Introductions when to start holding my pigs!

[arcangel]

i got them about 5 days they eat from my hands but when i move or touch bam they go and hide and i know each piggie got it's personaity but i have 2 pigs does that mean they both are non holders. :weepy: I Want a animal i can hold that kinda of why i got them and the fact that their cute. (p.s i did do research before buying them) :edit: forgot to say i've tryed holding them but the just running very fast away from me.

 

[C1407]

It might just take more time. You can try some other things like hand feeding them their veggies to get them used to you, or picking them up by luring them into a box or something so they feel safer.

 

[suzilovespiggie]

Pigs are prey animals. It is in them to run for safety. You are a big giant that is going to hurt them. Have patience with them. They have to get used to you and their new surroundings.
Try picking them up in a box. Give them lap time. Feed them veggies on your lap. Let them learn you arent going to hurt them.
They may never not run when you go to pick them up. It is just in them to run. But when out on your lap with time and patiencethey will settle down and learn to like being loved.

 

[arcangel]

ty u both i will happyly wait about the box trick what do u mean they run if i touch their pigaloos

 

[4theLOVEofPigs]

I've had mine for a month and they still like to run.
I think they think it's cute to watch the stupid human chase them.
I'll take out their Pigloo's talk to them and reach for them they'll run around their cage and stop after a lap then d it again.
We usually do this at least 5 times a pig before they'll let me pick them up.

I just talk softly to them and once I grab them they settle in for our snuggle time to watch TV on my Laptop.
The whole time they are wheeking like a couple of "HAPPY" go lucky piggies.

I've never really had a pig yet that totally allowed me to pick them up with out a bit of chasing.
i've just always called it piggie excersize. lol

 

[kariwalbert]

So you all think it's good to pick them up after the first few days to have them get used to you? I've read differing opinions on this- some sites say NOT to pick them up until they come out and show they are more comfortable with you (which could take weeks or months some say and inevitably they'll have to be picked up so you can clean the cage anyway), others say pick them up and hold them each day so they get used to you? I've have a shelter adopted piggy for about 4 days now and she's just starting to take food from me if I hold it to her inside her pigloo. Thoughts?

 

[bpatters]

After you've had a pig a few days, you should start picking it up at least daily. Go slowly and gently, and let the pig see what you're doing at all times. The least stressful way for the pig is to cut holes in the ends of a shoe box and shoo the pig in there. Put your hands over the ends of the box and lift the box out of the cage.

Then put the pig in your lap and give it yummy things to eat -- cilantro, dill, a grape, a bit of apple, lettuce, whatever floats its boat. It may take weeks, but it will get used to being held and to being caught.

 

[katiebby21]

Try taking out all hidey houses.
It will let her know that your trust worthy & she doesn't have to hide from you.
When you did take them out, just feed her some veggies or fruits and while your doing that, gently pet her & talk to her.

 

[kariwalbert]

I love the shoebox idea! I actually have a little carrier thing that i got to take them tot he vet and whatnot so I could probably use that. That's definately better than trying to corner her and grab her and scare the crapout of her.

I thought holding her everyday sounded better so i am glad you guys agree (plus I just really want to hold her- he's so cute!) Thanks!

 

[HannibalLecter]

katiebby21:
Absolutely not, by taking out every chance of hiding & safety for a prey animal you increase their stress levels greatly & unnecessarily, forcing panicked situation upon them - NOT trust.

They might trust you eventually, some pigs never will. It's the nature of the animal & something you need to work with, not against.

