Behavior: Running for their life when we walk by!

[AmandaErlandson]

Well it has been almost 1 week since I became a cavy mom. I wish I could say I have really enjoyed all of it. They worry me... They run & hide like crazy whenever anyone walks by there cage. You would think we had beat them or somthing. I put their cage in our living room beside the door to the kids toy room (the rooms are only separated by french doors). It is probably the most walked by spot in our whole house. (I read on here that I should put their cage in a high traffic area) I have tried to make cleaning/working in their cage a common occurance. (read that on here too) I have tried the elevator method when I pick them up. They just whine the whole time I hold them then "wheep" when I put them back. There first few days they seemed so happy and even popcorned around on day 2, but now they seem very sad & scared. I really don't know what changed. I feed them fresh veggies but they don't seem to want to eat them at all. I worry they might not be getting enough calcium (I've seen on here how important that is) Can they get enough just from their food & hay? I have offered them a bunch of different food, thinking maybe they just didn't like what I was feeding them. My produce total for last week was $22! I'm so worried that I'm missing somthing. We try floor time & the just huddle together. What am I doing wrong???? I would love all the kind advice you will give me. Please help! Thanks.

[AmandaErlandson]

Didn't think of this until just now but is it possible they are acting funny because they might be in heat? Both are females.

[Tessa Bea]

How big of a cage do they have for the two of them?

[AmandaErlandson]

2x3 they are about a month or month & half old and are still very small. They don't hardly use but one little corner of their cage though. I tried moving their food to other end so they would have to walk to go get it but I don't think they ate that whole day. So I moved it back to their perferred little corner. Could they just be depressed? Since they left they're mom & siblings?

[Cogni]

Maybe they are in TOO high traffic an area--could they be getting stressed out from all the sudden unaccustomed contact?

[AmandaErlandson]

IDK... Maybe, in that case should I leave them so they will just get used to it or move them? If I move them they will probably have to go to my bedroom where where they will have little to no contact. I swear being a cavy mama is about as hard as being a kiddo mama! LOL!!!

[Tessa Bea]

It can be pretty tough. I just got my pigs a couple weeks ago from a rescue, they lived in a 'cavies only' type area of the rescue while they were there. It took them a few days to get used to normal household noises, and a little more than a week for their personalities to really shine.

Where did your pigs come from? Depending on their history they may be more nervous or skittish than the average pig.

[Ly&Pigs]

Most pigs will run away when you go to pick them up. They are prey animals. You've had them for one week and expect them to run to you? I've had my girls for almost 5 years and they still run when I go to pet them or pick them up. It's just in their nature.

You aren't doing anything wrong, that's just the nature of pigs. Your best bet would be to get used to it and not expect too much. They aren't the lovey dovey kind of creatures that dogs and cats are.

[AmandaErlandson]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

You've had them for one week and expect them to run to you?

I didn't say one thing about expecting them to run to me. I am concerned because they hardly eat, cry the whole time they are being held, run like crazy everytime their cage is passed, rarely move from the same spot, might not be getting enough calcium & in general seem quite stressed and depressed. I re-read my post and could not find the sentance that said "I need them to run at me with open arms everytime I walk by, but they won't!"

Please fix the tone you use in your postings it is harsh & rude & quite uncalled for. I was simply asking for "kind" advice (I can find that in my listing) I have read MANY messages on this forum where your tone is completely rude & unessary. Not all of us ignorant newbie pig owners are the expert that you are.

[AmandaErlandson]

Originally Posted by Tessa Bea

Where did your pigs come from? Depending on their history they may be more nervous or skittish than the average pig.

I got them out of our local classified ads. She had a litter of 5 + mom & dad (I know ) in the cage. These were the only two girls.

[GizzyandMe]

I would say just give it some time, personally I would not move them but keep them where you ultimately would want them to be and they will get used to it.

"Scared - Running": What I found worked really great was that I constantly spoke to Gizzy, every time I was nearing her cage I would inform her of this. She seemed a lot more calm when I was informing her that I was coming close. I gave everyone the evil eye who dared touch her or her cage without letting her know first.

Gizzy is on free range now and will still go running like crazy when I move to quick from one spot to the next but she is lot calmer than she was at first. Try it, it might just work.

"As for the food".....I do not think it is possible for a piggy to be more full of nonsense about eating than Gizzy. I ended up getting rid of all veggies and starting only with red frilly lettuce till she started eating it. When she started wheeking and popcorning like crazy when she sees red frilly lettuce I tried peppers, there I failed! She still does not eat peppers but I tried for 2 weeks then gave up and started on other veggies, it took her about a week with each veggie that she liked and after 2 weeks of not touching (or in her case peeing on the food) I would stop with that veggie and move onto the next.

