Bonding New guinea pig, Bad if i pick her up?

[Jared Hoekstra]

Hello. i recently got a cute guinea pig (2 days ago) and she likes to hid in her house. Put ive picked her up twice now (she runs away untill i can get her) Once in my arms she is very calm and when she wants down she gives me a nibble. Is it bad that im doing this?

 

[4everlovepigs]

I think it is good your holding her keep on doing that and maybe try feeding her some veggies. Try not to let her nibble you. I think she might just be scared because it's a new home. When I first got my guinea pig he was like that. I just held him lots and fed him veggie and he settle down and now is a happy and very social pig

 

[Jared Hoekstra]

Im just scared by picking her up that im getting her very scared

 

[Princess_Piggie]

You should really leave guinea pigs 3 days to settle in, but since you've already picked her up that's a pretty useless comment haha. Anyway, you can teach her to associate your hands with positivity by hand feeding veg, so as there's less chance of her being so skittish around your hands. This may or may not calm down over time, it depends on the individual pig. I'd limit 'hand chasing' to a maximum of 60 seconds, it stresses pigs out being chased around incessantly. You should also really have a cagemate for her as pigs with cagemates tend to be happier, confident piggies.

 

[Rywen]

They don't like being picked up but once they are most settle down and enjoy lap time, especially if you hand feed them veggies they like. I use a cuddle sack to pick my gp up, he runs into it and I pick him up that way. Then he crawls out onto my lap or chest.

 

[alfonzpig]

I highly suggest trying to get her accustomed to your hands in the cage.

I often will sit beside the cage, sometimes hang my hand in there and wiggle it around, I will reach in and move their bowls (Ive had my boys for a while now, and they still run like the dickens hence trying to adjust their attitude lol.) I like to move their houses around, because Alfonz likes his house in the middle of the cage, and I like to pester him by putting it beside the wall, because its amusing to watch him get annoyed and move it back lol. (its not mean, he loves to shove things around the cage anyways, he is one of those "rearranging" pigs.

I find that if my boys are in the upstairs loft, they dont run away. I can reach in and pet them, pick them up and snuggle them, no issue, but if they are in the main cage, its a free for all trying to get them out of there lol, Marbles will go up into the loft if he is willing to be picked up.

 

[Jared Hoekstra]

I am trying, but whenever she sees my hands she runs away and hides. She wont even eat out of them yet. She comes to sniff but seems uncertain.

 

[Jared Hoekstra]

Also, i can only pick her up when her hideing house is out. she imediantly runs to it, but i take it out because i really need to clean the cage.

 

[alfonzpig]

This is normal. You have a new pig.

It takes time for them to feel comfortable with you. It takes time and patience.

I have had Alfonz since March, and he still hates being picked up. I find he is a little more calm about it if I can get a hand under his belly, and one under his bum, they really dont seem to like any part of their little bodies to hang unsupported.

Be calm with her, like I said you could stop picking her up, and just get her used to your hands in the cage, sit and read her a book, sit and tell her about your day, put your hands in the cage, be calm, dont try and pick her up every time your hands are in there, sometimes just reach in to move her bowl, or move her house to the other side of the cage, sit with your hands in there with some tasty vegetables. Guinea pigs require patience, patience and more patience. Imagine you were the pet of something 32 times your size, you would likely run away too, until you grew accustomed to things.