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New GP owner. Scared piggy

HazyJill

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Hello!
my family just adopted a guinea pig and he is our first ever cavy! I adopted him from a single mom who couldn?t take care of him and give him the proper amount of time that he needed. I could tell she really loves him. She gave me two large cages (one C&C) a little gate for floor time, two beds, fleece, tunnels and about 10 toys. She said he was 2years old and doesn?t like to be held. My 4year old daughter named him Maui. She said his cage mate died of some teeth issues. 😥 he seems a bit scared but takes food from my hand, comes up to me during floor time. As a new piggy owner I?m still learning about their behavior. I read to let them smell your hand and I do but 90% of the time he will smell my hand and give it a little nip. It?s never hurt but does scare me a bit. Is that normal for them to do that? I make sure my hands are washed and don?t smell like food. Yesterday during floor time he was running around making a little ?week, week? noise. Not sure what that means. When I had to pick him up to take him back to his cage he started ?growling?. I watched some YouTube videos and it was for sure a not happy, ?purring? noise. I happily made it back to the cage un bitten but it made me nervous. He hides when I come into his room, but comes out once I sit down. He lets me pet him too. He won?t eat green or red bell pepper and I will try the other colors soon. Any other high Vitamin C foods I can give? (He also gets green leaf lettuce, one small baby carrot, two small slices of cucumber, half a cherry tomato (not everyday), 1/8cup pellets, and unlimited Timothy hay). When he pees there is white residues. I know that means he has too much calcium. How long will it take on a new diet for this to go away? His old owner just gave him hay, pellets and baby carrots. Thanks for reading my 100 questions!!! I?ve had him for 5 days now and really do see myself being a guinea pig owner forever
 

bpatters

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Janani.R.S

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Don't be scared if he gives you a little nip, he probably misses his old owner and is sad and angry at the sad time. He could be thinking you did something, but DON"T WORRY. Everyday, put your hand in the cage, if he comes closer try to give him a pet, you can also put veggies in your hand so he will begin to like you better. Try to hold him, he will OF COURSE get used to it and soon will love all the attention. But, when I mean soon, I don't mean in 1 or 2 days, it could months depending on his attitude. I know he will soon love, all guinea pigs do when they get used to you, even if they lived with someone else before. I believe in you and I believe in him. Good luck!!!!!
 

HazyJill

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Thanks! I feel he has the potential to be a great guinea pig. He did chatter his teeth at me earlier today but it was when my daughter was being a little load (she’s almost 4). I got my daughter to be quieter and revisited him and he was better. I’m a little afraid to pick him up without a small blanket. I was getting him to go into a sleep sack (not sure what they are called) and picking him up that way but it seems like he realizes that now and won’t go into it. He wiggles a lot when I pick him up. I make sure he is fully supported but it seems to not matter. Any tips on treats he may like? He seems to only like hay and lettuce. Turns up his nose to carrots, cucumber, bell peppers. Occasionally he will take a tomato. I don’t think his last owner gave him many veggies
 

HazyJill

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I?m wondering how I should go about getting Maui use to being held? I hand feed him treats which he will come take from my hand and run back into his hut. I let him sniff my hand, which most of the time he nips when sniffing (how do I not let this happen? Do I just not let him sniff or tell him NO? I?m new to GP so not sure how they learn. I sit during floor time with him. He sometimes will come up to me and I pet him but mostly will hide in his hut or blanket. Should I pick him up with my bare hands or is it okay that I wrap him in a soft blanket (or sleep sack) for now? I?m nervous he will bite me without one. If I try to hold him he wiggles like crazy even when wrapped in a blanket and fully supported on all feet.
 

Janani.R.S

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I?m wondering how I should go about getting Maui use to being held? I hand feed him treats which he will come take from my hand and run back into his hut. I let him sniff my hand, which most of the time he nips when sniffing (how do I not let this happen? Do I just not let him sniff or tell him NO? I?m new to GP so not sure how they learn. I sit during floor time with him. He sometimes will come up to me and I pet him but mostly will hide in his hut or blanket. Should I pick him up with my bare hands or is it okay that I wrap him in a soft blanket (or sleep sack) for now? I?m nervous he will bite me without one. If I try to hold him he wiggles like crazy even when wrapped in a blanket and fully supported on all feet.

It is fine to pick him up with a soft blanket, he will probably feel more comfortable because he hasn't been held by hand too much. Don't let him go when he wiggles because he learn that every time he wiggles you will let him down, you don't want him to learn that. When he wiggles try to comfort him with you're hands. I'll try to help you again when you have more questions.
 

HazyJill

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Opinions on getting another male guinea pig? I’ve only had Maui for a week today. Should I wait until he is more settled in and gets to know me a bit or would it be better to introduce another male now? His last owner said his old cage mate died but he did well with him. Not sure how long ago he died.
 

bpatters

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The sooner the better. Depending on his age and the age of the new pig, you may have some pretty intense dominance squabbles. Boars need a BIG cage -- two boars need at least 12 square feet of flat space to run around in -- no dividers where one pig can trap another.

The best thing to do would be to take him a good guinea pig rescue if there's one near you and let him pick out his own new buddy.
 

HazyJill

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He is in a C&C 2x4 so not big enough but I do have more grids left. I was told he is 2 years old. What age for a cage mate should I look for?

On a happier update Maui has stopped biting me! He gets excited and starts popcorning as soon as he sees me and will lick my hand. He no longer hides and comes out to eat his food. I’m so excited and surprised by how well he is doing in such a short time. He still doesn’t like to be held but maybe he never will. I’ll keep working on it.
 
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