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Frustrated Taming Problems

PBandO

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I've had my guinea pigs for a while now around a year whenever they have veggies in their mouth they're okay with being petted but when they don't they're always scared of me especially when I try to pick them up oftentimes when I come up to the cages they'll sniff my hand then see there are no veggies and walk away any help?

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NSPiggies

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Depending on your pig, it could take 1 week to 3 years (or longer) for him/her to be 100% trained. I've had mine for 2 years now and one of them lets me pick him up and pet him for a limit of 30 min at a time. The other I only take out when needed and while I continue to train him he can be out for around 5-7 min. I've come to the conclusion that he will always have trouble being picked up, no matter what. Chances are at least one of your piggies will be like this. When you are ready to start taking them out, I would recommend getting some sort of hide-out area with a bottom. Put some hay or fresh veggies in there and once they walk in pick up the home and set it on your lap. Starting out, you can pet them but don't directly pick them out and take them out of the home in any kind of way. When you first pick up your piggy, use a blanket or fleece so they don't have to come in contact with your skin right away. To feel how stressed they are, lightly feel under their belly or on their neck and check their pulse. As your guinea pigs get used to you, you can take them out for longer periods of time. Make sure no one else holds your pig when you first start out, they need to get used to you first. If you are not yet ready to take you piggies out, continue to hand feed them. Stick you hand in the cage, don't move it, and let them sniff you. Do not chase your piggy around the cage unless you absolutely have to. Spend time by your piggies often. This could be reading by/to them, singing to them, or even telling them about your day. This may sound strange but getting your pigs used to your voice is very important. Make sure you feed them everyday, since food is the key to their trust. If your guinea pigs still continue to not accept food from you, or don't come up to you when you approach their cage, you can turn on some relaxing guinea pig music from YouTube. This works incredibly well. Feel free to ask me any questions about this or another topic. I hoped I helped and I wish you the best of luck for you and your pigs!! :love:
 

NSPiggies

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I didn't go back and reread my response so sorry for any errors!
 

PBandO

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Depending on your pig, it could take 1 week to 3 years (or longer) for him/her to be 100% trained. I've had mine for 2 years now and one of them lets me pick him up and pet him for a limit of 30 min at a time. The other I only take out when needed and while I continue to train him he can be out for around 5-7 min. I've come to the conclusion that he will always have trouble being picked up, no matter what. Chances are at least one of your piggies will be like this. When you are ready to start taking them out, I would recommend getting some sort of hide-out area with a bottom. Put some hay or fresh veggies in there and once they walk in pick up the home and set it on your lap. Starting out, you can pet them but don't directly pick them out and take them out of the home in any kind of way. When you first pick up your piggy, use a blanket or fleece so they don't have to come in contact with your skin right away. To feel how stressed they are, lightly feel under their belly or on their neck and check their pulse. As your guinea pigs get used to you, you can take them out for longer periods of time. Make sure no one else holds your pig when you first start out, they need to get used to you first. If you are not yet ready to take you piggies out, continue to hand feed them. Stick you hand in the cage, don't move it, and let them sniff you. Do not chase your piggy around the cage unless you absolutely have to. Spend time by your piggies often. This could be reading by/to them, singing to them, or even telling them about your day. This may sound strange but getting your pigs used to your voice is very important. Make sure you feed them everyday, since food is the key to their trust. If your guinea pigs still continue to not accept food from you, or don't come up to you when you approach their cage, you can turn on some relaxing guinea pig music from YouTube. This works incredibly well. Feel free to ask me any questions about this or another topic. I hoped I helped and I wish you the best of luck for you and your pigs!! :love:
I know but unfortunately I have to take my Piggies out due to health issues so my sister who takes them out has to kind of try to chase them out of the cage I'm asking for cozy for Christmas so fingers crossed my parents will get it for me but if I get them in the right mood they let me take them out without an issue and let me pet them but when they're feeling super active they'll just run away


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CupcakeCavy

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I think you have to understand that guinea pigs are prey animals. They will naturally be afraid of you, and especially when you try to pick them up.

Try to think about it from their perspective, all they see is a big scary object coming to swoop them up just like a bird would. Some pigs will never be fully tame, and almost all guinea pigs hate being picked up.

