General Can I Lose my Piggies Trust?

[Kmstola]

Hi!
I have 4 adorable female pigs, 2 of which I have had for 9 months and the other 2 for about 5-6. It's taken a lot of work, but my guinea pigs are starting to trust me. My oldest piggy will let me pet her when I give her veggies. One other piggie will let me pet her when I give her pea flakes (but not when I feed her veggies). The younger two I can't pet at all but will eat food from my hand. I clipped their nails and had to pick them up and all 4 were scared at first. The youngest was absolutely terrified and squealed so much and I felt awful, but her nails really needed to be cut. She calmed down a tiny bit I think. The others were scared the whole time but took it a lot better than the youngest. I was wondering if cutting their nails tonight made me lose all the trust and progress I have made with them? I didn't want to try right after I clipped their nails, but I am wondering if they will let me pet them and feed them (I know this can't be answered - just thinking as I write this). Do guinea pigs forgive when their owners do something they don't like? Or will this one action reset everything and I am back to square one?

Thanks to all!!!!!!

 

[ItsaZoo]

They usually don’t like their nails trimmed. But most of the time they can be bribed with a favorite food afterward and they get over it. Mine is moody and some days she has a fit about nail trims or being held. As soon as she’s in her cage, she hides. But she forgets all about it if I have green peppers or corn husks.

Also, do the nail trims at different times of the day. They learn routines, so if you always trim nails at the same time, they’ll be wary when they see you approach at that time. Mine knows I take her out in the morning and put her in a large cage for the day. So in the morning, she won’t go up on her shelf because she doesn’t want to be picked up. But in the evening when I put her back in her overnight cage, she jumps right up on the shelf.