"Depressed" I am sure having their sister with them is helping them deal with losing the rest of the family and I would just keep telling them that they are loved and maybe play them some soothing music during the day.

"Moaning when held" It took me some time to realize the sound I thought was moaning/unhappiness was actually just Gizzy "talking" Go and take a look at this website and listen closely to the sounds (It helped me quite a bit) Guinea Pig Sounds

Good luck with your piggies and I am sure they will calm down soon.

[koco46]

Amanda,we also got Duckie when she was 3-4 weeks old and we have had her about 1 month now.She also has a 2x3 cage and is in the living room.She has no "enclosed hideys" in her cage,but a low hammock to hide under and a cozy cup under her "bunkbed". There are picture in my profile if you would like to see.I think babies get used to things faster if they can't totally get away from things all the time.If they can hide in a wooden house for example,they can get away from the "scary thing out there" and don't learn it won't eat them.Also,I spend lots of time just sitting by the cage talking to her,sometimes I move my hands around her cage,and I can now slowly stick a couple of fingers in there and pet her without her running away.I also try to feed her goodies by hand,at first I had to sit there for about 5 minutes and not move a muscle,but slowly she would get braver and braver and now I get say "Duckie,yum yums" and she'll slowly come closer sniffing for a goodie.Have you tried wheatgrass?It's Duckie's favorite and it is nice and long so they wouldn't have to come too close.Also,is it the Vitamin C you're worried about?I honestly think they won't develop any deficiency that quickly.I don't think you're doing anything wrong at all,young babies are especially skittish and I think the fact that you have two makes it harder yet ,because they have each other.Duckie will come greet our Labrador Retriever ,who can stick his head in her cage without being afraid,where she is still very shy around people.I think you should wait with floor time until they have become more confident in thir own cage.Duckie doesn't really enjoy being held yet,but we still take her out and hold her 2-3 times a day for maybe 5-10 minutes,we hold her in her pouch though or a cozy cup with a blankie over her so she doesn't feel totally exposed.I hope eventually she'll like it.She will now sit on a blanket on our low coffee table while my son does homework or something quiet without getting too nervous.Hang in there,don't get discouraged,you really have only had them for a very short time. Do you take them out together?I think if you try to seperate them they scream bloody murder?Good luck, sorry for the enormous post,keep us posted!

[lissie]

Originally Posted by AmandaErlandson

2x3 they are about a month or month & half old and are still very small. They don't hardly use but one little corner of their cage though. I tried moving their food to other end so they would have to walk to go get it but I don't think they ate that whole day. So I moved it back to their perferred little corner. Could they just be depressed? Since they left they're mom & siblings?

Do they have any hideys or just huddle in the corner? Try to put multiple tunnel type hideys in the cage where they can run through. They will feel safer when they have places to hide. Cardboard boxes with multiple exits works well too. And my pigs' most favorite is towel/fleece tent.

[luvmycavies]

I had adopted my first 2 girls from a rescue in April, they are about 3 years old and for the first few weeks they just hid in thier house together and ate when no one was around. It took them time to adjust to all the household noise and my boys. In July I rescued a 4 month old baby from a lady that had her in with a rabbit and her son kept "losing" them. She was in my bedroom in quarantine for 3 weeks and hid whenever she heard voices, didn't drink or eat much for a week and "talked" alot when held. We continued to hold her and talk whenever we were in the room and left open the door so she would get used to the household noises. I recently adopted (3 weeks ago) a 5 week old baby girl from a pre-school accidental litter. She is by far my most vocal pig...she wheeks when she is frightened or another pig comes near here, she talks when we hold her and she talks when she is running around. It took her awhile to not run when we entered the quaratine room and now that she has joined the rest in our living room, she is still running for cover when we come too near the cage.
So, I told you all this to say: keep giving mixed greens and cilantro and parsley and some pepper. Leave them where they are and just talk to them when you are near. Try holding them when it is calmer at night in a snuggy sack or towel so they feel secure. They will come around, they need time to adjust and 1 week isn't enough time yet for them, at least, in my experience.
As to cuddly and responsive like other pets: my older 2 girls come running and stand on thier back legs to give kisses when I come near the cage and ask for "kissies" and it is adorable. Something I never would have expected when we first got them! All of my girls also love to snuggle on the couch and watch t.v. when the house is quiet at night.
Have aptience and they will adapt!

