Painfully Shy

Miss Piggy is our latest foster guinea pig from Dakin.  She's been with us about 10 days and is still terribly shy.  There's been some progress - she doesn't hide all day in the corner.  The hammock has become her favorite place to hang out.  Like every pig we've had stay over, she loves the third level.  That seems to be the prime spot, especially overnight.  However, Miss P only goes up there after I've covered the cage or if I've placed her up there.  She enjoys playing with the egg-cersizer, but won't let me watch.  I can only hear her bat it around after I've covered the cage.  

I managed to sit her out long enough to eat some corn husk.  But even that took some coaxing (it disappears much faster if no one is watching).

 

Miss Piggy is easy to handle (if I can catch her!) and has even relaxed enough to let me reach in and pat her.  She actually seems to like that.  We've even heard her babble while wandering around the cage.  Miss P sometimes take food from my hand, and other times not.  Everyday tasks, such as sweeping out the cage, can suddenly freak her out and I'm back to square one.  Frustrating!

This pig doesn't completely know how to guinea pig.  I think if she had a friend to show her how it's done, she'd relax more and start demanding food like a proper pig.  

This has been the toughest foster so far to acclimate to our household.  Most of our fosters started to make demands or assume that they were in charge within a week of arriving (a few knew where the kitchen was within 48 hours).  For now I'll shower her with love and food (which is really the same thing to a guinea pig) and see if I can change her attitude towards humans.