Unhappy

[sarah20]

Does anyone else get dishearted sometimes my guinea pigs don't like me atall I spend lots to give them a happy comfortable life and they arer terrified of me the youngest one was fine with me but she went the vets Afew weeks ago and now she screams when I pick her up

 

[Toffeewoffee]

It takes a long time, sometimes months, even years for piggies to fully trust you, you need to take it at their pace, sit and talk to them, offer them treats through the bars, and when cuddling, cuddle them together so they have each other, and of course lots of trests during cuddle time, they will then associate being picked up with cuddles and treats.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Don't give up - trust is a slow gropwing plant. Your piggies will come round, but much more slowly than you't expect.

Try to gain their trust by hand feeding them in the cage or run; talk to them as much as you can and train them to come into some kind of pickup conveyance - a tunnel, cosy, upturned house or padded cardboard box with one end cut off. That will take some time, but will take care of your problem. Some piggies are real drama queens. Praise them lavishly and fuss over them like you would with a little dog.

 

[Amysmom]

Treats are definately the way to go.
Mine come to the bars whenever I pass their cage because they expect a treat.
I rub them under their chins before the treat-they really like that

As they get older they get more trusting of you. Our two sisters Lottie and Bonnie are incredibly friendly now, although Bonnie doesn't really enjoy being picked up still. Our youngest Millie is just over 4mths so still shy and wary as you would expect at that age.

 

[sarah20]

I give them lots of treats and when am in my room of a night I sit and chat with them while there playing I won't give up on them because I know am a big scary giant to them just want them to like me

 

[PAMELAKT]

It is a shame they are such nervous animals. My new boy Billy will happily take food from my hand but if I try to stroke him he runs off like I'm
Evil.

It is disheartening..

On the other hand my big boy Rodney is the cuddliest most affectionate little guy I've ever seen, and he got that way from lots of handling.

Just have to take it on the chin & keep trying! Xx

 

[SophRuss5]

I'm glad it's not me! However keep at it, today I saw a great improvement with my two, I had them wrapped in a towel and they were happy to sit on my lap! I feel so bad when trying to catch them though

 

[AudioHeart]

It does take time and patience but dont give up, Artie who is now 2 1/2 had a lot of vetinary treatment and round the clock meds for the first month and a bit of his life so it took us a year and a half for him to come to us and trust us. Now he doesn't mind sitting with me, coming up to say hello and we've devloped a system that works for both him and me (he runs into his soft cosy strawberry bed or a tube whenever its pickup time).

You'll get there

 

[primrose]

Yes, it can be disheartening... Of my 4, Primrose is incredibly friendly, brave and cheeky (she's always in the way trying to see what I'm doing when I'm cleaning them out and steals veg the second I've got the door open), but hates being picked up and isn't really fussed about being cuddled. Then, at the opposite end of the spectrum, Roxy is incredibly shy, but, once out, really loves a cuddle and groom. There's absolutely no rhyme or reason to it! I think the key is probably just to let them be themselves - the best thing about them being such naturally timid creatures is that when they do finally trust you, it's because you've really earnt it from them!