Bonding How often do you hold your pigs?

[schmellie]

When I clean the cage, I pick them up. Otherwise, it's up to DD to pick them up when she sees fit. There is no rhyme or reason. They are very skittish when we try to pick them up. However, once we have them in our laps, they are soooo calm.

They did get a lot of love this past weekend as my DD had a sleepover. They were out of the cage more than in the cage (except at nighttime.) A funny story - one of the girls pick up Chrysanthemum in a cuddle cup to show her mom before she left out house. Well, the girl put Chrysanthemum back in the room where the cage is, but NOT in the cage. I did not discover her until a few hours later. Chrysanthemum had been sitting in her cuddle cup for several hours. I was so surprised that she didn't bolt out of the cup and onto freedom (or at least cover!)

 

[joanna1029]

I try daily but sometimes its hard. Mine aren't used to me yet either so its not a completely fun experience. They do take food from my hand though and let me rub them.

 

[Red5Iam]

I try to hold my girls every day. It doesn't always happen, of course, but when I can I hold them. Ivy is content to be held for an hour or two, but generally starts to get vocal or give me a little nip (not in the least bit painful, just enough to say "Hey I need your attention for a second") when she's ready to go back. Harley is good with lap time for about 20 minutes and then just wants to go back to her cage. I've only had Phantasm for a few days, so I'm not really sure with her. She is content to have lap time, but the time she gets tired of it and ready to go home changes daily. For example, Monday she was contentedly sitting in my lap for almost an hour. Yesterday she was over it about 15 minutes in and started back to the cage.

I'm still too scared to try lap time with more than one pig at a time. I have a small lap and they all want different amounts of time.

I hate days where I don't get my time with them. After a long day at work I really just want to go home and cuddle my girls.

 

[Izuro]

Almost every day...and floor time as well. I think it's a great bonding experience to sit with them during floor time. Once they start to trust you they will crawl into your lap and run around you.

 

[MoinkMama]

3-4 times a week usually. My kids love to hold them too so when they are out they usually get to cuddle with a few different people.

 

[spudsthepiget]

I try to hold each one for 30 minutes every day, but I don't always have time on the weekends. Whenever I don't hold them, I try to give them floor time

 

[Artista]

My girl doesn't really like to be held. It was a nightmare when I first got her. She came from Petco from an aquarium alone for I don't know how long. After working with her a loooong time, she finally trusts me and even won't hide when a visitor comes in. She'll let my friend pet her head which was no way ever before.

The only way I can get her to stay on me for a decent amount of time, like 20 min to an hour, is if she's getting ready to doze. Only then I won't get her biting my shirt or huffing. When it's hot, I don't hold her. Too warm and more so for her. Otherwise I strive for once a day, sometimes twice when she's sleepy so I don't get the put me back signals.

I think I've got all I can from her unless when she gets old she gets more snuggly. She's almost 2 now.

 

[Artista]

I will add that Mooshy has come a loooooooooooooong way. When I first got her, she was hiding all the time. It took a couple of months for me to be able to move slowly and not have her flee. Now not only can I walk fast, reach in and vacuum her fleece while she's eating in her kitchen and all but so can my friend! When she comes over, Mooshy no longer runs with this person she sees maybe a couple times a month. She sits there while my friend pets her head. I never would have thought she'd become so tame and fearless. Sometimes I try to shew her away to get around something and she doesn't move with that either! I love her more than ever with her being so trusting and loving to me. When I call her name she comes, and her cute chatty noises are heart melting! Now if I can only get her to not flee when she knows I want to pick her up...... That's the only time now days that she flees me is when the hands come like within a couple inches of her cute body.....

 

[CavyEngineer]

We try to hold the girls once per day, even if it's only for 5 minutes. We spend more time sitting by the cage or playpen talking to them. And they hate to be picked up. They'll squeal like bloody murder...

 

[Artista]

We try to hold the girls once per day, even if it's only for 5 minutes. We spend more time sitting by the cage or playpen talking to them. And they hate to be picked up. They'll squeal like bloody murder...

My girl did too. She doesn't love it but working with her for so long and not letting her get the upper hand all the time helped. Getting her up when she's sleepy is the best. If she's really rattled, it won't be for long because she's sleepy and she'll eventually lie down and snooze. Just need to figure out when it's ok to kind of force it and when it's not a good time. I started off with her being on my lap but now she wants to be up on my chest almost under my neck. She'll start off a bit lower but over time she inches her way up to where we are almost nose to nose. So cute! Was worth the struggle and cries to get her over the hump of being glued to her cage.

 

[mmas4]

1-2 times a day for the pigs that needs meds. 3-4 times a week to check for any health issues (lumps, hair loss etc). Other than that I don't handle them much but I do pet them while they are in the cage. Especially while they are eating veggies. They will usually just sit there and don't seem to mind.

 

[ginipigsinspace]

I almost always hold my boys every day. In fact, if I don't hold them every day they seem to get pouty, like they think they did something wrong. That said, they still run and squeal while I am trying to pick them up.

 

[maddy harper]

i have issues with picking my two up tbh but once their in my arms their all right. they like being stroked and they have different textured coats from each other
i can tell them apart from their vocalities when their in their cage and when its floor time.

 

[maddy harper]

spike gets a bit fidgety when he's being held so i don't get to hold him for a long time until he trys to make a brake for it
and he is fast!!!

 

[guineapigmama14]

My two girls are progressing there are days when they will allow me to pick them up then there are other days where they run. it depends on the days really with mine but i try to as much as possible

 

[Artista]

Now that it can be very warm, some days I don't pick her up. She's on her ice mat or downing her ice water and if I'm warm, I can't imagine anyone holding me, let alone a gp who runs warmer than us.

 

[Artista]

My two girls are progressing there are days when they will allow me to pick them up then there are other days where they run. it depends on the days really with mine but i try to as much as possible

I just chase my girl otherwise I will never ever get to hold her. Once I get her after a bit of huffing she settles in just fine. If she's really putting up a fight then I'll put her back. I just know when it's ok to force it and when it's not. Otherwise she would never be held.

 

[Wheekloudly]

My pig LOVES to be held. We take naps together and if she had to pee or poop she jumps off my bed and crawls into her cage to go potty and it's adorable! But then she had to wake me up by squeaking. I try to hold or cuddle Molly everyday for 15 minutes or more. If she sees me and wants me to get her, she'll be waiting by the gait watching me.

 

[Artista]

I got Mooshy when she was 6 months old from Petco before I knew better. I would think if you get a baby from a warm loving rescue where they are handled, you'd end up with a snuggly gp. Or I've heard older gps have slowed down and they become complacent. Mooshy is 2 so I guess we'll see when she is old if she doesn't run when I try to get her.

 

[Rywen]

@Artista most piggies will always run when you try to pick them up. I wait until mine are in their cuddle sacks and pick the whole thing up so they don't get stressed about it. Then I give them a treat (veggie) to reinforce being picked up is good.