Small steps

Well as expected progress is slow. I can sometimes open the hutch and smooth both and they don't run. But both still tremble when held for more than a few minutes. Neither will eat any food on my lap - I discovered the fresh herb Dill yesterday - my house guineas adore it. I thought "right - now's my chance - they are bound to eat it on my lap" so I dutifully tried with each one and NOPE they didn't. I put the first guinea back into the hutch with her piece of dill and then tried the other one to no avail. When I put her back the other one had eaten her dill. She really DID want it.

I have moved all food to the farthest edge of the hutch away from where they sleep and they are still eating the food. Occassionally they will stay in the main bit of the hutch if I am out but rarely. They will if the children are out but not adults.

So it's small steps at the moment. Once they are totally lice free I plan on putting a couple of the house guineas in a run with them to show them how to behave a bit. They have wonderful grass in their run untouched. Maybe they will eat it if the others do. But that will have to wait until the weekend and a second shampoo with lice treatment.

Personally I think there is no hope of them coming around until they come indoors to live. I think a winter in a cage in the kitchen will ensure they tame and aren't so afraid of people. We are going on holiday for 6 days in a week or so and mum is here looking after the guineas. At the moment she can get away with just cleaning out the hutch bedroom and I don't feel I can ask her to catch and hold Bessie and Gypsy as she has no experience of guinea pigs. So they can't come inside to live for a few weeks but as soon as they can they are. End of September it starts getting cold in the night, no shed space, no hutch hugger going to fit the custom hutch so inside it is and i'm pleased. A winter indoors and I hope we will have cracked it.