A Few Things I Need Advice On

[Celliott215]

I am a new owner of two piggies who are less than a a year old. They are half the size of an adult. My first question is about handling the pigs. I have had them for almost a week and try do not trust me so it's not easy to pick them up. They don't like being picked up either. Should I continue to pick them up even if they don't like it? Will they just get use to it? They squeal and squirm and I hate to see them do that. Secondly, one of my pigs is a lot more terrified than the other. During play time she usually finds the darkest spot on the floor an hides and won't let me get close to her unless I have food. How do I go about getting her to be social? Do I take away her hiding areas? Do I approach her or let her hide?

 

[sport_billy]

Hi there,

Piggies are prey animals so naturally run away and hate being picked up.

It can take a while to gain pigs trust and takes time and patience but you will get there. We have all gone through it believe me We set a video camera up with our first piggies to see if they ever came out and all they did for the first few weeks was hide
Food is a great bribery, try to entice them in the cage to take for from your hand, this is a good way of gaining a piggies trust, talk softly to the all the time and they will get used to the sound of your voice.

Leave there houses in the run as it is important they feel safe. Just hold some parsley or something nice in the run and eventually they will associate you with food. Its early days yet, but I promise it gets easier.

Here are a few links to settling piggies and a video giving you tips on how to make picking up less stressful for you and for them

Settling piggies https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/

Picking up a piggie (easily)

 

[kerry]

When you put them out for floor try to herd them into a box or a igloo or something so that its not your actual hand picking them up, they will become less scared and will associated being picked with something happy such as floor time.

I found for floor time you could sit in with them and basically ignore them. Do not make any sharp movements or loud noises or try and touch them and they should wander up and sniff you, especially if you have veggies.

 

[Celliott215]

I have a hay log for them that they love so when I have trouble picking them up with my hand, I usually carry them in the log. I just didn't know if they would get too used to being carried like that, that It wouldn't help them get more comfortable with me holding them.

One of my pigs will sniff me and let me pet her nose and only sometimes her back. She runs and popcorns a lot during floor time so she seems like she's getting more comfortable with me. The other is very scared and hides a lot. She loves to be in the dark and very rarely takes food from my hand unless she is in the dark, where she has no problem with it. She has sniffed me and kissed my hand in the dark as well. If I let them play without disturbing them do you think she'd eventually not need to be in the dark?

 

[gus+walter]

One of mine is very skittish...still is. I sat on the floor with them during floor time and hid parsley under my hand which if they sniffed at, they got to eat it. Same goes for lap time. Lots of bribery helps. Be confident when picking them up and make sure their little bums and back legs are scooped into your hand so they feel secure. They will come around. Lots of patience, veg and love.

 

[Her Nibship]

How about using a snuggle sack? Particularly for your girl who likes to be in the dark. She could sit in there on your knee and feel a bit safer, and maybe nibble a sprig of coriander gently placed in the opening. My boys that I adopted 4 weeks ago were very reluctant to be handled when they first arrived, but by offering yummy veggies whenever they have lap time, they are really making progress - Dylan didn't even run off tonight!