General Trying my best - Struggling

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

Sorry. I didn't really know where to put this - but it concerns guineas. A lot.

So, first the split of Emmy and Bailey. And Bailey got bummed after about a week, and Emmy was confused.

Then Emmy got hurt. And got soft tissue trauma. Any one remember Mocha? Exact same thing. $500 for Mocha, I'm a minor and had only rebuilt $70 of my vet fund since I lost Mocha. My mom's checked got screwed, so we had to open a go fund me, and managed to get her in the night after she'd fallen I believe.

But, she was untamed, untrained, and still very anti social. The only person she never ever had an anxiety attack with is my mom. I have multiple scars from her anxiety attacks, or her getting scared and jumping to me.

I, unfortunately, had to surrender her. Multiple people said it was right. I know the person I surrendered her to, I know the rescue she's going to when she's tamed. But that's not the worst part. I didn't get to say good bye...

Now Bailey. Oh Bailey. Since I brought her home, without Emmy, she's just not the same. She's barely eating (if that), she hides all the time (even if the dog lays next to her she won't move and she always gets excited for the dog, I found them sleeping through the bars once...), she doesn't come when I call anymore, and if I corner her she gets this scared look like I'm about to beat her... or worse (of course I wouldn't!!!).

I got her back two days ago. She ate lots at the pig sitter. Me? Nada. I double checked that she actually ate with her earlier, and she said yes. And she's virtually the only other person I trust with Bailey and Emmy.

I move back with my dad in about a week and half. I'll be getting her a friend then.

I really don't know what to do. I have about $120 give or take, and I can ask for a raise in one of my jobs if need be. I just really don't know what to do.

I could use some reassurance. Or at least some guidance.

Sorry it's long. But this has all happened in the span of two weeks...

pinky · Apr 30, 2015

If you can't afford to provide for them, I wouldn't get another one. I don't understand the part about getting scars from being attacked or how Emmy got hurt. Guinea pigs are prey animals and it takes a time for them to trust you. You really don't tame guinea pigs and I'm not sure what you mean by untrained. What do you expect to train them to do? A far as being antisocial, you gain their trust and then they tend to calm down and become more responsive to you when they know you won't hurt them. It takes TIME and patience and many guinea pigs remain skittish even after that. If you hold them while you give them a snack, they slowly begin to see that you won't hurt them. It happens in tiny increments..... If their nails aren't trimmed, you can really get scratched up. If you're unable to trim them, a rescue can do it for you for a small fee. As far as dogs go, they're predators so a guinea pig is not going to enjoy their company and might become more nervous and skittish if they're forced to be near them so that might be part of the problem. Sounds like you have unrealistic expectations for guinea pigs. They're not dogs or cats so they're not going to act like them. You can wear long sleeves so you don't get scratched and use a box to move them into before picking them up to make that easier. They need to be lifted and held properly so they don't jump or fall.

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

@pinky - I can afford them. I don't really want to say the whole story, because I cry just thinking about it.

By untrained I basically meant that Emmy didn't really...understand that I wasn't going to hurt her. And I just don't have the time to tame her myself as I'm starting school and need to catch up.

And Bailey loves my dog. She happily does popcorns when she comes in. I haven't been in my room all night, or last night but I have frequently checked during the day and no food + water gone.

The dog does sleep in my room because I have sleep insomnia and bad night mares where I hurt myself. She has her bed in her closet if she wants to sleep there but she usally sleeps next to me.

I think my expectations are realistic. I'm a bit tired as I can't sleep tonight, and I also have trouble wording things and that make them sound unrealistic (if that makes sense). I know guinea pigs are prey animals, and not dogs or cats. I know I can't tell them to sit and stay, or poo and eat on command.

But her while eating, not coming, hiding. It's putting me off. A lot. I was just holding her and every time I went to pet her she flinched and tried to hide. I felt bad for scaring her.

Piggly12 · Apr 30, 2015

I would just leave her completely alone for a day or 2, then slowly introduce yourself back to her. You could do this by walking up to her cage quite often and putting your hands in, not to go near her but to sort out the hay, scoop up poops etc. She should gradually get used to your hands, and not be so nervous of them.

Also, after she does;t mind your hands in the cage, you could try hand-feeding her veggies or pellets. I put about half of my piggies daily pellets in their cage in the morning, but when I get home from school, I feed them each a pellet or 2 each time I enter the room. This uses up a few more of their day’s pellets, then I put the remainder in their food bowl, or 'hidden' on the roof of their chewable wood hidey.

P.S. Try picking her up in a box or cozy, that way she won’t feel vulnerable having the ground fall away from her as she is lifted. Also, try holding her in a cozy or under a towel, so that she feels safer

pinky · Apr 30, 2015

Popcorning is not necessarily happy. It's reactive. Something excites them. Something that frightens or confuses them can cause them to popcorn as much as when they're happy. How old are your guinea pigs? I've owned some really skittish ones. One in particular took close to a year before I could hold her on my lap without her getting stressed out and agitated. She jumped up and climbed on my face one time. Scared the crap out of me but made me realize how scared she was. You don't need to feel bad about her feeling frightened.... She's a guinea pig and that's in their nature. As far as not having time to tame her. The goal isn't taming her. It's doing the small things so she knows that you won't harm her and allowing her the time to let her guard down. Slowly approach the cage, don't cast a shadow on her when you go to pick her up. It doesn't take a lot of time to hold them and feed them their snack. Set aside 10 minutes, 2x a day and feed her some leafy greens. Let her see a normal, quiet routine and she'll acclimate herself to it. I have two nervous guinea pigs but they come to get their snacks now and one turns in a circle for her treat. I can pet her on the top of her head but if I reach for her, she runs. The other is still pretty wild but she doesn't run away when she sees that it's snack time. Progress is made in tiny steps and you can't rush it. Give her the best care you can and let her be the guinea pig she is. If she's still skittish, so be it. Some guinea pigs are more nervous than others just like people are.

