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Frustrated Will they always be so skiddish?

Kimvwhite

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The seconds my piglings see me coming they instantly run in their little house and If I want to pick them up I have to catch them they won't just let pick them up and when I do have them up they squirm until I put them down unless I have them right by my chest. Is this normal?
 

Aleks

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It's completely normal. Guinea pigs are prey animals and see you as a predator trying to catch them. Most will always run when you try to pick them up. As for them hiding when you walk by, is their cage on the floor? If so, then that could be part of the reason why. I would imagine you seem to be a LOT bigger to them from all the way down there.

With that being said, there are some piggies that will just let you pick them up. If you haven't had them for very long, then just give it some time. They're probably also still getting used to their new environment.
I suggest daily cuddles and lots of veggie bribery. The way to a piggy's heart is through it's stomach. lol
Some people also read to their piggies or just sit there and talk to them. If you haven't tried doing either of those things then you might want to-- i've heard it works pretty well for getting them to become more used to you. :)
 

Kimvwhite

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Thanks a lot. I do take them out for about an hour or two a day and give them some veggies and sir by them and watch but I don't really talk to them! And I have had them 2 weeks today. I think they were getting more used to me but then they got live and I had to handle them a lot and I think they got scared of me again!!! And yes the cage is on the floor. I will change that though if think it would help
 

ShihTzuLover

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I learned that announcing myself before I enter the room helps a lot. It was the movement that was scaring them. Mine aren't skittish anymore, but when they were it really helped. I also would give them a little nibble to eat every time I came into the room. So now, when they hear my say, "Hi Piggies!" They start wheeking before they even see me. One of them is still very skittish about being picked up, so sometimes I'll gently lay a small t-shirt over his back before picking him up and it really keeps him calm.

Get the cage off the floor definitely, and talk to them non-stop! They love it. They can also learn their names. Bartholomew and Roland know their names and will come to me when I call them. Sometimes, they just like to hear the sound of your voice. My pigs will popcorn and wheek the whole time my husband are by their cage, when we're having a conversation. lol
 

lunarminx

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I have had mine over two months and I still have to catch them but they do settle for the cuddles. I try to save their favorite food for laptime. They will even come up to the grids to sniff but the moment I try to grab they run. I remember reading that it could take 6 months or so for them to really trust you. Like you I can not wait until I can call them to pick them up.
 

Amalee

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My first pig was very skiddish when I first got him. He refused to come out of his igloo for two weeks and I had to put his food and water just outside of his igloo. I slowly moved it further and further out. About two months later, he was completely cool with me. It's rare for me to startle him at all, he's a very chill guinea pig. My other, though, is a bit harder to crack; It'll probably be about another month or so. Word of advice though, do not break their trust! It will be very hard to get back.
 

Melissa123

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My cages are on the floor so I know that doesn't help but it would be impossible to have them on stands since they are so large! They have always ran away, even when I had the first cage I made on a stand. Like others have said, they are prey animals so running is normal to them. Talking to them before you walk into the room does help! :) I even make a clicking sound when walking in with veggies. They all go wheeking crazy ;) all of my boys run from me when I try to pick them up. I just trick them into a tunnel or cuddle sack and that makes it much easier and without the chasing game.
 

soccerchickgrp5

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My piggies are very social because of the rescue I got them at. They just need time settling in. My friends guinea pig, Bambi, is still acting like a spazz but that is because she got her recently. Just give it time, and make sure to support her bum and back when you hold them.
 

Rhyue

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With most piggies you'll have to work on taming them, getting them used to you and doing your best not to do things to startle them, even tame piggies will dash from sudden movements, its just instinct for them. The above posters have good advice- if in doubt food!

Some piggies are naturally more skiddish or have learned to be skiddish and will take longer to tame than others. I find that the braver and more inquisitive the pig the easier and more willing to come out of the cage they'll eventually be (many will still run but still enjoy lap/floor time, they just run from instinct).

One of my boys came to me very skiddish and it took a long time just to be able to have a calm laptime with him (he still runs in the cage, after about 2 years). He'd bolt at the smallest thing and so required a lot of constant watching in a quiet, safe place (he'd manage to run up your chest and down your back in a split second if startled, he even ran straight up the side of the couch once). He'd also cry the whole time for the first few months. He's pretty good about laptime now, he sits good and doesn't cry and enjoys some petting and food, but it was a slow process.

Piggies that like to sleep out in the open, on raised surfaces, investigate other animals, don't flinch at poking, etc even from a young age are the ones that'll likely be very willing to come out of the cage on their own later on, given you don't mess something up. They seem to be less instinct ruled. If they're not running from you in the cage I find that offering your arm in a way that allows them to crawl up onto it is a great way to get them out of the cage because they often will do just that. No piggie really seems to like being grabbed, especially from behind, but some will jump or crawl up onto an arm place infront of them or under their chest.
 

skinnypigs

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Kelly9

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Great video skinnypigs
user-offline.png
! I love seeing your piggies run and move around. You are very informative and speak well.

I find that my pigs will not sit on my lap unless they have a piece of fleece over them. They will go to sleep on my lap then.
 

NormaS

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What really helped with Nikolai was placing his cage on a stand. When his cage was on the floor I couldn't even move a hand without him running for cover. When I placed the cage on the stand, he started coming to the edge and I would give him veggies. Pretty soon he relates my hand with good things. Now he responds to his name and we have this sound I make to let him know his veggies are served. It took me 3 months to get results.
 

skinnypigs

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Great video skinnypigs
user-offline.png
! I love seeing your piggies run and move around. You are very informative and speak well.

I find that my pigs will not sit on my lap unless they have a piece of fleece over them. They will go to sleep on my lap then.

Thank you! I like to make helpful videos and love filming the naked boys.
I should do an updated video of this, since some of the boys have tamed even further (picking up, sitting with them and so on).
 
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