I know you are excited because you’ve just bought your first little guinea pig and brought him home. Your probably so excited that you just can’t wait to pick him up and cuddle him. However much you would like to do this it’s not a good idea right now.

Think about it a minute, your new pet is in a new home and environment and he is probably somewhat scared right now. If you pick him up and cuddle him it’s just going to make him even more scared. Give him time to get acquainted with his new home and surroundings, as well as get used to you!

After he has had time to get familiar with his new surroundings and new life in general then you may pick him up. When you first bring him home it’s a good idea not to make any sudden noises around him as well. I’ve included some tips below for you to check out about what to do after bringing him home.

Tips:

At the time you bought your new guinea pig you probably as well bought him a new cage as well. If you haven’t set the cage up yet now would be a good time. I hope you have already done this before bringing your new guinea pig home however. It is important for your new pet to have a place to hide and a space that is his alone.
I know your going to be tempted to hang out around his cage watching him after first bringing him home, but this is also not a good idea. If you shadow every move he makes you will continue to scare him and I know this is not what you want to do.
Instead of shadowing him from up above it would be a better idea if you kneel down to his level next to his cage and watch him playing. This will show your new guinea pig that you can be trusted around him. You do not want him thinking you are the enemy.

Bribing your new guinea pig:

Just as with young children bribery is one of the easiest ways in which to gain your pets trust. This will show your new guinea pig that you want to hold and cuddle him. In case your wondering what to bribe him with the best thing to use is treats. All guinea pigs have special things they enjoy eating so you have lots of bribing tools at hand.

The best ways in which to bribe?

Whatever you decide to bribe your guinea pig with take a couple seconds to show them the treat. After they have seen the treat and possibly smelled it then lay it down on the cage floor and step back away from the cage. Kneel down close to the cage door and wait patiently.
If after a few minutes your new guinea pig has not taken the treat then carefully pick it up and remove it from the cage. Close the cage door and walk away going about your own business. You might have to do this several times a day at first until your new pet figures out what you are wanting him to do. At this time he might actually come to the door to take the treat from you.
Each time your guinea pig comes to the cage door you might move a little closer to him. This way he will get used to you being there close and slowly will get closer to you.
At first he will be somewhat shy about it but eventually he will learn to accept your presence and take the treat right out of your hand. In fact he will start to get excited upon seeing you enter the room and might jump and dance around.

Picking up your guinea pig

It’s important to know that you never use treats as a way to pick up your guinea pig. This could cause the guinea pig to have trust issues with you and damage your new relationship.
It’s best to gain his trust by cuddling with him. Continue showing him that you are a friend and not the enemy.

Holding your guinea pig pets

It’s important to be very careful when picking up your new furry friend. Remember how small they are and that you could accidentally harm their breathing if you do not handle them gently.
Very gently place your hand under his stomach while at the same time supporting his back as you help him up. Again, never hold him to tight but always hold him gently.
If you have a young child in the house it’s always best when letting them hold the guinea pig to be present or have another adult present when this happens. This way you can rest assured that they will not be dropped or squeezed to tightly.

Getting your guinea pig to relax

The first several times you pick up your guinea pig for cuddling it is a good idea to do so in a quiet room free of distractions and noises. Have your treat ready and see if you can get him to take it while sitting on your lap.
If you have and show patience to your new pet then after a while he will start to take the treat when he sees you are showing him love while doing it. Again, he will become excited when he sees you at the end of the day or anytime you walk into the room.

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