Bonding Kind of at a loss with bonding.

[Adequate]

I have 8 rats and 2 guinea pigs.
Bonding with rats comes naturally, as their body language/noises are easy to read for me.

Squeaking pretty much means No! Get outta here!
Teeth chattering (bruxing) is a good thing, etc, etc.

However, with my two Guinea pigs (Chewbacca and Han Solo) I honestly don't know if I'm doing the right thing.

Right now, they're across my bed in this:




-> That's an older picture, I've reorganized the shelf, so nothing will fall off.. <-

The cage is held together with cut zip ties and there's plenty of support under neath.
It's a 3x3 C&C cage for two piggies.

Anyway! I give them veggies twice a day, they're well taken care for.

I just don't know how to bond with them properly! I'm one of those people that needs like a step by step guideline because I'm a weirdo.

What I've done/have been doing:

->Whenever I can I'll sit next to their cage or bring them out on my lap for an hour or so.. Or on my bed.

Their response:

-> When I walk (no matter how slow) to their cage, they will immediately run away, into their hidy places.
I'll stand their for a bit, with veggies in hand, but they won't come out or won't take said veggies as they're too terrified..

So I've stopped doing that all together.

->When I sit next to the cage, I'll put their veggies in (after the initial retreat/hide) they'll come out slowly and eat veggies.

If I attempt to slowly place my hands in, they will retreat and hide.

--

Recliner time, they make all sorts of noises.
I always get mixed answers. Don't know if they're good or bad noises.. But they'll yawn and stretch out. So I feel like that's okay.

However, when I try to put them on my chest, they're not the cuddliest guys.. They're not very fond of skritches.. Is this just how they are going to be or will they warm up to me/eventually enjoy cuddles? They'll sniff me somewhat and they've nibbled on my hands/legs from time to time.. I pet them properly, the same way their fur goes.. But they just don't seem to enjoy it.. Sometimes when I skritch behind their ears, they'll close their eyes.. But yeah

If it's lap time and I put a blanket on me, they'll just hide inside their blanket the whole time and run around in there..

Same with my bed, if I don't give them anything to hide in they'll run around like crazy.. If I give them a blanket, they won't come out.


They're happy, I think. They're always pop-corning and running around in their C&C cage.

I've had them for about a month.

Back Story: They're pet store pigs, but they were originally my sister's and her boyfriend's.. They never took them out and they were living in the top level of a Critter Nation cage. So, I feel like I have to undo the damage that they did or something.

I don't know, this turned into a ramble.
I'm just concerned and I want my little dudes to like me.

If you have ANY, ANY advice/tips, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[labgirl5]

Guinea pigs are skittish by nature; I've had one of my boys for a over a year and a half, and the other just under a year. A month is not a long time; it could take several for them to even take food from your hand. Regardless, it sounds like you're doing as much as you can to get them used to you, and it might be a good idea to try hand-feeding them a larger variety of veggies and see what is their favorite(s).

Have you done any floor time yet? My pigs absolutely adore floor time, and when I first got them I would sit with them during floor time and let them come up to me on their own terms.

 

[Adequate]

Guinea pigs are skittish by nature; I've had one of my boys for a over a year and a half, and the other just under a year. A month is not a long time; it could take several for them to even take food from your hand. Regardless, it sounds like you're doing as much as you can to get them used to you, and it might be a good idea to try hand-feeding them a larger variety of veggies and see what is their favorite(s).

Have you done any floor time yet? My pigs absolutely adore floor time, and when I first got them I would sit with them during floor time and let them come up to me on their own terms.

Last week I took them outside (For their first time ever!) And actually sat with them in the play pen.
They loved eating the grass and they seemed really at ease.

I took them out for floor time.. on my bed. They ran around and Han Solo ran up to me and pop-corned. Lol.

I have 9 rats to take care of, too. So I have to divide my time up equally.
But, my hours at work are going to be cut back for a little bit so I'm planning on giving them more floor time.

Thanks, it's kind of reassuring.. I hope I'm doing the right things. Haha.
I know it can take some time, I'm just impatient. :c