Cuddle time, strange behaviour

[Sharon.Mackay]

My husband and i have started to get the boys out for a short time each day to get them used to being handled. Ted had started taking food from our hand and letting us pet him in the hutch so we decided they were ready, Dougal is a bit less tolerant but they wont be parted so we had to just go for it.
It worked fine at first, they seemed to like being out for a whille but now Ted, the more confident of the 2, has started to freak out after about 5 mins:{ he goes mad squealing and he butts Dougal, he becomes like a crazed piggy and tries to run off. This unsettles and upsets Dougal (who is very happy being cuddled and having a lovely timemallethead) so we have to abandon it and put them back:0 He hasnt had a bad experience when we had him out previously, he is still happy for us to stroke him in the hutch and comes to take food etc. Why has he started to hate being out? We cant seperate them for cuddles, they just won't have it.
Any suggestions?

 

[Wiebke]

Ted is trusting you enough now to tell you when he's had enough. It may not seem so, but it is actually a good sign!

Many piggies are letting themselves being cuddled at first because they adopt a "passive/dead prey animal is no fun" strategy which many people mistake for enjoyment. Ted doesn't "hate" you, he just doesn't like being cuddled for ages and is now confident enough to make known.

Personally, I put a piggy back whenever it is signalling that it has had enough. My cuddle/grooming times with most of my piggies are only 5-10 minutes; longer with those piggies who really enjoy it. My guinea pigs are roaming, so I have lots of other interaction with them anyway.

But you can try and extend that time by giving your boys lots of praise for sitting still and letting themselves being cuddled; with the positive feedback you can hopefully push back the cuddling period over time.

 

[Sharon.Mackay]

Thanks, that makes sense. I have started just putting them back as soon as he becomes unsettled, i dont like him to be unhappy! Plus its difficult to control him when he gets like that! I reward them with a big bit of cucumber once they go back (which they would do anything for )
Thank youxx>>>