behavior

Question
My daughter (14) just adopted a 9 month old male guinea pig (he's been with us just a few days).  She has trouble sometimes removing him from his cage to play with/hold him.  He gets very skittish & runs around the cage, not allowing us to pick him up.
I believe we have done everything right to make his new surroundings comfortable.  He came to us with his own cage & igloo.  We do have a cat, however, his previous owner said she also had a cat & dog.

Answer
Hi Monica,

Guinea pigs are skittish by nature, and even though he's not a baby, it will still take him a while to get used to his new environment and his new owners. Gradually introduce him to the idea of coming out for cuddles, and always approach him from behind. Guinea pigs are prey animals in the wild and if he sees two big hands coming towards his face, he will instinctively run away.

Some guinea pigs are always tricky to catch. One of my boys is 15 months old now and I've had him for a year, and he will still run around and hide in the sleeping area whenever I try to get him out! He loves cuddles and floor time though, I think it's just the being caught he dislikes.

Persevere, and with time it should get easier. Try to get your piggy out soon after he has eaten, when he's full and a bit sleepy, and less likely to run around like a mad thing when you open his cage.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions, just ask.

Jenny.