. You may also find them both helpful and interesting. You can access the collection via this link here: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides