What can I do to help a very shy piggie?

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Briony_S

Briony_S

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Tia seems a bit unsure of her surroundings and barely ventures out of her sleeping bag when I'm around. I'm not sure she is used to the constant TV noise etc.. which is basically on all evening as she is in my living room.

Just wanted some tips to hopefully help her get settled more quickly. George and Tia are currently in a nero 4. Intially I left the nero house in but when she didn't come out for hours and george was sat near the doorway I was worried he was in her way. Anyway now there are two tubes and a single sleeping bag and a double sleeping bag in there. She sits in the single sleeping bag constantly which I have already changed three times since saturday as she wees and poos in it as doesn't want to come out (She also feels a bit damp when I get her out as a result!)

I don't think george is the problem as he is being really sweet with her and laying down out next to the bag she is in. He does a bit of rumbling but it is very short lived and she shouts a bit (not sounding distressed or anything) and he stops and lays down next to her bag.

Do I remove the bag to force her to venture out more and replace it with something else like a large box which will fit them both in? Or do I leave her with it so she feels more secure for the first few weeks?

She is also not impressed with cuddles from me and won't take food that I give her. I keep leaving veggies just inside the sleeping bag and she waits at least 5 mins to make sure I've gone before eating them (like it's a trap or something). I have not seen her eat the dried food or drink any water but she could be waiting until i've gone!

Any ideas would be great!
 
How long have you had her? My new girls are still settling in and they are still a bit nervous. I have left them alone to settle in but they are starting to get used to everything now. Maybe you should take out the smaller sleeping bag and replace it with a box if she has been in it for quite a while to encourage her to be a bit more social. Is she bonded ok with her friend, maybe it's all just a bit much for her. Just be patient she will come around when she is settled.
 
Glad your boys recovered from their op and they have their new friends who sound delightful.

In my experience it can take a few weeks for them to get use to the new sounds and smells. All of my new ones have had a few weeks in quarentine before coming into the living room. When the boys moved in they spent a few weeks not coming out and not wheeking for food etc. Now they are use to the telly and the different noises they are never in their houses just sit outside

I think they are all different you sound like your doing brillantly, i'd give her a couple of weeks before forcing the issue - I'm sure before you know it she'll be out and about and wheeking for her dinner like the rest
 
Only had her since saturday and she is the oldest piggie think just over 1 year old. Not sure of her story but think maybe she's just not used to being around people all that much prior to being rescued.

I just worry that she won't eat / drink enough as she is hiding away. I keep popping a few nuggets and veg into her sleeping bag so maybe i'm not helping her come out by providing "room service". The only thing is I worry if I don't give her veg directly then george will eat it all (he is a greedy monkey :)) )

I think maybe I am worrying without reason as Tiger and Amy have hit it off so well and Amy has warmed to both me and Tiger right way. Amy has already started snatching food from my hands and letting me stroke her in the cage!

I'll give it another few days then maybe swap the single bag for a large box and see what happens (i can always swap it back)
 
Maybe if you are worried you could put some food in and take George out for a cuddle and give her some time to come out and munch and get used to her new house.
 
It's my personal opinion that it's cruel to remove all hiding places from an unsure or skittish guinea pigs cages.

I have a 3 year old pig who is skittish by nature; no one has harmed him, overclipped his nails or otherwise tormented him in a cage, he's just skittish and smart to boot. While I've never tried to "tame" him, I have used some methods that have made him panic much less when he returns to his "wild" state, which seems to happen after we've moved house/flat.

The first thing I tried was removing all houses, but he got himself into such a panic I realised that for him - and subsequently all of my pigs (who live with him) this isn't a method I will ever use again. Pigs use their hiding holes to feel safe, I want the cage to be a safe place for my pigs where they can go and return to to relax, I don't want it to be somewhere where they learn lessons - that's the floor during floortime (this doesn't mean the cage isn't stimulating mentally).

So, I had plan B which I basically made up as I went along. It took months, but I'm really happy with the results as Cashew no longer freaks out whenever a human enters the room and my other two boys have responded very well to it.

  • At veggie time everyone must take their first (or all) of their portion of veggies from my hand. They must trust (and learn) to trust me enough to walk toward me/my voice and my hand and to trust that I will let them have the food and not harm them while they are by me.
  • If I'm going to go near the cage or by it I will talk to them constantly and let them know I'm coming. If I'm just passing by, I don't.
  • If I'm going to pick a pig up I talk to them while slowly reaching for the pig. If the pig runs from me I will wait and catch them when they are still or when they are hiding by gently lifting them out from inside the hidey hole.
  • If the pig is IN a hidey hole I'll take them from it while talking to them to minimise the stress of running around.
  • I handle them an insane amount and my wash load proves it.
  • I handle them in groups and also individually so they are encouraged to be bold and cope with the fear of being lifted and handled on their own and with each others support.
  • I handle them all properly, offering proper support. I'm also quiet and gentle when handling them - I don't always feed them veggies when handling - they need to come to ME to get veggies, but I will offer hay.

