Forward Forward ..... Back Back ... Are We Dancing ??

[Jojessgaz]

well one step forward two steps back as it goes
my guineas have always hated getting picked up .. really hated so with a little training and believe me it doesn't always work as they are smart little fluff balls .... they jump in a big triangle cosy house that I can easy pick then up and put them where ever we need to go ... on the grass or floor time, also I can pick them up from here to stroke or check them etc although the more I do that bit the more they seem reluctant to venture into the cosey in the first place, .....
however my question now is , doing this and not picking up so much , does that not send the whole process backwards a bit in bonding ? should there still be a lot of picking up which they both grumble at , think the only thing they both like is eating !
tilly the dominant one who will chatter at me if she knows there is any chance I'm about to pick her up , loves her nose being stroked and will happily sit there at the bars while i stroke and chat with her... flossy , I cannot touch her at all, as soon as she feels anything she will shake like a dog when wet
almost like ... whats that irritating feeling that's touching my fur ... get off, so I only get to stroke her when I pick her up ... and she grumbles and tried to shake me off even then.
what I'm thinking here now is they seem happier when I don't mess to much with them but then I can clearly see that they are getting more scared of me too, its that catch 22, making sure that I'm not making their lives a misery when clearly they are not cuddly guineas, but I want to still have that bond

 

[Redribbon]

Tricky one. I'd say if it works for all of you and is the most stress free way then carry on picking up with the house. My Angus has always been a nightmare to pick up so I now just stroke then scoop! Stan just gives in and lets me pick him up.

 

[sport_billy]

If it works don't change it. The less stress for them and you the better when picking them up.

We have had cuddly piggies and not so cuddly piggies. We currently have two girls Widget (3yrs) and Chickpea (6 months)

Widget is one of the tamest piggies ever, will come over for a fuss in the cage, loves head rubs , however she hates laptime and wanders off if I try it lol She will also stand and teeth chatter at me when I try and pick her up for things like that. We have a great bond but I rarely have her out on lap, we spend time fussing in the cage. So sometimes you do things more on their terms - it doesn't mean you'll have more of a bond with a piggy that will sit on your lap.

It may be worth offering food to your piggy while she in their cage and hopefully after time they will take it off you. Food is the best way to bribe, use food when you get round to lap times also. Start lap time for a short amount of time at first and build up. We started off we laptimes for 1 minute with new piggies then pop them back, slowly increasing the time. They will soon associate you with food and good things but at first it takes a while to gain their trust.

 

[Jojessgaz]

If it works don't change it. The less stress for them and you the better when picking them up.

We have had cuddly piggies and not so cuddly piggies. We currently have two girls Widget (3yrs) and Chickpea (6 months)

Widget is one of the tamest piggies ever, will come over for a fuss in the cage, loves head rubs , however she hates laptime and wanders off if I try it lol She will also stand and teeth chatter at me when I try and pick her up for things like that. We have a great bond but I rarely have her out on lap, we spend time fussing in the cage. So sometimes you do things more on their terms - it doesn't mean you'll have more of a bond with a piggy that will sit on your lap.

It may be worth offering food to your piggy while she in their cage and hopefully after time they will take it off you. Food is the best way to bribe, use food when you get round to lap times also. Start lap time for a short amount of time at first and build up. We started off we laptimes for 1 minute with new piggies then pop them back, slowly increasing the time. They will soon associate you with food and good things but at first it takes a while to gain their trust.

Thanks... yes I have had them now for 1 year. They both will eat from my hand... although the one I cannot touch freely will hide so she's safe first and run back if I make her come to me for food once she has it. It's just that I'd love to just stroke her nose or head or something to say hello and I'm not ignoring her. But as soon as I touch her fur she shakes my finger off and will move if I carry on trying. Maybe just a quick stroke when I pick up is all I will get... for my benifit more than hers haha.

 

[sport_billy]

Chickpea our 6 month old will not let us touch her. Only when you put her on your lap when she freezes so we have a long way to go with her her. I have just got her to the stage where she will take food but then run off in the cage, so it is tiny steps for me too

 

[flowerfairy]

Sounds like my two. Jingle will tooth chatter when I go to pick her up and has got wise to the hidy trick so refuses to get into it.

Mistletoe squeals when I attempt to catch her.

Once on my lap Jingle settles and eats whilst I brush and stroke her. Mistletoe just freezes.

I handle Jingle most days and Mistletoe twice a week tops.