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

@Piggly12 @pinky - Thanks. I feel like Bailey has amnesia or something because she acts like she doesn't even know me! (wait, is that possible?)

What about her constant hiding? Well it stop? It never did for Emmy. Bailey used to be so brave. She was super brave when she had a friend. Lots of people think that's what it. She needs a friend again - and she does.

But they don't know her like I do. I feel like it's something emotional, or something I did wrong. I did a healthy check (for physical injuries) like my vet showed me how - nothing turned up.

Do you think basically starting over with her would help go back to her normal, spunky, brave, trouble making self?

Piggly12 · Apr 30, 2015

I think that starting over might help, as she has lost her buddies and is probably feeling really vulnerable/alone. She is probably on edge about everything at the moment. I have had my piggies since the end of February, and they still run for cover at top speed if I walk into the room. They are beginning to pause and look up at me as they are about to go into their houses, and If I talk to them (and let them know it’s just me) they occasionally stay where they are, watch me fetch whatever I came to get and walk off.

Soecara · Apr 30, 2015

If I remember correctly Emmy is a cuy? That would explain her behaviour, some cuy never clam down around people. Bailey just sounds disoriented by being alone, meaning she is behaving this way due to loneliness which is a very emotional thing. Some pigs deal better with loneliness if you keep the cage the same, others cope better if you completely change the cage.

One of my girls Sally had her cage mate Star pass overnight in their favourite hidey, Sally was in the hidey with Star and kept grooming the side of her face and cuddling with her until I removed her. After that Sally would not go anywhere near the end of the cage where Star died until I removed the hidey completely. After I removed it she investigated the area and really calmed down but was still obviously depressed, she would sit with her face in the corner with her butt facing me and would only move to eat and drink. After four days I was able to find Sally some new friends, Ita and Angela, and she was running and popcorning all over the place during introductions. She settled in with her new cage mates and was completely back to her old self within the week.

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

Yes. Emmy's part cuy. I had to surrender her though.

So, do you think my emotional hunch was right? She lost Mocha in January and I had to clean everything really good before she would even move from her corner that was closets to Mocha's hospital cage. And now Emmy as well, only 3 months later.

At the shelter I've only seen already bonded pairs, but as much as a trio would be good incase I lost one, I don't want anyone to be a 3rd wheel.

Soecara · Apr 30, 2015

Would the shelter be okay with you taking Bailey in to chose her own friends? In my experience sow trios generally work (if you have the cage space for them) but I have had some sows who's personalities clashed, which was apparent during their introductions, so it clearly would not work.

ETA: But keep in mind more pigs = more cost, and the more you have the more likely medical issues are to arise.

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

@Soecara - Yes. I have a 2x5 with a 1x2 loft, but even my dad wants to expand that lol. Most shelters in my area actually require you to bring your existing pig(s) in.

Soecara · Apr 30, 2015

Another thing to consider is the possibility Mocha's and Emmy's soft tissue injuries were caused by the same thing. It is possible they are coincidental, but with two similar injuries in the past year it is something that should be considered.

For example is there anywhere in your cage they could have fallen from? If there is an issue with the environment then you should do your best to fix it now for Baileys sake, for example if they could have fallen from the loft you might consider removing it until you can fix where they could have fallen from. You can't change the past but you can change the future.

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

@Soecara I fixed what cause Mocha's soft tissue trauma, as well as Emmy's. She got pain medication and anti inflammatory, and is doing much better.

I'm trying to be super careful, and I double - triple - check almost anything that is near/in my pigs cage

Soecara · Apr 30, 2015

It's good to hear you fixed what the issue was, at least you know it shouldn't happen to Bailey now. Glad to hear Emmy is doing okay.

You can't always predict an issue until it actually occurs, that is why forums like these are so good. People share information of what has gone wrong for them and their guinea pigs, helping others prevent it from happening to their guinea pigs as well; Like that guinea pig got it's head stuck in a hay bag with a grommet or the guinea pigs who got their heads caught in the 5x5 or 8x8 grids.

joys_cavies · Apr 30, 2015

Yeah. I've heard about those. I'm trying to be super careful about where my pigs are, what's next to them, etc.

Amanda Marie · May 1, 2015

Stay strong, and consistent, try to make a routine (just for piggies) so that she can get use to you again and overtime figure out when you'll be in the room and holding, feeding. etc.. It takes time after losing a cage mate, Rudy lost 4 cage mates over the years and he use to be very friendly and and such now he is a bit skittish and only come to me for veggies or if he really wants something. He is acting better now as i got him a new baby friend Miloh, and he seems happier, just be patient and realize that its not your fault that she is scared and skittish. Everyones advice is great and following it could really help gain trust with her again.

Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

General Trying my best - Struggling

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

pinky

Well-known Member

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

Piggly12

Well-known Member

pinky

Well-known Member

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

Piggly12

Well-known Member

Soecara

Well-known Member

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

Soecara

Well-known Member

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

Soecara

Well-known Member

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

Soecara

Well-known Member

joys_cavies

Well-known Member

Amanda Marie

Well-known Member

Similar threads

Share this Page

Newest members

Online statistics

Key Resources

Members online