Behavior Guinea pig seems to be more afraid after starting lap time

[Cameron Harvard]

So, i just began taking my piggie out of his cage for lap time yesterday. i've also done it twice today so far, and each time i've had to chase him around the cage, and he whimpered the entire time, wouldn't take a bite of the apple i gave him (his favorite we've tried thus far). Now it almost seems like he's more afraid of me. i had just gotten him to semi-comfortably eat out of my hand and now he'll barely come out if i'm just sitting next to the cage. is this normal? What should i do?

 

[GiuneaPigLover]

by defaultguinea pigs are very skittish animals. I have two piggies that are just like that. They won't eat outta my hand and they run when I get near the cage. I am around them every day talking to them and bribing them with greens. Yet they still act scared. I would keep doing what you are doing and he will come around. It may take a while though. I am still working on my own. Patience is a virtue and in this case it is really the truth. Not to say that you are not patient. Just saying to be patient and our piggies will come round.

 

[kairi26]

What I'm trying now with my skittish pig is the guinea pig trap from the hot tips category. Basically, I cut a door with a flap in a box, then place the box in the cage. When he goes in, I close the door and lift the box out for lap or floor time. I only put my hands in to feed him vegetables and sweep waste off the fleece. He will come up to my hand and sniff me, and soon I'm going to try to pet him, on his terms, while in the cage.

This way, he trusts that my hands aren't going to grab him when they're near him.

 

[Lagertha]

So, i just began taking my piggie out of his cage for lap time yesterday. i've also done it twice today so far, and each time i've had to chase him around the cage, and he whimpered the entire time, wouldn't take a bite of the apple i gave him (his favorite we've tried thus far). Now it almost seems like he's more afraid of me. i had just gotten him to semi-comfortably eat out of my hand and now he'll barely come out if i'm just sitting next to the cage. is this normal? What should i do?

How long have you had him??? My pigs are still very skittish and I've had them 2 months now! However, they do eat out of my hand now and let me pet them if I move slowly
All pigs are different and yours might just need more time Keep up the lap time, talk to him, pet him gently, he'll come around

 

[Elyzian]

As everyone else has said, patience is the key.

When I first got my 2 girls at 4 1/2 weeks old, they were quite skittish, now a month down the tract they arent so skittish anymore, they only run into their pigloo if I move too quick. But I can put my hand in there and even out their bedding, pat them, pick them up etc. without them even budging. It all comes down to taking your time, and some piggies take longer than others

 

[Cameron Harvard]

i know to be patient and that's fine, i just want to be sure that i'm not causing him too much stress, or if i should wait to do lap time till he's more comfortable. i've only had him a week so i guess i'm not expecting a whole lot. it just seemed like he was getting braver and more used to me everyday up until i took him out, so it's hard to see him more afraid of me now :c

 

[Agrimony]

You are doing fine, guinea pigs are nervous little critters! If you feel its really stressing them out switch back to hand feeding and petting in the cage. Not sure if your pig is a loner or not but having a buddy for them really helps as well with skittishness! They feel more comfortable with another of their kind and will even interact better with you.

My guinea pigs, on in particular (Pickle) took months to stop being so skittish and start trusting me. I've had him three years now and he still about half the time I pick him up he runs first! It's their instinct. You are doing fine, and he will learn you aren't a threat.

 

[ClicknCavy]

Personally, I would stop doing laptime for now. He's stressed and uncomfortable. I always recommend going at the guinea pig's pace and using positive reinforcement techniques to reward the good, brave choices that he made on his own terms. My girls follow me around the house during floortime, hop in my lap, and give kisses. Remember that laptime is very much for the human, so it really pays to take that extra time to make it all about your guinea pig to teach him to love it, too. I also recommend teaching guinea pigs how to load themselves up into a carrier (or upside down hidey) to allow them to exercise more choice. Low stress methods allow the guinea pigs to feel more control in their lives, which improves confidence and trust in their people.

https://youtu.be/1jE8-BGSG5g
Here is Toora-Loora being reinforced for hopping into my lap. She is still very new to laptime in this video. But look at how comfortable and happy she is.

https://youtu.be/AezSPor0I48
This shows a process (for Fiona), from the first day we brought Fi home to the day she first offered to allow Joshy to pick her up and hold her in his hands.

