6 Months In....

[Joeyegg]

Hi everyone. We have enjoyed and survived 6 months of piggie ownership. Out girls are certainly characters. Rhubarb is fine with cuddles now but Custard still squeaks like mad when we try and hold her. I can make her tolerate it long enough to cut 2 pays worth of nails but that's it. One question I have though is about floor time. I haven't let them 'run free' so to speak yet, but we have a play room they could run about in. How easy is it to catch them in a much bigger space? Any hints and tips very appreciated.

 

[luckyandsammy]

I always struggle with catching mine unless they are eating. They are okay with me walking up to them and stroking them but it's like they know when I'm going to put them back in and they run For me, getting them into a corner is the easiest way of catching them and also holding some food so they come up to me instead of running.

 

[Freela]

We actually block off space around their cage with baby gates (the cage is in an alcove in a hallway leading to our family room, so we put up gates at either end of the hall.) They go back in when they are done. I have had to catch them before if I have to go out and don't want to leave the cage door open and potentially free-range pigs when I'm gone, and they are quick little buggers if they don't want to go back in! However, if I put treats in the cage chances are they will trap themselves for me!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone. We have enjoyed and survived 6 months of piggie ownership. Out girls are certainly characters. Rhubarb is fine with cuddles now but Custard still squeaks like mad when we try and hold her. I can make her tolerate it long enough to cut 2 pays worth of nails but that's it. One question I have though is about floor time. I haven't let them 'run free' so to speak yet, but we have a play room they could run about in. How easy is it to catch them in a much bigger space? Any hints and tips very appreciated.

Try to train them to come into a pick up conveyance of some sort for a little veg treat at the end of it. It may take a few weeks until the catch on fully, but it works. Use the same phrase with the same cadence all the time, so they know what's up.
How To Pick Up Your Guinea Pig

Here are tips for lap time etc.:
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language