Chucklebunnies!

The same rules apply to all small animals, they will learn to trust you if you can make them feel safe, which means not threatened in any way. At this point they will stop biting you, running from you, leaping out of your hands etc. They will go to you willingly, happily explore your hands/clothes and appreciate your presence.

To make a small animal feel safe you have to help it to relax. Your voice and the way you use it is critical. Never squeak or use a high pitched voice. Too many bird predators have high pitched cries. Always use encouraging tones, it really doesn’t matter what you say, you could be reciting the phone directory, but you have to be encouraging. Imagine they are a small child and you are trying to get them to do something for you and make them happy. Keep your voice even, no sudden loudness and don’t let anyone else loom over your shoulder or talk across you. The animal needs to hear your voice alone, quietly, creating a link between you.

Body language is also important. Don’t ever be afraid, pretend confidence even if you don’t feel it, never loom over them and never approach suddenly or from behind. Your hand is huge compared to a hamster or a mouse and still pretty big compared to a piggie or rat. Move slowly, even if they bite you, they have to get used to you and feel no fear when in/near your hands.

Let the animal climb on you, explore you. They need to know you, your smell and breath, where your voice comes from and so on. Mice will hide in your hair and clothes, rats will explore you and then wash your scent off themselves. Hamsters will hide in your clothes and elbows and put piggies close to your face as they are happiest there. If you have a fast moving animal and aren’t certain you can keep their interest then sit in the bath maybe and have something they they can go and hide in next to you. They will come to you, just be patient and keep talking.

Some animals are more territorial than others, they just are. They may seem completely untamable, but use soft gloves to get them out of their cage (which they can bite) and then play with them on neutral ground. They will bite until they aren’t at home anymore, then they’ll settle down and start to be interested in their surroundings. Use the same gloves without washing them, the scent of the glove is important. That particular animal just can’t relax at home, you will always be seen as an invader, that’s all.

You don’t have to get them to associate you with food, but it can help. Feeding them tidbits from your hands can be marvellous fun, take care to make it part of their balanced diet.

Never stick a piece of your hand in the cage (eg a fingertip), never give up, always forgive them for biting you because they do it from fear and if you were afraid you’d have a go too.

Once you have established that you are safe, then start to examine the animal when you hold them. Look at tummies, feet, ears and so on. Parents always do this, you will be seen as another parent and it will help to build a relationship. Always support them with care, stop if you sense any fear or nervousness. It is hard to be patient enough sometimes, it takes real work to build a relationship but it is well worth it. To know that your pet sees you as a safe place, a refuge or haven, feels fantastic. They will reward you over and over for your efforts by simply being happy to be with you.

Guinea pigs can catch colds from people, especially as the cold virus lives on the palms of our hands which we use to stroke our piggies. So colds are always going to happen, even when your piggies don’t seem to have a source of infection you will pass them on. Guinea pigs sneeze as a matter of course anyway, it helps to clear their sinuses. So don’t assume that the first sneeze you hear is a cold. Giveaway signs are a wet, runny nose or soggy sneezes - you can see a mist emerge with the sneeze in fact as piggies don’t use hankies - wheezing breath and odd noises when breathing. Not all piggies make noises but some make very strange bubbly, gulpy or asthmatic noises. This is just because their airways are full of mucus.

To hear a guinea pig’s breathing properly, hold the guinea pig carefully, supporting it properly all the way along it’s tummy, and place it on your shoulder. Then put your ear to it’s side just behind the front leg and listen carefully, waiting for the piggie to stop chuckling (which is really loud). Never let go of the piggie. You will hear tummy rumblings, a good sign, and the heart beating which is much faster than ours. But any asthmatic sounding wheezes or difficulty breathing will be evident. I have found that listening like this to a piggie can tell me of breathing difficulties I can’t hear when they’re in my lap.

Mild colds can be left alone, just as in a human the piggie will recover. Make sure there’s plenty of fresh water available and keep them warm. If your piggie has a sore throat or is an older and more delicate animal then try warm water mixed with a ‘recovery’ food sachet which are available from vets. Mine are called ‘liquid feed for small herbivores’ and all of your piggies will happily guzzle it down. It smells like vegetable soup and contains essential nutrients which help them to get better. They tend not to find it as interesting if you make it with cold water.

Breathing problems can be solved two ways. The less intrusive method - use a few drops of olbas oil on a tissue and hold the piggie in a cuddle with the tissue near their face. Don’t put the oil on the piggie’s nose, it will irritate the skin. Remove it if the piggie gives a really big sneeze, this will have cleared the airways and eased the breathing, which is the best olbas oil can do. I use olbas oil as there is no menthol in it. I know from being a teacher that a lot of people don’t like menthol at all, it irritates them. So I apply that knowledge to other animals too as menthol is very powerful.

A more intrusive method is 0.2 ml of cough medicine - use a non drowsy type with a decongestant in. If you use just 0.1 ml then this dose can be repeated again later if needed. Any small piggies, use 0.05 ml. You have to swaddle the piggie and persuade the medicine in from a syringe, they need to swallow/lick it. I use Robutisson’s chesty cough medicine, and then only for bad colds. I’d rather not medicate if possible.

If the cold is really bad and the guinea pig is distressed with it then go to the vets. It costs, but I prefer the peace of mind. Chest infections can be nasty in any animal.

If you have any further tips to pass on, please comment.