First-time Pet Parent, Lots to Learn

Congrats! I would have loved to have a guinea pig in college because I started having panic attacks my senior year! I'm glad you and Willow have each other. This is a great group. I'm sure you will learn lots!

Thanks! Yeah, Willow's been a big help this semester. I'm really glad my college started allowing comfort animals on campus. I'm sorry to hear about the panic attacks.

I moved to the States 7 months ago. I got 2 piggies less than two months ago when i started feeling homesick, sad and stressed all the time. They're great help. They distract me from my daily routine. Pets are the best. Congratz on Willow

Congrats! I have 3 guinea pigs right now. I share them w/ my 2 kids (9 and 3 y/o), but they're really mine My career is very stressful, and they help improve my mood, especially during days when I don't feel like going to work. My 3 y/o is also becoming more and more independent, and since I am good w/ 2 kids, my pigs are my new babies (and so is our hedgehog). Hope Willow will continue to cheer you up!

I'm a college student with anxiety and depression, and new pet owner too! However, they're still getting used to me and one doesn't like being picked up at all. It kind of makes me sadder that they're still so frightened of me. I've had them for two weeks now. How long will it be until they're used to being held?

Awesome name! Do you have pictures of the cutie? Pets are wonderful support; I've been much happier since I got my piggies.

katkor03 said:

I'm a college student with anxiety and depression, and new pet owner too! However, they're still getting used to me and one doesn't like being picked up at all. It kind of makes me sadder that they're still so frightened of me. I've had them for two weeks now. How long will it be until they're used to being held?

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Every pig is different, but hang in there! The pigs that make you work for their trust are the most rewarding when they finally do. Seriously, I did crying phone calls to my mom everytime my shy pig and I passed another milestone. Now two years later, my "shy pig" is my calmest furbaby.

katkor03 said:

I'm a college student with anxiety and depression, and new pet owner too! However, they're still getting used to me and one doesn't like being picked up at all. It kind of makes me sadder that they're still so frightened of me. I've had them for two weeks now. How long will it be until they're used to being held?

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it can take a while. One of my pigs loved to be held since day 1. My other piggy, I've had her for over a month and she hates it. So it depends on the personality and also time... They'll get used to you ! Don't worry! Talk to them, that helps

Welcome! I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and the Angel spin off), so naming your piggie Willow is awesome!

katkor03 said:

I'm a college student with anxiety and depression, and new pet owner too! However, they're still getting used to me and one doesn't like being picked up at all. It kind of makes me sadder that they're still so frightened of me. I've had them for two weeks now. How long will it be until they're used to being held?

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I have a 6 year old (almost 7) pig who still hates being held (I've had her 7 years in March). Different animals have different personalities. My 3 year old pig is terrified of me, and my new pig I've had less than a month lets me pick her up without any problem. I've had 5 pigs now, and two of them had not minded being held and the other 3 were/are not fans of being held or touched.

This is the most recent photo I have of Willow. I'm not sure what she was smelling right then, but she looked pretty adorable. The leg in the corner belongs to one of my roommates.

Willow probably didn't get out of her cage much before she got to her foster home, so she's still getting used to getting picked up. She's not afraid of me; she'll run up to me and put her front paws on my leg when I let her out like this. She just doesn't like being lifted up. I find it's easier to get her to go into something where she feels safe, like her tunnel or carrier, and then pick that up. In the case of the tunnel, I just leave her inside it while I hold her. In the case of the carrier, I pick her up from there, and because she can't run, she doesn't have a chance to get stressed.