why my guinea pig run away from me?

Question

I BE IT LIKE YESTERDAY BUT THEN 2 PEOPLE TOLD ME NOW YOU CAN TAKE THE PIGGY OUT NOW BOT WHEN I TAKE IT OUT IT KEEP HIDE IN THE DARK PLACE LIKE UNDER THE BED AND CAN YOU TELL ME AN IDEA FOR THE GUINEA TO LIKE ME

Answer 1

Guinea pigs are prey animals. It is their instinct to run and hide from anything that scares them. Right now, YOU scare your pig because he's not use to you.

Try not to make quick sudden movements around him. Always move slowly and talk softly so he can see and hear you coming. This way he won't be surprised & try to run.

Also try having a little "snack" in your hand when you approach him. Have a baby carrot or a sprig of parsley for him to munch on while you pet him.

I cannot stress enough that building a relationship with your pig takes TIME. Be patient and it will get better. It will take several months before your piggie learns to trust you.

Answer 2

Take a look a http://www.guineapigcages.com/ this page has a lot of really good info on it.

The best thing to do for a new pig is to hold it a lot. Get a nice soft small blanket and carefully (with both hands) pick him up and hold him whenever your sitting still for more then five minutes.

The best time I found is when I watch TV. I get a cup full of veggies or fruit and get one of the pigs out and set them in the blanket on my lap and feed them when I'm watching TV or also when I'm on the computer.

With many of my rescue pigs they were my best friend within just a few hours of this.

Make sure that you always have food in his cage, and that he'd got plenty of room to run around. Also the cage should be no lower then three feet off the ground, higher if you can. I've found that the guinea pigs I keep in the higher cages (ones that are eye level) aren't at all afraid of me.

Don't give him hiding holes or anything like that for the first few months as this makes them think they can just run away and hide from you. Only let them have a hiding place once the pig is fully ok with you and doesn't run away when you pick it up.

When you pick it up also try having something for it to eat right there, it makes them happier to think that a hand lifting them off the ground is equil to fresh food. They'll want to be picked up within just a few times.

Answer 3

Building a relationship with a guinea pig takes time. They are prey animals, in the wild big animals come from the sky and attack them. Now at the moment you are the big animal coming from the sky. Put your hand into the cage but try to do it from a horizontal level (remember if you do it vertically you scare them because it reminds them of a bird), make each move slowly. Continuously talk in a quite but calm voice and make sure you have a treat like a sprig of parsley handy.

Once you have caught your guinea pig (you may have to block of sections of your cage) hold him to your chest and soothingly talk to him. The first time that you do floor time he will probably do nothing, just sit there or like you said he hid under your bed. That is because the bed makes him feel safe, what you need to work on is making the guinea pig feel safe with you. This means that every day, twice a day for about 10 minutes to start with, you need to hold him with a food treat. Do it in a quite room and make no sudden movements. Sooner or later the guinea pig will associate you and food, and sooner or later your guinea pig will come to you for cuddles.

It will take some time but I highly recommend that you stick to it because it is worth it.

Answer 4

okay i have a hamster and this worked and i figure it might work on a guinea pig too. try putting food in its cage when its around to allow it to see your hand, therefore in time it'll figure out that the hand its running away from also feeds it, try talking to it at the same time so it can get familiar with your voice. this can take a while but it should eventually realize that your their to help it not to hurt it and it'll grow to trust you

again this is how it works for a hamster but i figured you could maybe give it a try

Answer 5

You need to give your guinea pig time to adjust to you and its new home. He should not have free run of the house until you can hold him and pet him without him getting scared. Offering food by hand can help. So it can get exercise, fence off a small area of the house so he cannot get lost or stuck somewhere. Make sure to put out lots of toys and treats so he's not bored.

Answer 6

Its probably afaid of you!!!I have two guinea pigs and when i first got them they would do the same thing.Just take them out of there cage once or twice a day and hold them they should get used to you eventually if you are holding them right!! Wish you the best!!

Answer 7

Don't worry my guinea pig runs away from me too, the best you can do is to catch him/her and hold it so it know you don't mean harm. It's afraid and isn't sure if your going to hurt him/her or not. It takes time, so don't panic if it takes a few weeks.

Answer 8

When you reach for your piggy to go and pick it up move in slowly and when you do have it hold it on its back and on it bottom , it makes them feel safe.

Answer 9

That is their natural instinct. They are prey animal in the wild and they will be scared of someone 20 times their size. Just show him you wont hurt him and soon he should be fine. I own 3.

Answer 10

you need to handle the guinea pig, don't let it out of your sight...the guinea pig will eventually warm up to you.