Behavior Effective way to make piggies less scared when picking them up?

[douglas.lee1993]

Hi I was just wondering if this would work, if you would put your piggy on you lap and pick them up and then after words give them veggies and then repeat the proccess. Would this be an effective way of getting the piggie more comfortable with being picked up?

 

[acydrose]

Feeding them veggies is a good way to bond with them and get them to enjoy lap time, but a lot of pigs don't actually like getting picked up. The big human hand reaching into the cage to touch them and bother them freaks them out. Over time they may become less stressed over it, their heart rate won't pick up as much. But there's still gonna be nerves, its their instinct. Whenever I pick up my boys I put them against my chest with both hands so they feel more secure.

 

[douglas.lee1993]

ty for the reply, any idea if the method i posted would actually work ?

 

[sdpiggylvr]

It's hard to say if it would work for certain because it mostly depends on the guinea pig. They all take different amounts of time to trust humans, and sometimes they never get used to being picked up. A lot of guinea pigs enjoy lap time, just not the part where they get picked up. Like @acydrose said, feeding them veggies through the bars of the cage or from above or while in your lap is a good way to help them bond with you. Mostly, though, it just takes time for them to come to terms with their new environment, schedule, and family.

Good luck!

 

[VictoriaG]

Hello,

I think there are ways that you can try and get your piggies a little less afraid but I think it is as the other replies have said that mostly they will never be completely comfortable with the picking up process. I have been very lucky with my adolescent Megpig, I have spent a lot of time sitting by the cage and talking to her, hand feeding with what I have found she likes and also I spent quite a lot of time with my hand just hanging into the cage area without food as I was worried that if she only ever saw my hand with food that my fingers would be eternally nibbled. Just leaving my hand there empty allowed her (and the other two I have) to sniff and get used to it without the unpleasant part of being picked up. It's not made the picking up part much easier although she's less jumpy than she was, but she's more than happy (if she's in the right mood) for me to drop my hand in and give her a pet or a tickle behind the ears .

 

[Varcoda]

that method doesnt work, at least not for my piggies. i pick them up everyday and bring them to sit on my lap for a pile of veggies. BUT if you follow conditioning theory, what's needed is them being fed IMMEDIATELY upon picking up if you want it to work.

at least the piggies are immediately interested in veggies when they are on my lap XD

another good way of picking them up is to use a snuggle sack. just shoo them into one and pick the whole sack up

i've read somewhere that someone has taught the piggies to put their paws in her palm to make it easier for them to be picked up, maybe that would work. again you need to have a nice bit of carrot to reward immediately

 

[Zubbus]

The "immediately" clause is interesting. But if I start feeding them when they are still struggling (although they don't struggle much anymore. Once I get a secure hold they know it's futile) it seems I'm teaching them struggling is getting them something.
I'm in the exact same place as the topic creator. It seems everyone agree it just takes time and depends on the piggie. But I will bear this in mind if look for things to vary.