Also: when I did remove enclosed-space hidey holes, I draped a towel over one end of the cage so I could still peer at my pigs :) Because I'm sneaky.
 
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I don't think Briony said she was going to remove all hidey holes, just some sleeping bags, and replace them with boxes. Briony I would remove the fabric things anyway if she is weeing in them, as she will be lying in dampness. Don't worry about her not eating when you watch her, she will just be taking her own time getting to know her own environment, learning new noises, what to be worried about and what not to be. She will be eating when you are not around and some of mine still don't eat from my hand when on my knee. Just give her time, I am sure she will come round. Her experience of humans until recently has not been a good one. xxxxx
 
I typed loads here and then pressed back by mistake and it's all gone!

Anyway I just wanted to say I had one like that and it took about 3 weeks for her to sort it out. She was sitting so still inside her hidey her tummy was wet from wee - not nice for her. But she came from a house where she was an ouside baby in a hutch. Her owner was an older lady and there was no TV kids or pets. VERY different to here. I'm looking at her now actually going about her business in the house. It's a nice feeling and I am guessing your girl will take a few weeks.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for all your help will remove the sleeping bags as don't want her to get ill from lying in her own wee. I have some large boxes etc.. so will give them a try. I just didn't want to upset her by taking the sleeping bag away as she seems to really like it.
 
teadragon said:
It's my personal opinion that it's cruel to remove all hiding places from an unsure or skittish guinea pigs cages.

I have a 3 year old pig who is skittish by nature; no one has harmed him, overclipped his nails or otherwise tormented him in a cage, he's just skittish and smart to boot. While I've never tried to "tame" him, I have used some methods that have made him panic much less when he returns to his "wild" state, which seems to happen after we've moved house/flat.

The first thing I tried was removing all houses, but he got himself into such a panic I realised that for him - and subsequently all of my pigs (who live with him) this isn't a method I will ever use again. Pigs use their hiding holes to feel safe, I want the cage to be a safe place for my pigs where they can go and return to to relax, I don't want it to be somewhere where they learn lessons - that's the floor during floortime (this doesn't mean the cage isn't stimulating mentally).

So, I had plan B which I basically made up as I went along. It took months, but I'm really happy with the results as Cashew no longer freaks out whenever a human enters the room and my other two boys have responded very well to it.

  • At veggie time everyone must take their first (or all) of their portion of veggies from my hand. They must trust (and learn) to trust me enough to walk toward me/my voice and my hand and to trust that I will let them have the food and not harm them while they are by me.
  • If I'm going to go near the cage or by it I will talk to them constantly and let them know I'm coming. If I'm just passing by, I don't.
  • If I'm going to pick a pig up I talk to them while slowly reaching for the pig. If the pig runs from me I will wait and catch them when they are still or when they are hiding by gently lifting them out from inside the hidey hole.
  • If the pig is IN a hidey hole I'll take them from it while talking to them to minimise the stress of running around.
  • I handle them an insane amount and my wash load proves it.
  • I handle them in groups and also individually so they are encouraged to be bold and cope with the fear of being lifted and handled on their own and with each others support.
  • I handle them all properly, offering proper support. I'm also quiet and gentle when handling them - I don't always feed them veggies when handling - they need to come to ME to get veggies, but I will offer hay.

Also: when I did remove enclosed-space hidey holes, I draped a towel over one end of the cage so I could still peer at my pigs :) Because I'm sneaky.
Click to expand...


You have said it all so beautifully!
 
Thanks again everyone I took out the sleeping bags and left them with a couple of grass tubes and a large box which I cut doors at both ends for an easy escape route for Tia should she feel the need to run away from george. It has been going well I have been sitting on the couch try to be still so I can see what she is up to and she has been out a few times.

I got george out for about 20 mins and she wandered about a bit looking for him i think. Then I gave george some hay & whilst he was munching I put a pile by the box enterance which meant she had to come half-way out to eat it (which she did without problem).

I'll keep working on it I think, gonna try putting a food bowl near the entrance next and then gradually over next few weeks move it further away and hopefully as she gets braver she'll come out more.

Thanks again
 
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nutmeg said:
I don't think Briony said she was going to remove all hidey holes, just some sleeping bags, and replace them with boxes. Briony I would remove the fabric things anyway if she is weeing in them, as she will be lying in dampness. Don't worry about her not eating when you watch her, she will just be taking her own time getting to know her own environment, learning new noises, what to be worried about and what not to be. She will be eating when you are not around and some of mine still don't eat from my hand when on my knee. Just give her time, I am sure she will come round. Her experience of humans until recently has not been a good one. xxxxx
Click to expand...

I didn't say Birony was going to remove all the hidey holes. But to be safe I addressed that method of "taming" a guinea pig anyway.
 
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