Scared Piggie

[FemaleCheetah]

I put all 3 of my piggies together in their new C&C cage that I got in the mail yesterday and put together... anywas...

Flower is still freaking out whenever one of the other two pigs even comes near her. She is so afraid of them and all they do is sit next to her or walk by her and she freaks out making a scared piggie noise. She doesn't attack them or run away she just sits there wheeking at them and it gets higher pitched as they get closer.

I guess this is expected since she has never seen another guinea pig before.

What can I do to make her more comfortable?

 

[hueyeats]

Awwww... maybe she doesn't know that she herself is a GP???

If that is the case, try putting a mirror in there or even hold her up to the bathroom mirror with you holding her. That way she will put 2 & 2 together as she knows your face & scent. If she sees she looks like the others, maybe she'll feel more comfy???

I think that when a GP is the only GP in the family & have not been in touch much with other GP, they can sometimes think they are not GP but another animal they are close to.

I dunno, but just a hunch.

Do you know if she has mites that is painful when other so she is afraid of another GP touching her?

 

[FemaleCheetah]

No mites or anything. All 3 GP's got a clean bill of health from the vet and were quarantined from each other for several weeks before being placed together. I waited until I had their new C&C cage so that it was neutral territory and so no fights would break out before placing them together. So far no one is fighting but Flower is just so terrified. Honey & Twilight were cage mates already who I got together so they are already bonded. Flower doesn't freak out when I touch her just the other piggies. She is just so afraid of them. Maybe in time she will get use to them? I dunno. They haven't even been in the cage together for a full 24 hours yet so there is still lots of time for them to get to know each other. Also Flower was in a tiny 27"long and 17"wide cage for most of her life so maybe this large cage is a little frightening to her? I dunno.

 

[plopper]

I would be inclined to just let them be, It can take days or more for pigs to settle into a new environment and get used to new cage mates, so long as she has a hidey to retreat to and noone is being threatened or hurt things should be fine.

 

[BabyBellie]

I agree about the mirror thing. My cat stalks the mirror thinking there is another cat in there he can catch. It's really cute.
I would just leave them to get used to eachother. Most likely it's just a big change for her and she is a little unsure. My two girls have been together for a little over a month and they still just tolerate eachother. One thing that did help with my girls was a buddy bath. More so I think it was after the buddy bath, I wrapped them in the same towel and cuddled them while they felt safe and were side by side. Maybe holding them with her one at a time will help her as she isn't afraid of you.

Hope this helps.

 

[breezy2]

Did you read this before introducing? Guinea Pigs Social Life

Or maybe you have experience with intros. I don't know a lot about them, but I know that link has a lot of great information on it. I will be introducing my 2 sows soon.

 

[hueyeats]

Hmmm... do you also have enough hideys for all of them??? I think if you give a few more private space to call their own will help them be less afraid of another piggies' intrusion. Like if there is 3 pigs, get 5 pigloos?

My experience with the mirror is a positive thing though. I do usually pet my pigs in front of my big bath mirror & get them close up so they try to sniff the mirror image of themselves. I also watch GP youtube with my piggies to let them familiarize the pig sounds with other pigs... one of my constant fav. are the "chirping" vids of the GPs. My GPs do tend to listen quite intently to those (again, my haunch but since I am human & not a GP, I won't know for sure).

What I do know is that my GPs are never shy around each other or me... again I only know & have so far experienced positive effects of my GPs.

I do handle my GPs alot though, like at least 3-6 hrs playtime per day.

 

[FemaleCheetah]

hueyeats - If I were to get 5 pigloos they wouldn't have any space on the cage floor to run around... that is a lot of hideys. Right now I only have 2 but I ordered a grassy hide for them because I know if there are 3 piggies you want at least 3 hideys. If I can get them to use the upper level loft then I can always add 2 more hideys up there but so far they will not go up to the 2nd level. I am working on getting them to use it though so hopefully they will then I will def. add more hideys.

My cage is a 2X4 right now with a 1X2 upper loft. After the holidays it will become a 2X5 or a 2X6... I am aiming for a 2X6 though but it all depends on if I can find the right amount of extra coroplast or not. I do have extra grids to make it just need to find the coroplast.

breezy - Yes I did read that and I did do the intros correctly. No one fought or is being dominate. It is just that Flower is so afraid of the other two GPs. The two 9 month olds are litter mates so they are very bonded and get along great. Flower has been an only pig all 3 years of her life and has never seen or been around another pig.

I am just going to give them time to settle in. Flower is eating so I am not to worried. I have seen her eat veggies, pellets, and hay so as long as she is eating and not being injured I am happy. I am hoping in time that she will warm up to the others and enjoy their company.

 

[dra&pigs]

It took my boys nearly 2 months before they stopped fighting (not blood-drawing, but lots of dominance and bullying on Jeter's part) and get along. If Flower has never seen another pig, she's probably just overwhelmed (new pigs, new cage, new enviroment) and needs time to adjust.

 

[plopper]

In order to get them to use the upper level, have you considered placing the veggies up there, Thats how I've always coaxed reluctant pigs to use a ramp.

 

[breezy2]

Is the ramp to your upper level maybe too steep? I know Tess would not use her upper level at all, until I built her a stair case out of bricks. She was afraid of the ramp and it wasn't even steep or slippery. I think some cavies are more hesitant than others when it comes to going up ramps.