General When should I try to pick up Angelina? Confused..

[jayval]

Im on Day 3. She will allow my hand in her cage somewhat and has been eatting the veggies I leave for her. The more noise in the room, she seems to come out, roam arround, but with a different noise will run back in her hidey. Am I supposed to corner her and start picking her up, or am I supposed to get her adjusted to me by sitting outside the cage talking to her, slowly letting her take food from me, and waiting until she at least lets me pet her? Which coudl take a few weeks?? She is only 8-9 weeks old.

 

[jayval]

Ok, thanks...Some book I read jsut said that the pig should totally feel relaxed with me first and know me before attempting this everyday....

 

[foggycreekcavy]

I recommend holding them gently for short periods a few times a day at the start. And ditto ThePigAlchemist--my Kitty still runs from me at 6 years old, and I've had her since she was a baby. Try to pick them up firmly and quickly. The more chasing around the more scared they get.

 

[jayval]

I recommend holding them gently for short periods a few times a day at the start. And ditto ThePigAlchemist--my Kitty still runs from me at 6 years old, and I've had her since she was a baby. Try to pick them up firmly and quickly. The more chasing around the more scared they get.

I know I hate to scare her. She keeps coming out a lot now when my husband is typing on computer. She is so quick and fast I have no idea how I'm going to start catching her. I read all the stuff on forums though about trying to corner them etc. We will see

 

[jayval]

I don't see the need to wait. My boys are 3 years old (I've had them since they were babies), and they still run when I try to pet them in the cage. I doubt they'll ever stop. Regardless of how used to you guinea pigs get, they are still prey animals with instincts that will cause them to fear hands coming into their cage from overhead.

That's funny! With my last pig Twix, I could pet him forever in the cage, but that didn't even start till he was 2 yrs old. LOL. He was so laid back towards the end of his life at 3. He would always just lounge out on his loft. He was single piggy too.

 

[jayval]

Any other thoughts on this topic ?

 

[RockieGuineaPig]

I'm with everyone else on this one. Hold her a few times a day, in a nice quiet room, maybe for like 15-20 minutes each time. Have her snuggle up in a towel or fleece blanket against your chest. She'll feel safer that way.

Also, if you're having trouble catching her, lead her into a tunnel or hidey with a bottom floor then pick it up with her in it. That way, it would be less scary for her. That's what I did until my pigs felt more comfortable being picked up.

 

[jayval]

I need to go buy a tunnel, that sounds like a good idea. She is so frightened still, not sure how I'm going to pick her up.

 

[Portal_Corgi]

I'm in the same boat as jayval. I've had my piggies for about three days also, and they seem to be okay with me around, but when I tried to pick one up, all he did was squirm and click his teeth at me. Is this normal at first? Would picking him up in a cuddle cave or a hidey make any difference? I'm just afraid if I use the hideys they have now (generic plastic pigloos), they'll just jump out once they realize they're moving and either bolt under the furniture or hurt themselves.

 

[RockieGuineaPig]

I'm in the same boat as jayval. I've had my piggies for about three days also, and they seem to be okay with me around, but when I tried to pick one up, all he did was squirm and click his teeth at me. Is this normal at first? Would picking him up in a cuddle cave or a hidey make any difference? I'm just afraid if I use the hideys they have now (generic plastic pigloos), they'll just jump out once they realize they're moving and either bolt under the furniture or hurt themselves.

It's perfectly normal. I'm sure every pig owner experienced this with at least one of their guinea pigs.

Since the plastic pigloos don't have a bottom (unless placed upside down) you can slide a bin-lid under the pigloo. That way when you pick it up, the pig goes with you along with the pigloo.
This is another thing that I did before I got a tunnel with a bottom. It worked perfectly fine for me.

 

[Portal_Corgi]

Thanks RockieGuineaPig! I'm relieved the squirming and clicking is normal for now, I was afraid he would hate cuddle time forever or else have a heart attack in my arms one day! I was planning to place the pigloo upside down for transfers and hope their curiosity and some food would lead them into it, but it was the wide open top that I was worried about. I still have plenty of sturdy cardboard from the box their cage shipped in that I could use until I find something plastic that I can use and keep clean.

 

[RockieGuineaPig]

Thanks RockieGuineaPig! I'm relieved the squirming and clicking is normal for now, I was afraid he would hate cuddle time forever or else have a heart attack in my arms one day! I was planning to place the pigloo upside down for transfers and hope their curiosity and some food would lead them into it, but it was the wide open top that I was worried about. I still have plenty of sturdy cardboard from the box their cage shipped in that I could use until I find something plastic that I can use and keep clean.

No problem!

 

[miniver]

The best advice I got (from this site, wish I could remember who) was to come at them from their level. As a prey animal they are skittish about anything coming at them overhead. They have poor eyesight and don't see a hand, just a blurr above them. I didn't think it would make a difference but my girls are much more relaxed when I slide my had accros the fleece toward them than when I reach from above.