Cleo won 't settle

[onyx979]

Hello everyone,

As i'm sure most of you know, i have 2 piggies, Silky and Cleopatra. Silky is very tame, really didn't take much work at all. She figured out, with in a week, that hands mean veggies and love. Cleopatra on the other hand, is sooooo nervous. She will not take veggies from my hands very often and if i want to pat her or give her lap time, its very stressfull for her and me. I feel that she needs lap/floor time, aswell as just being patted in her home. But in order to do that i would have to chase her, i can catch her if i corner her, but i feel cruel doing that, so will only do it once every 2 days to make sure that she gets her exerise. Please if anyone has any other ideas that aren't so cruel and terrifiing for my baby, i would be eternally gratefull. I have had both the babies on my lap at the same time, but Silky starting her dominance thing on my lap. So before anything got to crazy i placed Silky back and tried to give Cleopatra time with me alone. She won't sit still, she tries to hide from me every chance she gets. And she's fast!!!!

Your Friend in Cavy Care
Onyx

 

[Baby Bears]

Oh that can be so frustrating.

How long have you had her? It can take months and months to get them to warm up to you. You can try sitting next to her cage and just talking gently to her and not trying to touch her. Let her get used to your voice and start associating your voice with a gentle, peacful feeling. You'd be surprised how the piggies can differentiate voices and noises. One thing I did with Butter, who was quite shy, was to sit in a chair by the cage and lay my hand in the cage with veggies on it or near it. When he would eventually get up the nerve to come over, I wouldn't move, I would just talk gentle and let him smell me. It takes alot of time commitment, but he's great now. It took a couple of months to get him to trust me.

 

[onyx979]

WOW!!! a few months??!!! i've only had Cleopatra and Silky for about 1.5 weeks. Like i said Silky was "tamed" really fast but now that i know that the "norm" can be a few months i'm not going to expect to much to fast. I will take your suggestion and sit on the floor so that my face is piggie level and talk to her softly and offer her some veggies close to my hand. Thank you very much for your suggestion.

But what about floor time? how am i sopose to give Cleo her floor time without chasing her? Should i just forgo that idea for now?

Your Friend in Cavy Care
Onyx

 

[Baby Bears]

Yeah, a few months! Slap, Pennick, and others can attest to that. Pennick just had recent success with one of hers that was a little standoffish. She had the same problem with catching the pig for floor time. She may have good suggestions on that, maybe you could PM her?

I would just try to catch Butter for floor/lap time, but if he threw too much of a fit, or just seemed to stressed by it, I would leave him alone. When I would pick him up (after the great chase) I would stand right by the cage with him cuddled to my chest and supporting his butt and rub his head and quietly talk to him. After a couple of minutes I would take him over for floor time. I always took Peanut out first, since he was not so shy, to try and show Butter it would be okay. That way when Butter was put on floor time, Peanut would already be there to help calm him down. You could take Silky out first and that way Silky will be there to help Cleo calm down.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

Yes, one of my girls is SO skittish. SHe hasn't gotten any better in the two months I have had her- but it takes time.

 

[onyx979]

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your help. I;m going to combined the suggestions and see where it takes me. I might have to conseed (SP?) that Cleo might just be a shy piggie, just like there are shy people. But i will love her just as much as my extrovert, Silky, and pay her just as much attention. But it still might be to soon to tell. So i'm going to keep on tring to bring her around. Thank you again

Your Friend in Cavy Care
Onyx

 

[pennick]

Hi. Yes it took about 2 - 3 months for one of my piggy to relax during lap time. In the beginning all she did was wheek and wouldnt stay still. I just held her tight and petted her anyway, day after day, after day, after day. I would give her treats, talk to her, let her cuddle in a towel but she always had lap time whether she liked it or not. And always alone, not with my other piggy. And yes the worst part of it all is capturing them. I found a few tricks that made it much easier. I have a 2nd level with food on one end so when one goes to eat I take a piece of cardboard and poke it through the grid cornering her. She has nowhere to run to except in a cozy which she does. Then I just put my hands in and as she wheeks I pick her up. I am sure you can do the same in the lower level. Get a piece of cardboard that measures the width of the bottom and when she is in one corner place the cardboard in. It gives them less room to run in. Anyway, one day nickel wheeked and squirmed, the next she spread out on my lap loving every minute of lap time. So PATIENCE is the key and continue to give lap time, cooing to her in your special voice, she will come around.