Bonding Taming and cage decorations

Thor and Moon · Mar 30, 2020

Hey guys! Please respond if you are able. So basically I have 2 male guinea pigs that I have had for a while. I don't know if this has to do with bonding but I just moved them today into a around 4 meter c&c cage. My pigs are at the point where they will take food from me but won't really do anything else... What I mean by that is if I touch them or try to scratch them under their chin ECT. they will run away. Is there anything else I can do to try to get them to like me better. I cant work with them every day because they are living at my dad's house so I'm only there a few days a week. Will that be a problem? Also it would be a huge help if anyone can give me any diy guinea pig toy ideas. They used to live in a kaytee cage so there was not a lot of space but sense I moved them all they have in there new cage are 2 large hideouts, 2 pencil chews, 2 bowls, and a water bottle. I can't buy them anything from Petco right now because of the whole Covid 19 virus. Any advice on either or both of these topics would be helpful. Thanks

MerryFriarTuck · Mar 31, 2020

One of my piggies, Friar Tuck, is super shy and was exactly like this---I didn't think he'd ever enjoy being pet. But lo and behold, after I'd had him about 10 months, he finally began to let me! This is what I did with him:

Hand feed them a favorite veggie at least once a day, or as often as you can. Talk to them a lot, softly, and say their names. This is how they'll learn your voice means happy things and yummy treats.

Try to pet their chins, chests, bridge of their nose, or top of their heads first. They don't like to be pet where they can't see you (like a horse) or on their rumps. Different piggies like different places--- my Robin Hood, who loves to be pet pretty much anywhere, actually hates getting pet on his chest or chin. My Friar Tuck, on the other hand, only likes to be pet on his chest, chin, and sometimes head

Move slowly. Friar Tuck still ducks and dodges away from my fingers at first. I keep feeding him bits of veggie between each attempt, and eventually he's like "oh, fine, I guess I'll let you pet me since you're not giving up and have yummy food" He's stiff at first, but then all of a sudden relaxes and closes his eyes to enjoy it and it's adorable

Try not to reach for them from above or "loom" over them; this awakens all their swooping-hawk -might-eat-me-instincts. Many piggies will always be shy, and run from getting picked up. But slow (sometimes very very slow) and steady wins the race, so never give up! And always reward them with a treat.

For toys, you can braid corn husks, or tie little bundles of their hay with a corn husk ( just use the inner pieces of husks to avoid pesticides )...or braid their hay itself. As a treat toy you can stick a small baby carrot through a cucumber slice. They love to roll and toss things around, especially if they're edible!

Thor and Moon · Mar 31, 2020

MerryFriarTuck said:
One of my piggies, Friar Tuck, is super shy and was exactly like this---I didn't think he'd ever enjoy being pet. But lo and behold, after I'd had him about 10 months, he finally began to let me! This is what I did with him:

Hand feed them a favorite veggie at least once a day, or as often as you can. Talk to them a lot, softly, and say their names. This is how they'll learn your voice means happy things and yummy treats.

Try to pet their chins, chests, bridge of their nose, or top of their heads first. They don't like to be pet where they can't see you (like a horse) or on their rumps. Different piggies like different places--- my Robin Hood, who loves to be pet pretty much anywhere, actually hates getting pet on his chest or chin. My Friar Tuck, on the other hand, only likes to be pet on his chest, chin, and sometimes head

Move slowly. Friar Tuck still ducks and dodges away from my fingers at first. I keep feeding him bits of veggie between each attempt, and eventually he's like "oh, fine, I guess I'll let you pet me since you're not giving up and have yummy food" He's stiff at first, but then all of a sudden relaxes and closes his eyes to enjoy it and it's adorable

Try not to reach for them from above or "loom" over them; this awakens all their swooping-hawk -might-eat-me-instincts. Many piggies will always be shy, and run from getting picked up. But slow (sometimes very very slow) and steady wins the race, so never give up! And always reward them with a treat.

For toys, you can braid corn husks, or tie little bundles of their hay with a corn husk ( just use the inner pieces of husks to avoid pesticides )...or braid their hay itself. As a treat toy you can stick a small baby carrot through a cucumber slice. They love to roll and toss things around, especially if they're edible!

Thanks very much!!!

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Bonding Taming and cage decorations

Thor and Moon

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MerryFriarTuck

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Thor and Moon

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