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Behavior Cannot handle guinea pig

Brooke5

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So, a few months ago I re-fell in love with guinea pigs, and decided I wanted to get some again. I had them when I was younger, so suffice to say, I'm not completely experienced. Knowing this, I spent hours and hours researching, finding all the best brands, behaviours, etc. And even went as far as repurposing an old dresser to give them plently of space.

It was a little while after Christmas I went into Petsmart and picked out two piggies (both male). I later named them Comet and Bandit. I gave them a week to settle in and kept handling to the bare minimum and then started handling them. I tried to hold them every day, but ended up getting busy as school started up again. Originally, Bandit was the easy one, and Comet was quite difficult. But it seems like lately it's completely switched around.

I keep up with feeding them, changing bedding, keeping water clean and all the basics and handle them as often as I can. Though it just seems like I'm not doing enough. Bandit has become so diffcult, and it breaks my heart so much. I'm able to hold Comet, and he likes to be pet, but Bandit is less amused by such actions. If you try to pick him up, he flips out and scratches your hands like crazy, and has even lept out of my hands before. He makes weird sounds (sounds like purring, but I KNOW it's not purring) and even does something that sounds like he's chattering his teeth. I've tried so hard to connect with him and I'm feeling really discouraged and this whole thing is started to make me feel like maybe I'm not cut out to have guinea pigs. I can't commit 100% of my time with school and homework and it just seems so much like I'm not doing enough to connect with him. I'm desperate at this point and would do anything to hold him without having scratches to show for it afterwards.

Is it my fault? Am I not doing enough?
He's still kind of young (He's pretty small) if that means anything..
 

Sonica1031

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I’m a New Guinea pig owner, so correct me if I’m wrong, but from the research I’ve done it’s better not to hold them too much at first. You want to associate your hands with good things at first and respect your guinea pigs. Only hold them when you have to. My guineas run to me because they know I have food. They both eat out of my hands and even allow me to pet them inside the cage. But I only pick them up when I have to. Also if you are going to pick them up, try getting them into a tunnel and picking up the tunnel rather than picking them up with your hands. You’re not a bad guinea owner, you just need to respect your guinea pigs feelings. Like when I pet my baby and he head butts my hand, I know he doesn’t want any more. You have to read your guinea pigs signs. Start small and work your way up eventually they’ll trust you enough to pick them up, but if they never do, that’s okay too. Don’t give up so easily!!!!
 

spy9doc

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Only hold them when you have to.

Some good advice in your post, but I disagree with you insofar as holding your cavies. The only way that they will ever become tame is by holding them a lot! One of my boys still runs like mad when we go to pick him up out of the cage........every time. But, once picked up he has come to enjoy lap time. This is a boy who has a history of being a biter and is a high-strung little fellow.......that's just Chip. Interestingly enough, he has finally learned the difference between a bite and a nibble. I'm thinking that he may have learned this from his mellow brother, but instead of biting when he is frustrated, he has become this incessant licker. :D

The quality of time that you spend with your cavies is sometimes more important than the quantity. Do remember that cavies are as different as we humans are and learn to recognize and respect those differences. We almost gave up on Chip, but he has become this delightful little fellow who definitely has his own personality, wants and needs.
 

Sonica1031

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Well, I did mention I?m a newer guinea pig owner. I was just going off my own experience, which is again not much, and things I?d read online. I try to watch a lot of youtubers and even going on this forum to get even more information. So I?m sorry if I wasn?t entirely right. But I wanted to help as best I could with what I had researched.
 

bpatters

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