Screaming....

[dextersmycutegp]

Ever since I got Holly (5 months ago) she's been really worried about being picked up. I even have a petstore cage inside her cage to corral her when I need to pick her up. She has long hair so I have to pick her up and brush her every day.
She has started screaming like I'm killing her every time I start lifting her up into the air. She is a drama queen...but I REALLY feel bad when she screams. When she was pregnant (I got her pregnant from a petstore, I will never do that again..) She was fine with being picked up, but now it's a different story.
She loves people when she isn't being picked up and I can also pet her inside her cage without a problem.
How can I help her like being picked up?

[aqh88]

Has she been treated for mites? Usually when they start complaining about being picked up or touched it's because of mites. Licorice though has always been that way. We've had him nearly 2years and he still let's out a yell when you scoop him up out of the cage. Some of them just never get over that reaction.

[dextersmycutegp]

She hasn't been treated for mites, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't have them. She isn't having hair loss, I don't see any little bugs or abnormalities, and the other two guinea pigs she shares a cage with don't show any signs of mites that I know of....

[Mazzy1893]

You might want to go ahead and treat them anyway. I have never had any personal experience with mites, but many on this forum have and from what I have gathered, treating them cannot hurt the pigs, only help. You can get the specifics from a mod and they can help you figure out the dosages. It can be somewhat expensive (I think) but it seems well worth it. Good Luck!

[fourbwabbys]

Spaz is the same way. She's mite free, it's just the way she is. I have to chase her in a corner and when I pick her up she screams on the top of her lungs. But, she's fine once I'm holding her. I would probably treat for mites to be sure, but if that's not the case, it's probably just her temperment.

[JennG]

First of all, you can't see mites with the naked eye and secondly, she may not lose fur from them. I would say to treat to be on the safe side. But I have a girl, Mia, that wheeks if you try and touch her as well. She'll take off running if I get too close. But she's always been that way. Poor baby. She wheeks when I comb her hair. She wheeks when I try and pet her. She wheeks when the wind blows. I think time and patience may help to ease her wheeking or it could just be her personality.

[dextersmycutegp]

How do I treat them for mites?

[chisky]

I had a problem with my piggy biting me everytime I tried to either take him out or put him in the cage. I built him a new cage, and he hasn't bitten me since. I can't figure out exactly what the difference is, but maybe it is the way the pig is picked up, perhaps it feels insecure, or it is seeing things at a bad angle or something.

I haven't changed the way I pick my pig up that I can discern, but to a little animal like a pig, a slight difference to me might be 30 times greater to a pig that is 1/30 my size.

[pennick]

Most piggies hate being lifted up in the air. Have a towel handy so when you grab her you can place her on the towel and can wrap her, then lift her up.

[JennG]

You can check how to treat here: http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html Good luck. I was a nervous wreck the first time I did it but they all survived.

[dextersmycutegp]

Well, on that page it tells me to talk to a certified exotics vet and none of the vets that are near me, supposedly certified, know very much about guinea pigs.
My piggies weigh: 2 pounds 6 ounces, 1 pound 13 ounces, 1 pound 4 ounces and 1 pound and 10 ounces. Does anyone know the right doseage for them? Thanks for being so helpful!

[JennG]

If you go to this link, http://www.guinealynx.info/ivermectin_treatment.html on the right hand side it has what kind you may use. I've only been able to find the horse paste to mix and use. You can find the Ivermectin at your Farm & Fleet type stores. Any place that sells horse supplies should have some.

[Rachy1412]

Ever since I got Truffle she has screamed when I pick her up. It's like she thinks I am going to eat her, but yet she is the most confident pig out of my lot!

[dextersmycutegp]

Same with Holly!

[jdomans]

Skunky acts as if I am going to chop her head off, but once I get her, she enjoys the cuddling. None of the others scream like she does.

[KjerstiMoo]

How about having a treat ready for her when you pick her up? That would probably make her more cooperative