Behavior Im confident my gp hate me. Should I lookfor new owner?

[Plainteddy]

Penne was 6 months when I bought her from breeder that told us he was closing his farm. ( We found out later he decieved us). I didnt choose her but breeder recommended her. I believed him as she looked polite, neat and tidy.

She wasnt polite. The truth was she was unhealthy. I found out she was sick and needed intensive care. I sent her to one of the most famous exotic hospitals and paid expensive bills. Her back legs were unfunctioned from malnutrition. Her paws were injured from being raised on bar floor. At first she was also unable to eat so I needed to hand feed her throughout the day. She was unable to eat premium grade food as she had been fed poor pellet. I also had to changed many cages to match her conditions.

From being disabled now she can run quickly. Her face and shape chaged. She now looks like different guinea pig. She still think Im a monster. She doesnt want me to touch her even doesnt want me to get near. She stops all activities if Im walking towards the cage and keep running and hiding.

Recently I pet her, her eyes protude with fear as if Im going to kill her. She been with me for already 6 months and she has been taken out everyday to have eyes gum cleaned. (and it took 1-2 month that she had been hand fed everyday). I dont expect her to like me but that should be enough time that she at least feel familiar to me a bit. Plus I have to spend time with her more than my other lovely fur babies as she has many unpleasant behaviors. Vet assistant used to comment that she was weird too.

Im thinking to look for new owner for her. How would you guys advise me? Maybe a new owner should be better for her?

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

You've put this much time and effort into her. Why stop now?

Guinea pigs can take a long time to come around, and some just never do. It's in their nature. She likely harbours no distaste for you at all, but because she has needed a lot of special, uncomfortable treatment she has come to associate you with that.

My recommendation? Begin to associate her with GOOD things. Yummy treats. Just take her out for lap time, and feed her something delicious.

My guess is that she will come around, given enough time. I've had both of my boys for 2 1/2 years now. They trust me very much, and yet they run from me when I try to pick them up. You say she was raised in very poor conditions, and it's possible that she may not overcome that fear. They're naturally fearful animals, but with your help she can become a loving, comfortable little girl. You just have to give her that.

 

[Soecara]

I highly doubt she would act any differently for a different owner. It sounds like it is just the way she is, guinea pigs are usually timid creatures given they are prey animals (even my most bold don't let me touch them in the cage 95% of the time but they do come up to the side of the cage if they think i have food) but some are just even more highly strung than others. Guinea pigs will see you as a possible predator until you can overcome their prey instincts and get them to associate you with something else (as in you = yummy food).

The way to a guinea pigs heart is through them associating you with food that they want, now this can be very difficult with the most highly strung as they will not even entertain the thought of eating the food until you are well gone but persistence and patience is key.

Things that can help are if her cage is on the floor instead raising her cage to about your waist height so you aren't "looming" over her cage (that can really set off their prey instincts). Have the cage in an area of the house you spend most of your time. Have a routine for when you give the good food (new hay, new pellets, daily vegetables). Take her out for lap time, even if it is for only 5 or 10 minutes and try to give her good treats during lap time. It also can help if they have a bolder cage mate from who they can follow the lead, often the presence of another guinea pig who is more than willing to take the food if they don't can give them the drive to overcome the fear and eat the food while you are still there just so the other guinea pig can't get it.

However never expect her to let you touch her in the cage, or to not run when you go to pick her up/reach towards her suddenly or without a good treat very obviously in your hand, those are completely normal and some prey instincts just simply can't be broken. However with enough work, and time and patience she may be able to learn not to fear your presence and still go about doing normal guinea pig things.

 

[Plainteddy]

Food
She got the best food available in the market
along with some fresh grass and veggies as treats. Yah she eat happily but she doesnt recognize me as food ( Even I used to hand feed her 6 times a day for few months when she was severely ill). I feel Im more like servant (not kidding). Feel like " Drop me my food then go away"

Home
She has been placed in several living environments at different heights. Her behaviors are the same.

Buddy
She wants a buddy who never touch her food and thats impossible. She has history of chasing cagemates who eat things in her territory.

Lap time
She move away from me as far as she can go on the area.
eg. If Im lying down and she is put on my chest. She will walk towards my limbs and turn her ass towards my face 'everytime' .She hates seeing my face.

She is not my first guinea pig. So I have comparison. Yes gp has its own personality but none of my previous gp has these extreme behaviors. Thats the reason why Im thinking she might be happier with other owner.

 

[thistlewriter]

As the others have said more eloquently, she likely doesn't hate you. She wasn't raised right, so she more than likely is scared/strongly dislikes humans because she associates them with bad things. Giving her food for a few months is not likely to change her mind overnight. Just like with any other animal that comes from a bad situation, some will bounce back quickly while others will take a lot of time and patience, depending on their personality. It sounds like she just needs more time and patience.

 

[LunchBunchPiggi]

Adding another voice to what has already been said here, but they're all right. It's going to be the same situation with any kind of animal rescued from a situation where they were treated poorly, but especially for a prey animal like a piggie. That poor piggie has very little reason to think that humans might be good in comparison to a wealth of experience saying that, at best, humans are nothing to get excited over and, at worst, very much something to run and hide from. It's going to take a LOT more positive to outweigh the negative. She will not be instantly happier with a different human. The only reason I would recommend rehoming her is if you don't think you have the dedication, patience, and love in your heart to stick with her through the process of learning that she can trust you, in which case, the only way she'll be better off is if you can guarantee that she's going to go to someone who loves piggies even more than you obviously do (and you obviously love them a lot, otherwise you wouldn't have come here asking this question).

 

[lunarminx]

I have had only two very friendly pigs and both were adopted seniors. I would try to find a neutered boar for her. You will need two food bowls, bottles and a large enough hay area that both can eat from or lay down in. Do an intro after a 2 week to a month quarantine if you didn't do a meet/date with them. Before introducing them, set up a huge clean area for them to meet in. IMO I would start with the buddy bath, instead of using it if they don't end up getting along.

My four sows do not like being held, eyes bug out on two. I have gotten to the point I don't even try to hold except for nail clippings, etc. All four will come to the sides for treats/food and for two, nose rubs. So my mini herd are just happy to be fed at that's about it as they don't need me for company.

Edited to say: They can chase each other around all the time, it's how they play and settle arguments. It can take a bit for the pecking order to be figured out too. That is why I feel a senior neutered boar would work. Over time, the 4 various seniors I adopted have been sweet and loving.