[Peggysu]

They are prey animals. It can a lot of time for them to become comfortable. One of my females runs like heck if I look at her the wrong way. She never takes veggies from me as well. The other female comes up to me but runs away pretty fast once he realizes there isn't anything in it for her other to be pet by "the hands."

Sebastian runs right up to me and he's a rare form. I swear he thinks that he's a dog.

My newest addition thats almost a year old is very skittish.

Ultimately its how these poor creatures are programed. I always find it sad that baby guinea pigs are born eyes open and ready to run inorder to protect themelves.

[Cogni]

"once he realizes there isn't anything in it for her other to be pet by "the hands."

Haha I love it! Until they know us, we are "the hands".

I've had mine 3 days and after a lot of gentle melodic talking, or rather cooing, quieter than I would do even for a human baby, first one, then the other let me pet them and skitch their little heads. But I can't pick them up yet--I tried with one and he was in an agony, you would have thought I was going to throw him in a stewpot. He quieted when I got him to my chest, but
putting him down was equally traumatic for him.

I'll try again after a while. I'm trying to let them expect what is going to happen by softly repeating a word when I am about to do a specific action, and then continuing to repeat it while doing it.
So, "skitch skitch skitch..." etc. means I am going to skitch them (which means, kind of softly rubbing them with fingertips, like scratching a kitty's head. Scratching sounds too rough so I call it skitching. They seem to recognize the word now and stay still to be skitched.

You have to slow down, and see what works. It involves a lot of observation, and trying things out.
I wish you lots of patience. I think it will pay off eventually.

[TallulahBear]

I agree that it in time you're piggies will settle down. Having them in the high traffic area should be good for them...it just might take a bit. You could try taking a big blanket and covering up just part of their cage...the part that they cling to and perhaps the next half. That may get them coming out into the cage more and you can ease back slowing how much of the cage is exposed.

[blackarrow]

You're not doing things wrong, they just don't know you yet, and you're about a hundred times their size, it's normal for them to worry until they've come to associate good things with you. Heck, they're new to LIVING still. My boars were nearly a year old and pretty darn well socialized when I got them and I still saw very little but their behinds in their hideys for the first two weeks.

One thing I can't tell - is your cage on the floor? If so it may help them to put it on a table - you won't loom over them as much that way.

I found my guys got a lot happier with lap time once they knew it meant Really Good Snacks. They only get to eat their cilantro or carrots (their favorites) when they're on our laps. They still don't "like" getting picked up but they're much more tolerant of the handling now that they know goodies come with it.

Another tip - instead of reaching for them whenever your hands are in the cage, add a little extra hay, or even just rustle their hay. One of my boars has frequent popcorn fits just at the thought of his hay being refreshed, LOL, and of course he associates that with me coming over to his cage now.

[Duffinvt]

I'm glad you've received good advice. I am a newbie here, too, and know the feeling of wondering if you are doing the right thing by your new pets. Especially when they seem so skiddish and afraid. Hang in there and follow all the good tips offered.

As a newbie, I can only offer this advice. This site has loads of wonderful information. Keep coming back here and ask your questions. For the most part the members here are kind and helpful. There are some who have a huge amount of knowledge, but do tend to be gruff. That is really too bad as I know some people leave this forum because of it and their pets are the ones to suffer. The pet owner will be going it alone or using pet store advice. It is a shame to see a wealth of information on guinea pigs left unread because the poster was immediately made to feel unwelcome.

The world in general needs more tolerance. Perhaps this forum dedicated to our wonderful little pets can be just a bit more tolerant, for the sake of these gentle creatures?

[JD In Van]

Origional Poster> Is it very brightly lit where they are?

I put my boys in a cage beside the couch where there's lots of people sounds and human business around them but it's not overly loud (cause we're watching TV there and such). That way they're around us a lot with out being pestered by us constantly.

I also noticed my boys are MUCH more willing to be approached when it's dimly lit. I think partially cause cavies naturally are dawn/dusk animals.

As for being paralized by fear at floor time. My best successes have been when I"ve put them some where (my kitchen is easily blocked off by a baby gate for example, make sure you also block off any spaces between the fridge/stove and counter) with lots of hides and left them alone. Like completely and out of the room alone. Then they learn they can explore a space with out being pestered. My boys still aren't getting as much excersise as I would like at floor time but in doing this they've definitely gotte bolder.