unhappy guinea pigs

Question
We have just got 2 male sibling guinea pigs, they are about 18months old, and very sweet, however, I'm not sure about whether they are unhappy, or just settling into a new environment. we have had them about 4-5 wks now. they have a house with a run directly onto grass in the garden. (I move it every day so they have fresh grass everyday), they have drain pipes to run around in, this run is much larger than their previous home. However, they don't speak much, I have heard lots of chattering of teeth with each other, and one of them Ginger bareing his teeth at Nibbles. I go out every morning feed them fresh greens, carrots dried food hay etc, and i make sure i go and have a chat with them as often as possible during the day, Ginger is a bit more inquisitive than Nibbles and will eventually take a treat from me. My sister-in-law bred them, and they were housed in a hutch at night, and put out to grass during the day, I'm not sure that they saw anyone during the day, and maybe they are not happy or seem frighten and hide from us, is that because they are not use to seeing people all the time, they actually belong to my 9yr old daughter, I am encouring her to just go and talk to them, and not try and pick them up as they don't seem to like being caught, and run and hide in their bed, so am discouraring her from doing this, and just trying to give them treats and talk, but they just stay in their bedroom, or in a tube outside, as I say Ginger is more aminable than the other, when we have held them they seem ok, no chattering, and quite ok about having skin, coat feet etc looked at. should we just leave them alone, ie not pick them up but just chat too them for alot longer. and is the fact they seem a little fraut withone another because of the new environment. I had lots of pets as a child including a gp, but a lone one. we do have other pets here now a dog, 2 cats and lots of fish, and we really love the gps. maybe we have got them at too late an age for them to change homes, can you help pse, regards Sue.

Answer
Hi Sue

I think a lot of what you describe can be put down to the change in environemtn, including the teeth chattering.

Ideally, handling the pigs on a daily basis will make the pigs more tame over time. I had a pig that was very skittish and regular handling made him calm down a lot.

There is no reason to think that your boys are unhappy, just settling into a new environment.

Andy