my guinea pig, Lucrezia

Question
hi andy. i got a guinea pig yesterday. she is exhibiting some strange behavior. she NEVER comes out of her little hut and when i try to play with her or pick her up she jumps and becomes very scared. i'm always very gentle with her and always speak in a softspoken tone. is this typical for new guinea pigs? are they usually this shy?  
also she's sneezing a little bit. should i wait to see if it goes away or should i bring her to the vet now?
i'm very concerned about her behavior as she does not want to be touched at all.
i'm respecting her wishes, but i feel bad because she doesn't do anything all day long except sit in her dark box.

thanks.

sincerely,
tina  

Answer
Hi Tina

As with humans, your pig has to learn to trust you, so you will need to give her time. She will become more tame, give her time.

With regard to the sneezing, are you using wood shavings or sawdust as bedding? If so, I would change to shredded paper or hay ASAP and the sneezing should stop.

If you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to ask me.

Andy