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Behavior Doesn't like being touched?

jayx2

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Posts
18
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
18
I got my two guinea pigs back in November 2008 Peanut was only 4weeks and Tico was about a year old.(What I was told)

I got them from a friend of a friend of a friend, because she was giving them into a rescue so I thought I'd take them and do something nice as I was looking to get guinea pigs for a while. So I have no idea what type of housing they had, handling or anything like that. I don't think it would have been great as my Tico didn't even have a name?! I'm not sure if he was used for breeding purposes or anything.

So the point of this thread is that he really doesn't like being handled and it makes me feel awful, no matter if its me or my boyfriend he starts doing the high pitched scared noise and most of the time tries to bite:sad:. I talk to him softly and I've tried all the things it says on this site like feeding him from my hand, spending more time in the cage with them like cleaning, placing hay and food. He seems alright but is really jumpy when I touch him and tries to escape from my hands when I'm holding him. They are currently just at the end of their treatment for mites so I'm thinking its nothing to do with mites or anything as Peanut is fine being handled and petted. So really I'm just looking for a little more help if anyone can.
 

tehdoc809

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Posts
395
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
395
Every cavy is different, some enjoy being held and petted and others just want you to feed them and leave them alone. If you already treated them both for mites and the vet doesn't think that there could be any injuries that could also be hurting him then there is always the possiblity that tico simple doesn't want to be handled. It could also be that Tico, being the older pig, isn't as trusting as the little one would be since he was younger. So tico simple might not have warmed up to you yet. It could also be that he doesn't like where you are touching him or the way you are picking him up. But there is always the chance that he will never just let you pick him up.

I have 4 pigs, 1 of which I've only had for a little over, well close to 2 months now. The other three i've had for over 8 months. Out of all four, only one of the sows I've had lets me pick her up and wont run away, all of the others run and hide unless I have food. They simply don't want to be picked up.
 

jenniwat001

Well-known Member
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Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Posts
245
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
245
If they were being treated for mites then you picking them up would have hurt them and so they now associate picking up with pain. Keep trying and feed them whilst they are being held eventually they will associate picking up with nice food. Ours do now but it took ages!
 
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