Buckaroo Guinea Pig

[MoodyPaws]

So my two girls couldn't be more different. Melly is chilled, slow to move, easily calmed by my voice and touch, very submissive, enjoys being stroked though she's quietly nervous. Milly on the other hand frantically fights being picked up or handled, she bucks and broncos when I try to corner her, wriggles and squirms and if being carried will happily launch herself out of your arms if given the chance. Heights don't put her off, she's not even thinking just reacting. I assume she was roughly handled at some point in time and it's affected her trust in people quite severely. While she squeaks for my attention and for me to feed them and accepts my company from a distance she really seems to hate physical contact on an instinctual level. I don't think she doesn't want to be handle as much as she just finds it quite traumatic and her reflex is to kick and squirm. I'm not sure how to help her as calming her down only works until I touch her again and off she goes. Once she's out the cage on my knee she will settle if on her own though only for a short period and her instinct is always to try to bolt off my knee, even after we've had a nice cuddle moment, she snaps out of it once on the move and becomes jumpy and lightening quick at trying escape. Anyone have a pig that hates human physical contact and know a good way to turn it around? It's a shame really cos I feel she likes my company and there is some trust there but she can't suppress the fact being handled and stroked isn't a nice experience for her.

 

[Wiebke]

So my two girls couldn't be more different. Melly is chilled, slow to move, easily calmed by my voice and touch, very submissive, enjoys being stroked though she's quietly nervous. Milly on the other hand frantically fights being picked up or handled, she bucks and broncos when I try to corner her, wriggles and squirms and if being carried will happily launch herself out of your arms if given the chance. Heights don't put her off, she's not even thinking just reacting. I assume she was roughly handled at some point in time and it's affected her trust in people quite severely. While she squeaks for my attention and for me to feed them and accepts my company from a distance she really seems to hate physical contact on an instinctual level. I don't think she doesn't want to be handle as much as she just finds it quite traumatic and her reflex is to kick and squirm. I'm not sure how to help her as calming her down only works until I touch her again and off she goes. Once she's out the cage on my knee she will settle if on her own though only for a short period and her instinct is always to try to bolt off my knee, even after we've had a nice cuddle moment, she snaps out of it once on the move and becomes jumpy and lightening quick at trying escape. Anyone have a pig that hates human physical contact and know a good way to turn it around? It's a shame really cos I feel she likes my company and there is some trust there but she can't suppress the fact being handled and stroked isn't a nice experience for her.

Patience and persistence will get to you there - up to a point. Not all piggies are cuddle piggies and will ever enjoy handling; the majority will come as far as accepting grooming/medication and short bursts of petting. You have to respect that and build up a relationship more through interaction and play once you can build up trust.

Here are tips on how you can make friends with piggies in their body language: How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language