Concerned about my new gps

[hillyhilly]

We've had them five days now and if anything they seem to be spending more and more time hiding in their igloo.
I think I'm probably being impatient, they are eating loads, weeing and pooing fine, enjoying a wide range of veg, they're not fruit lovers and we're getting to know them.
We've had a short handling session each day but the poor little boys seem so terrified of us, frankly at the moment I feel cruel having brought them here and scaring them by walking into the room, past the cage, opening the cage (to put more tasty titbits in). How long is it likely to take them to get a little braver? I put them on our stone floor this evening for a 'run' while I totally cleaned the cage, they shot to the nearest corner and didn't move until I lifted them back into the cage when I'd finished.

Hi hilly
I was reading a guinea site this evening (just checked back on it) Potteries Guinea-pig rescue and I noted on there they say give GPs 2-3 weeks to settle in. I was a bit surprised , ours haven't been that long , but you're still in early days.

Guineas are timid and they are prey animals (ie somethings lunch) so it makes sense that they'll scarper and want to be with each other.

When we got our Piglet in July he was so quick on his feet (we had a lardy adult . Piglet was bought to replace one of our boar pair who had died)

We cuddled him from day 1 though (I know my DD found him irresistable ) but he was a good, cuddly little Pig once we caught him
We always catch and release the bossy bolshy pig first. Then the timid one is reassured and more willing to be caught.

You might find it easier, when you want to catch them, to slowly remove all the hiding spaces. Then they'll probably run to one corner. You can deftly scoop them up. I always told DD not to chase the pigs at all (even though GP3 was a little zebedee who could leap 3' in a second). Put one hand in front, one behind and stop them.
They'll get used to it. But they'll probably still run every time.
Mine still do, GP3 is over 3yo now - but when they have a cuddle they sit nicely and snuggle up to us.
Maybe it's part of the game to them.

You can put all their houses back in different places to confuse them and keep them guessing

We've had ours since 1 st Dec and they spent the first few weeks terrified ( one of them was literally frozen in fear). We were so worried about them. 6/7 weeks down the line and they are so much more confident, I think it's finally clicked that we = food! Handling them with dandelions and fresh grass seems to have finally won them over. They still mostly scarper when we do come in but reading on here that seems their natural state to be fearful of danger.
Really glad they are inside as it has meant we spend lots of time popping in to see them and get that out every day. If they'd have been outside we'd have been less keen to spend time outside. Despite them pooing more than I could ever imagine, love watching them play, running in and out of tunnels and their little furry faces.
Was v brave and cut both their back nails tonight, couldn't manage the front ones seemed much more awkward so will try that another day! thanks so much for all the top tips guinea gurus!
Anyway, my advice ( and I'm no expert ) is, you'll be amazed what difference a few weeks can make, you sound just like I was a few weeks back and I was asking for reassurance here too.
Enjoy your new babies!

Hi, good to hear your pigs are settling Gingerbics. They really are lead by their stomachs

When our piglet was tiny, I was sort of wishing for him to mature and settle (he was a whirlwind) and poor GP1 was thinking "whhhhhaaaatttt" after his quiet brother.
Tiny GPs are fast, fragile , skittery with needle like claws. They are also the most adorable babies.
Now he's a good solid adult, I know DD misses the baby stage. But he's settled into a lovely companion for GP1.

hilly if you can , get a couple of fleece blankets to cuddle them in (or an old towel) . It makes the piglets feel more secure, makes them a bigger bundle to hold and is useful to catch the inevitable leaks

My boys are approaching 3 now and quite lazy but one of them still scarpers if we try to pick him up. Weirdly he's the one that snuggles the best when we've got him. Some are just more skittish than others.

Give them time and lots of bribes - GPs think with their tums. Once they realise that you = food they'll love you forever .