 

[lovemyguineas]

I have had my piggies for 3 months now. I do get them out every day to cuddle and have floor time. When I tried to get snickers out I noticed a pattern after about 2-3 days. Every time I put my hands in the cage to pick him up he would run, so of course my little hand would follow talking to him the whole time, telling him it was okay I wasn't gonna hurt him (not that he could understand me, but it made me feel better when he ran) and he would go to this same corner of his cage every time. That's where he lets me pick him up. So i usually just put my hand in and direct him to that same corner which makes it easy on both of us and sure enough he doesn't run when I try to pick him up from that same spot. My other Piggy Twix, I do take out her hut when I get her out, Once I remove the hut I ask her if I can pet her(i reach my hand in the cage and stop to let her come to me), and she does usually come towards me(then she sniffs my hand) so then I pet her a couple times and then just pick her up. However IF I do not move the hut, she would just run into it every time I put my hand in the cage. I do hand feed both of my guineas something every day too. I think that helps them learn to trust you. AT first I had to stick it right outside there hut, and they would take it. Then I started moving it out a little bit each time I did it. My Snicker Doodles gets so excited when I clean his cage, which I do scoop like 3-5 times a day, I do this so much thinking they would get use to me quicker and sure enough he took right to it. I use a plastic spoon to scoop the poo and as soon as I sit down with the spoon and reach in he starts popcorning. He popcorns so much while I scoop that sometimes I just pretend I am scooping:crazy: just to watch him popcorn. He gets so crazy that he has popcorned pretty high and he doesn't even land it, he has fallen on his side and everything. Of course he gets right back up all the while being happy! And does it some more. It is very amusing.....Of course the whole time I scoop and he does the popcorn thing he is throwing bedding BUT I don't get excited, he is enjoying himself. I just use the dust buster after scooping and suck up the bedding he threw out. I just think the more time you spend doing things in there cage and they know you are not gonna hurt them, the more trusting they become of you.

 

[Katie Sandlin]

Hey! I just got my piggies this week. I waited a couple of days before I handled them. Then I started handling each one for about 5 minutes a day. Then did it a couple times a day. Now I play with them as much as possible. Lucy is warming up more to me, but she still half tries to run off when I attempt to pick her up. Ethel on the other hand, will probably always run from me. She seems extremely skidish. I wish you luck

 

[kariwalbert]

I tried the shoebox thing last night to get her out of the cage and it worked brilliantly! Much less stressful for both of us. Definitely the way to go!!

I sat with her on my lap for over a half hour until she finally would eat some food but I had to talk or hum thee whole time and she'd only start eating if I laid it down in front of her and didn't look at her. Once she started though she warmed up a little more and it got a little easier. Then when I put her back in her cage I put more food out and just rested my hand in the cage and kept humming. Every time she'd come out and get some food I'd move my hand a little closer to her pigloo and the food. We did that for a good 10 minutes and I noticed later that night she came out in her cage more often instead of hiding so much and she didn't freeze up ever time I talked to her. I was so excited- there's hope!

Thanks everyone!!

 

[arcangel]

i will try the shoe box idea cus catching my pigs is just a pain in the arse!

 

[lovemyguineas]

Hey! I just got my piggies this week. I waited a couple of days before I handled them. Then I started handling each one for about 5 minutes a day. Then did it a couple times a day. Now I play with them as much as possible. Lucy is warming up more to me, but she still half tries to run off when I attempt to pick her up. Ethel on the other hand, will probably always run from me. She seems extremely skidish. I wish you luck

Love the names of your piggies....that is cute!

 

[WinthropCavy]

You might want to try getting them some "cozies" -- you can find those on cavyspirit.com -- the piggies love to run into them, and it's safe to pick the cozy up with the pigs inside - as long as you have the front opening under control! They'll like being in the cozy, they'll like being on your warm lap...and eventually will come out of the cozy, if you make them feel safe!

 

[arcangel]

with the shoebox idea when you get them in your lap do you leave them in the Shoebox or move them out and then start to gentally pet them?

 

[bpatters]

Take them out of the box and put them in your lap.

 

[arcangel]

okay my pig's are Afired of the box lol

 

[bpatters]

Then make the holes in the box a little bigger, and put some treats just inside the box. Leave it in the cage for a while and let them explore it.