 

[Agrimony]

@ClicknCavy I always love seeing responses from you. I have ordered a clicker and can't wait to start implementing some of your methods. Having never trained an animal before (guinea pig or other) I am looking forward to starting a new way to bond with my boys!

 

[ClicknCavy]

@ClicknCavy I always love seeing responses from you. I have ordered a clicker and can't wait to start implementing some of your methods. Having never trained an animal before (guinea pig or other) I am looking forward to starting a new way to bond with my boys!

You have no idea how much this means to me. I hope that positive, low-stress methods help you to develop a beautiful bond with your piggies.

 

[lisanjake]

Personally, I would stop doing laptime for now. He's stressed and uncomfortable. I always recommend going at the guinea pig's pace and using positive reinforcement techniques to reward the good, brave choices that he made on his own terms. My girls follow me around the house during floortime, hop in my lap, and give kisses. Remember that laptime is very much for the human, so it really pays to take that extra time to make it all about your guinea pig to teach him to love it, too. I also recommend teaching guinea pigs how to load themselves up into a carrier (or upside down hidey) to allow them to exercise more choice. Low stress methods allow the guinea pigs to feel more control in their lives, which improves confidence and trust in their people.

https://youtu.be/1jE8-BGSG5g
Here is Toora-Loora being reinforced for hopping into my lap. She is still very new to laptime in this video. But look at how comfortable and happy she is.

https://youtu.be/AezSPor0I48
This shows a process (for Fiona), from the first day we brought Fi home to the day she first offered to allow Joshy to pick her up and hold her in his hands.

Oh your video really made me smile!!! shes so happy running around you.
some very good tips (shame I cant hear them as im at work) but the clicker idea looks brilliant!

 

[ClicknCavy]

Clicker training is actually what they use with zoo animals to teach them how to do things to make caring for them easier. It also provides mental stimulation. Most people hear about it from dog training, though! You don't need a clicker to incorporate the most important part about clicker training, though. Namely, that the animal is rewarded for behaviors that they chose to do all on their own and you don't do anything to stress the animal out too much.

 

[lisanjake]

yeah ive heard about it from dog training before.
Im a bit worried about my Luna, shes terrified still anytime I go near her she squeals and constantly tries to run away... shes a lot more scared since ive had to separate them. hoping to find out this weekend at a different vets if shes defo a girl/boy.
Bella however is doing very well and even weed on me last night! as shocked as I was, I wasn't angry as Ive heard it means they are relaxed? haha she seems a lot happier being with me.

 

[dawnmb57]

i know to be patient and that's fine, i just want to be sure that i'm not causing him too much stress, or if i should wait to do lap time till he's more comfortable. i've only had him a week so i guess i'm not expecting a whole lot. it just seemed like he was getting braver and more used to me everyday up until i took him out, so it's hard to see him more afraid of me now :c

Any prey animal behaves that way. As everyone else is saying just keep doing it. And be very firm when you pick them up. A certain amount of pressure is comforting for a prey animal. I've rescued rats for 9 years and cared for over a hundred fifty of them. They generally Run too until they get old and it becomes more difficult! Rats that I have kept in My Sanctuary for their whole lives we'll come and take food from my hand but Scuttle away when I try to pick them up. But I just laughed and say come back here and reach for them anyway. I picked them up with both hands, one on the each side and immediately put them to my chest so they feel secure. Once they are there they will either stay there or climb on my shoulder and they are quite content to hang out with me. When they get very old they will sit in my lap for short amounts of time but some of them have to be covered with a towel to feel safe.

I am new to guinea pigs but am finding that handling them the same way seems to work well. An expert book says to put your hand over their back and press down gently then slip another hand under their belly and pick them up. I do that and just like the rats immediately put them very close to my body and hold them securely so they feel safe. And I talked to them soothingly the whole time. I know it might take time especially because mine are rescue pigs. But I'm confident that with time they may not run every time. Still, a hand reaching for them surely sets something off in that old part of their brain that says a hawk is flying in to snatch them up.

Humans have a similar response, our fight or flight response. We may freeze and be frightened by something and a few seconds later relax and realize there is no need to be afraid. And some things we may never get over being startled by, such as an unexpected loud noise. So it's not you that's scaring the pigs, it's just nature. Be confident and they will have confidence in you.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[CavyMama]

@dawnmb57, this thread is from 2015. You can always check out the "latest posts" on the main page.