Make Them Welcome Monday

Well whee have heard that two of our readers have recently brought home or will be bringing home some new little piggies this wheek. So whee wanted to give some advice and tips on how to settle shy new piggies. For other information and pieces whee have written on guinea pig care please click here.

Nacho when whee first brought him home

Firstly, like any pet, guinea pigs will take time to settle in their new surroundings; sometimes a bit more than you might think. So don’t forget that patience is a virtue! It can take months before they are relaxed with you.

Now whee know whee piggies are irresistible and impossibly cute but our first tip is that you should really try to resist handling us to start with. The minimum whee would recommend would be 48 hours before trying no matter whether they are from a rescue and have been regularly handled, or from a pet shop with minimal handling. They do need time to settle and adjust. After that there are a few different methods you can use for taming but they vary wildly so whee may do another post on that soon.

Our next tip is to give your piggies lots of hiding houses. These can be plastic pigloos, or cardboard boxes with holes cut in the sides. To start with your piggies will hide all the time and only sneak out to eat when they think there isn’t anyone around. Don’t panic if you don’t see them eating as they are fairly secretive. You can leave little treats to tempt them near the hideys and round the cage.

New piggies will be very shy

Another thing to do is try to make as many normal sounds as possible after a few days of quiet. You don’t want to tip toe round, gain their trust and then find it vanishes when normal things happen such as music playing or the telly being on. Just remember to talk to them whenever you are near the cage, whether it is to feed them or just in passing. This will help them to get used to the sounds of your voice and bond with you.

Next, as least to start with, you will want to move carefully and avoid sudden movements – guinea pigs are prey animals, and in unfamiliar territory you will find that their instincts on high alert. Make sure to kneel or make yourself as low as you can to to make yourself seem less threatening and like a predator about to pounce!

Whee are not sure if these tips apply to other animals but  whee want to know, what are your top tips for settling new pets?

 

Happy Monday efurryone

 

Nacho, Noah, Buddy & Basil

xxxx

ps. Whee will be adding this to the “Handling & Health” section of our guide, if you have any questions about piggies you would like to see answered please let us know in the comments, whee are happy to try to help answer them!

pps. Thanks for the great feedback of the new blog look. Whee wanted to complete the make-over for our 2nd Blogoversary which is just over a wheek away now. More on that coming soon!