Behavior: Will they ever be nice??

[MadandSoapy]

We adopted 2 piggies almost a year ago. They were in a tiny cage and we quickly built them a new one. We spend loads of time with them, chatting and feeding and floor play and the like. The kids (11 & 7) actually do care for them. The cage is in our "homework room" which is one of the most used rooms in the house and is at the center of everything. Trouble is...our piggies are still kinda jerks after all this time. The girls are getting frustrated because even after a year of having us pay loads of attention to them and being handled alot...they still want nothing to do with us! The minute a hand is anywhere near them, they scatter and hide! We've never been anything less then sweet and patient with them, and all they do is scream louder for food!

I always thought that piggies were social and sweet but...ours are kinda creeps!

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears...we'll try anything at this point.

[Paula]

They are neither jerks nor creeps - they're prey animals that will most likely always have a strong desire to run when a hand reaches in to take them out of their cage. No matter how accustomed they may get to you and your children, your home and your routines, they will likely always have an instinct to run and hide. It's merely their nature and certainly isn't because they "want nothing to do with" you or your family.

[fieryone]

We've had our first three for over a year now and they still run and hide, too. Once you get one of them then they're fine and social during lap time. Only one of ours is scared all the time, even during lap time. She won't eat anything from our hands or even move while being held.

Our newest one (a neutered male) is the most social. He's 2½ and comes right to the cage when one of us enters the room and only rarely runs when you go to pick him up. I think he's the exception to the general rule.

How are your pigs when you catch them and hold them for lap time?

[Tdchewy]

All of my piggies (6) all do the exact same thing. They run and scatter whenever you try to pick them up. I'm almost certain that this is the normal behavior being that they are prey animals. They don't dislike you, they are just really skittish animals by nature and think that they are constantly fighting for survival against predators.

[Peggysu]

They are prey animals, of course they will run. It takes them a while. I have a couple that will approach me when they are in the cage, but if I make any sudden movements, they run like wildfire.

It makes me sad that these cute creatures practically live in fear like a hawk is going to swoop down and eat them at any moments notice. It's their nature, they don't have a personality like a dog that would run up to you and wag a tail.

[JD In Van]

Piggies are a bit more skiddish around children too even patient, quiet ones. I can reach into the boys pen and Baby will stay still, he'll even come over and rub up against my hand (Buddy almost always runs though even when I wanna feed him), but even my brave little Baby won't do the same for my daughter despite the fact that she interacts with them way more then I do.

Once they're on the floor time they're much better with her but in the cage they scatter.

[heartpiggies]

They're not being "jerks" or "creeps" They're just being guinea pigs. You have to be very careful and creative with how you pet and pick up your guinea pigs. In my experience, for as long as you have them. I agree with the pp that they tend to be even more skittish around kids, even older ones. They just know LOL. I've had other pets that would run to the cage door to be let out whenever I walked by and, honestly, that can get pretty annoying. It seemed like I could never give my rats enough attention. They were always clamoring for more and it kinda made me feel bad. Gary is content to have floor time, a few cuddles and then keep to himself for the rest of the day.

I'm not sure if this will work for your piggies but what I do when I want to pet or pick up Gary is shoo him into his cuddle cup (which is half covered with a towel tent) where he feels safe and secure. Then I very slowly reach my hand in and begin petting him. Once he's relaxed and cooperating, I quickly (but gently!) grasp him under his arms with both hands and lift him onto my chest. I used to shoo him into his tunnel but I find that this works better because I can pet him too

[MadandSoapy]

When we pick them up - they freak out and scatter! The only time they don't, is in the summer when we take them outside. We have a huge corral that we put up for them to wander in (while being supervised of course) but it's about 20' accross. They are calm and happy to munch away on grass...but the girls have to sit at the opposite side and be perfectly still. Otherwise, they screach and scatter and look for places to hide and fight with each other if they can't! We expect them to be skittish...I just figured they would get used to us at some point. They're still sooper cute though! And the house would be pretty quiet without them! (The dog is terrified of them...and she weighs 120lbs! )

[lissie]

How big is their cage? Are you using c&c? Do they have lots of places to hide in their cage? Do you take them out for floor time and lap time everyday?
With my own pigs, I find that raising the cage to 2 grids high works very well and they are less skiddish. They still don't like to be picked up but will melt on my lap once they are out. Look in the hot tips section for easy way to pick them up.

