Just got two baby guinea pigs! Taming tips pls

[threecurrantbuns]

This is new on me read lots but first hand experience needed.

When I attempt to pick one up they skit all over the place which makes me jump. Doesn't help I'm sure!

Any advice, would like them to calm a bit before the children hold them

I know ratbag indeed, I was sat consoling my dd explaining how we proc would be able to get him back, than dh turned up arms scratched to pieces with the little wotsit.

Got an octagon shape run yesterday so dds could sit in it to hold the guineas was so much more relaxed as I knew they couldn't escape! Those guinea beer look good atm we are using towels, think I'll have to wait a while for the beds, dh is still coming to terms with the small fortune spent setting up for the little guineas he was set on another dog over the pigs and has already moved that it would have been cheaper lol.

And easier... I say that while looking at my extremely well trained well behaved mutt, not a playful puppy. Are guineas temperaments based on their type?

Ps dh was scratched to pieces from the climbing through conifers not from the guinea.

Hi threecurrentbuns, I can second the cosycavies snuggle beds they're great. If you don't fancy paying out then you can make your own out of old fleece baby blankets or from the pound shop. You could also use an old pillow case, allow the piggies to climb inside and then scoop them up for lots of lovely cuddles and happy pigs. Btw i also find red eyes a little un-nerving!!!!

threecurrantbuns your post about the escapee reminded me of an experience with one of my guineas when I was a kid...scurried away and squeezed himself under the fence and we also got scratched to smithereens trying to get him back! (we did though eventually - and this was a very calm adult boar who just panicked for some reason). The things we do for these pigs

I don't know whether guinea temperaments are based on type, tbh. Admittedly I've only ever had smooth-haired or Abyssinian breeds, but I've known calm and lively/skittish natures in both (although that said our gorgeously calm boar is a smooth haired ginger, and I had a smooth haired ginger girl guinea years ago who had a similarly lovely temperament, so maybe smooth haired ginger guinea is the way to go ).

I have heard about pink-eyed guineas having poorer eyesight, as 70 has said, but equally I've read about them having lovely natures, too. I am sure that 90% of your babies' skittishness is probably just due to them being babies and taking a while to settle. They really do calm down as they get to know you and their surroundings. Used to take me ages to attempt to catch either of our boys, and now they generally sit and let me pick them up from the cage with no fuss at all (they are 9m now and they were babies when we got them). Still play me up something chronic when I try to bring them in from the garden run, though!

I know what you mean about costs ramping up, though...I dread to think how much I have spent on guinea pig niceties since our two boars arrived. They are hopelessly over-indulged compared to the guineas of my childhood

IMHE the Abyssinians tend to be smaller than smooths (though our Himalayan sow was huge compared to her mate).
Her only female piglet (who we kept) was also Himalayan pink eyed and was one of the sweetest GPs in the world.

My GP1 is smooth haired GP2 is a fluffy sort-of-Abyssinian is much smaller and quiter, but I don't know if that's because he's the little brother out of the 2.

I had a Peruvian when I was 20- I didn't know she was till her fur grew.And grew!. She was never as nice as the others, don't know why. I spent more time with her, daily grooming, regular baths.

Maybe when they breed in these Fancy Breed characteristics, they breed out the esscence of what makes a guinea-pig ?

Both of mine are smooth.

One chilled and lazy, the other is scatty and a pain in the arse though I do luff him lots

I don't know much about the breeds the tri colour is def smooth and quite sweet.

The grey and white red eyed looks slightly more long/scruffy in the fur department, also less full looking, thinner face if that makes sense, if they werent brothers I would think he was half rat half guinea! Lol

our smooth has a little rat face.He looks like a Teddy Bear from the back though.
Our fluffy/rough coat little boy has a face like a porquipine -very short from ears to nose but long from nostril to top lip . (but thankfully no spikey quills) and little hedgehog legs.

They were hiding in a paper Primark bag , 2 little noses poking out when they heard dandelion leaves. Aaaahh !