To me it sounds like your piggies are pretty tame!
 

PBandO

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I think you have to understand that guinea pigs are prey animals. They will naturally be afraid of you, and especially when you try to pick them up.

Try to think about it from their perspective, all they see is a big scary object coming to swoop them up just like a bird would. Some pigs will never be fully tame, and almost all guinea pigs hate being picked up.

To me it sounds like your piggies are pretty tame!
Thanks

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Artista

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Gps are not dogs. Some may be friendlier than others. And they may have liked something done to them before but now they don't. I hope people don't withhold veggies and important things like hay to get them more tame.
 

spy9doc

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Feel free to ask me any questions about this or another topic. I hoped I helped

I admire your patience and restraint and your thoughtful suggestions, but my piggies would have never become tame with such a timid approach. And if you can calculate a piggy's pulse, you are more skilled than I......and I'm a doctor. A cavy's pulse is so rapid that it is difficult to accurately count it. I leave that to the Vet.

I disagree with you on a couple of points. Always hold your cavy next to you so that they learn that being cuddled on your chest is their "safe place". Cavies learn who you are by your smell, voice, and touch. One of my boys will fuss and fret and tug at my shirt if i'm wearing a zip neck shirt until I lower the zipper where he can come in contact with my skin. If anyone other than my husband or I comes into the piggy room, the boys immediately dive for cover. I try to always speak to them upon entering the room so that they aren't startled.

Handle them often........and a lot. If they give you signals that they need to go back to the cage for toilet needs, immediately honor that request even though they may occasionally be bluffing. I know my boys pretty well and can always tell if they want to go home. One of them will sit with us so long as we have time. The other gets restless and tired of lap time sooner and thus we take him back when he's ready to go home.

I find the key to having happy, confident and trusting cavies is to be very consistent with them. They need to feel secure and are creatures of habit. Always handle them carefully, being sure to hold them so that they feel secure. To the OP, it sounds as though you are not handling them enough. The behaviors you describe are absolutely normal for cavies. No matter how tame they may be, they are still likely to run when you attempt to pick them up. But, once mine are picked up, their entire behavior changes.
 

equinox96

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When they are young, they are much more skittish and apprehensive. You say you can pet them, have you tried petting them and them simply scooping them up? That's the way I pick up my boys. It works most of the time, when it doesn't I offer them something they can climb into like a tunnel or cozy then block the exits and pick him up.

A really good way to get them to bond with you and trust you is sit with them on the floor and entice them to climb up on you. During floortime, sit down calmly and put some veggies on your legs and they will (eventually) come up and climb on you. If they are not there yet, just sit there and give them treats to see if they'll come eat from your hands while your whole body is present...

Good luck and be patient
 

PBandO

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I admire your patience and restraint and your thoughtful suggestions, but my piggies would have never become tame with such a timid approach. And if you can calculate a piggy's pulse, you are more skilled than I......and I'm a doctor. A cavy's pulse is so rapid that it is difficult to accurately count it. I leave that to the Vet.

I disagree with you on a couple of points. Always hold your cavy next to you so that they learn that being cuddled on your chest is their "safe place". Cavies learn who you are by your smell, voice, and touch. One of my boys will fuss and fret and tug at my shirt if i'm wearing a zip neck shirt until I lower the zipper where he can come in contact with my skin. If anyone other than my husband or I comes into the piggy room, the boys immediately dive for cover. I try to always speak to them upon entering the room so that they aren't startled.

Handle them often........and a lot. If they give you signals that they need to go back to the cage for toilet needs, immediately honor that request even though they may occasionally be bluffing. I know my boys pretty well and can always tell if they want to go home. One of them will sit with us so long as we have time. The other gets restless and tired of lap time sooner and thus we take him back when he's ready to go home.

I find the key to having happy, confident and trusting cavies is to be very consistent with them. They need to feel secure and are creatures of habit. Always handle them carefully, being sure to hold them so that they feel secure. To the OP, it sounds as though you are not handling them enough. The behaviors you describe are absolutely normal for cavies. No matter how tame they may be, they are still likely to run when you attempt to pick them up. But, once mine are picked up, their entire behavior changes.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your advice, my Piggies thank you

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