[MadandSoapy]

Their cage is 2 grids x 5 grids, and it is up against a wall on 2 sides. I raised it up to 2 grids on the 3rd side, but the 4th is only 1 grid.

I know that one of them was previously owned at least twice, and we are the 2nd owner of the other...I guess they just need more time.

[lissie]

I mean if the cage is on the floor or on a stand. If the cage is on a stand you won't look like a giant to them. It also helps if you give them a small piece of veggie every time you walk by the cage.

[blackarrow]

Frankly, I'd run and hide every single time something about 80 times my size tried to grab me and lift me up, no matter how many times the huge thing was kind. It's totally normal.

[lissie]

These two threads will probably help with your situation.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...-elevator.html
http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...ared-pigs.html

[Wheekie]

I've had My Cotton for 5 years now and he still runs when I try to pick him up! He does nothing but act all lovey dovey when he's in my lap, but it usually takes me about 5-10 minutes to get ahold of him! It used to make me wonder if he would ever stop running, but after things I've learned from this site, I just know that if I was his size and saw two big hands coming at me, I'd run, too! Poor little guy-I stand real still and give him extra hugs when I first pick him up-make sure he knows it's only me and that he feels secure.

[MadandSoapy]

They are up on a stand, and we give them veggies almost every time we walk up to the cage. It's just that we can't even pet them, weather they are in the cage or on the floor! Picking them up is a battle that they obviously don't like, and then getting them up off the floor is a 2nd battle. We never expected them to hop into our palms, or roll over so we could scratch their tummies...but we can't even pet a nose. I'll read over the links that were posted and keep trying. Thanks for all the advice!

[Duffinvt]

Originally Posted by MadandSoapy

They are up on a stand, and we give them veggies almost every time we walk up to the cage. It's just that we can't even pet them, weather they are in the cage or on the floor! Picking them up is a battle that they obviously don't like, and then getting them up off the floor is a 2nd battle. We never expected them to hop into our palms, or roll over so we could scratch their tummies...but we can't even pet a nose. I'll read over the links that were posted and keep trying. Thanks for all the advice!

My girls are the same. My husband and grandkids would love to pet them, but that is not ever going to happen. They are OK until you try to catch or pet them, then they run like crazy. I think it really is just the nature of these little animals. Sounds like you are giving them a nice home and proper care. So enjoy them as they are. Keep working on hand feeding, etc. but sometimes you just have to accept things as nature intended, at least I am trying to. (But I do turn a bit green with envy to read of cuddly guinea pigs LOL)

[akstrohm]

Originally Posted by MadandSoapy

They are up on a stand, and we give them veggies almost every time we walk up to the cage. It's just that we can't even pet them, weather they are in the cage or on the floor! Picking them up is a battle that they obviously don't like, and then getting them up off the floor is a 2nd battle. We never expected them to hop into our palms, or roll over so we could scratch their tummies...but we can't even pet a nose. I'll read over the links that were posted and keep trying. Thanks for all the advice!

You can't expect them to. They are prey animals. If you want an animal who you can expect to sit still while you pet it and be picked up, you're best sticking with dogs and cats. Guinea pigs are prey animals and act quickly on instinct.

That said, if you approach your pigs many times a day, give them veggies by hand, and pick them up in the least stressful way possible, they are likely to get better. But you can't expect that--it depends on the pig.

[blackarrow]

I do manage under-chin-scritches with my boars sometimes. They'd much rather you approach them with the hands low than coming up over the top of them, for sure, and it also helps if you're holding cilantro. They're perfectly happy to snuggle once nabbed but I doubt they'll ever volunteer for it.

[heartpiggies]

Originally Posted by MadandSoapy

It's just that we can't even pet them, weather they are in the cage or on the floor! Picking them up is a battle that they obviously don't like, and then getting them up off the floor is a 2nd battle. We never expected them to hop into our palms, or roll over so we could scratch their tummies...but we can't even pet a nose.

Here's a pic of what I explained in my previous post (from the initial approach to full on ear scritches LOL). Gary feels most secure in his cuddle cup. This is the only way I can pet him in his cage or pick him up without chasing. He really enjoys it too! Guinea pigs are so silly.