Conflicting guinea pig personalities!!!

[NarwhalsRock]

I recently (Saturday) got 2 guinea pigs off of Craigs List. In the beginning, they were scared witless, as I would be. One, Chloe, is now warming up to me, and will (grudgingly) get me pick her up and cuddle with her for a bit. But the other, Emma, is VERY timid! If my hand gets even anywhere NEAR her, she flees in utter terror. Even if I'm armed with every guinea pig safe treat in the house, she will only accept treats if I put them in front of her and leave for a minute. It's so much easier to pay more attention to Chloe since is friendlier, but I don't want to ignore Emma either... Any tips to get Emma's affection?

[bpatters]

Patience. Lots and lots of patience. And lots and lots of goodies fed to her by hand. Don't buy the junky treats from the pet store, though, just give her part of her supper veggies.

Shoo her into a box with holes cut in the end, put your hands over the holes, and lift her out to your lap. Feed her some more goodies.

She'll warm up eventually -- they're just very skittish animals.

[Zuidy]

Patience. Lots and lots of patience. And lots and lots of goodies fed to her by hand. Don't buy the junky treats from the pet store, though, just give her part of her supper veggies.

Shoo her into a box with holes cut in the end, put your hands over the holes, and lift her out to your lap. Feed her some more goodies.

She'll warm up eventually -- they're just very skittish animals.

Fed to her by hand, meaning:

While holding her?

Or while she is in the cage?

__

Haha. I am having some of the same problems. But my Pigs are coming around as well. Sorry to hijack the thread!

[NarwhalsRock]

Thanks!!! I know better than to give them store-bought treats, thank goodness for my piggies! I'll try that! But she runs over the far side of the cage, where I can't reach... I just don't want to scare her enough to have her bite me, which I consider a serious possibility with her. But the box idea sound like a GREAT idea, I just hope it won't hurt her if she struggles!!