Getting used to me

[Lpigger]

Hi everyone. I've had my guinea pigs for about 3 weeks now but they refuse to allow me to make contact with them. I have been good about letting them smell my hand often and hand-feeding them. During floor time, I will often just lay there and they will climb all over me. They aren't scared of me putting my hands into the cage to give them food or to clean up a little. Recently, I have been trying to take them out and just pet them while they sit on my lap. They let me pet them when I do this but during floor time and when they are just in their cage, they just jump away! I was just wondering if taking them out daily and just petting them will make them more scared of me and more uncomfortable or if it will help them become accustomed to it. I also wanted to know how long it has taken everyone's pigs to grow fully accustomed to the owner. Thanks in advance!

[Duffinvt]

By all means do take them out and hold them and pet them. It sounds like they are normal guinea pigs, skittish to be caught, but then fine to be held. Mine four are like this and they are two that are three years old and two that are a year and a half ! Don't forget they are prey animals and it is just their nature to run when the "big hands" are coming after them. Some pigs eventually allow themselves to be picked up, but some never do. It is just the nature of the (little) beast !

[Lpigger]

Do yours allow you to pet them inside the cage or during floor time?

[foggycreekcavy]

I tend to leave pigs alone when in their cages. It's nice to reach in and pet them, but I like to think of it as "their" space so try not to bother them! But each person has different expectations of their pets--if you want yours to be more accustomed to you, then by all means keep it up.

Just remember that it's in their nature to be wary. It can be hard to get by all those instincts!

[Duffinvt]

Do yours allow you to pet them inside the cage or during floor time?

Nope. They do come up to me as yours do and smell me or nibble my toes, or stand up on me. I have one who will allow me to pick her up during floortime (this is recent) and I think there might be hope for her being less skittish than the rest. She is the most cuddly of them all.

[pinky]

Feed them veggies while you have them in your lap. When they're in their cage, hold small pieces of veggies in your hand to entice them to come by you. Hold the treats tightly but allow them to take bites off it while you hold it. They'll start associating your hand with treats and come right up to you.

[Xinaa]

By all means do take them out and hold them and pet them.

Not sure if I understand this.
SO you should not take them out and have lap time and pet them AT ALL?

[Duffinvt]

Not sure if I understand this.
SO you should not take them out and have lap time and pet them AT ALL?

Yes, DO take them out, hold them, pet them. Every day if you can ! And feed them by hand as Pinky says. You just might not ever have them willingly let you pick them up. But, once you do catch them and hold them, they'll settle down and yes, go ahead and pet them !

[Xinaa]

Oh. I totally kept reading it as "DO NOT". Derp.
I just read it right this time.

[Duffinvt]

Oh. I totally kept reading it as "DO NOT". Derp.
I just read it right this time.

No problem! I do that often myself !