Newbie silkie owner here

[ishimercado]

Hi,
I'm Roger and from the Philippines.
I've just been a new parent of a month old Silkie/Sheltie sow, who is in my profile picture.
She's a month old, and is very skittish.
She won't let me touch her or approach her, she is very picky with food and doesn't seem to eat the vegetables I gave her.
Should I be worried?
Here are my concerns:
1. She doesn't come out of her hidey when I'm standing up or near the cage. (she has been with me for 3 days now)
2. She doesn't seem to like bell peppers, carrots, parsley, cucumbers and most of all she doesn't want to eat Hay!
3. She only eats Muesli pellets and picks certain bits from it.
4. Can I hold her? The seller told me that it should help me bond with her if I try to carry her.
5. Is banana leaves healthy and safe for her?

Thank you!

[Kiwi_girl]

Guinea pigs are naturally shy. I'm not sure what kind of cage you have your pig in but if its possible to cover one half or a large corner of it with a piece of fleece or a towel you can provide a great feeling of security for the pig. Often times this will be enough to give them the courage to come out and explore. I would be concerned about her not eating. Try putting her food and some hay either in the hutch she sleeps in or directly in front. I would also suggest getting a second pig as they are social animals and can suffer from depression when they are alone.

[bpatters]

Here's some recommended reading for new pig owners:

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum...nea-pig-owners
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum...eat-vegetables

[CavyMama]

If she's only been with you 3 days, it's no wonder she is hiding. Guinea pigs are prey animals so their instinct is to hide when the "big scary human monster" is nearby. It can takes weeks or even months for a guinea pig to feel comfortable around a human. Some never do.

Guinea pigs need a diet of predominently hay. They need 100% access to hay. It helps aid in digestion and it helps wear down their molars.
An adult guinea pig needs 1 cup of fresh veggies daily. Pellets should be the least of their diet at 1/8 cup.

[topaz259]

It took my guinea pig a few weeks to stop running away from me when I walked into the room. She'll warm up to you, she just needs time to adjust.