Guinea Pig Catching. Dominant Pig Driving Me Nuts!

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Elbie

Elbie

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So some of.you may remember my earlier threads looking for advice.

It seems one step forwards and 2 back with my dominant pig. She used to be fine being caught in her card tube but then after a while she refused to go in. It was almost like "I'm not falling for that. I can see your hand at the other end!". So then I graduated to the long bendy plastic tube. I have it bent at 90 degree angle and she was happy to go into that. I really thought I'd cracked it and she seemed to know the routine.

Fast forward a month and she is now refusing to go into that. I am at a loss what to do now. She won't go into a cosy or a box. If boxed in she will literally try to climb the walls to avoid going into the tube. If it try and nudge her in she will just jump and kick. I spent a good 20 minutes trying to catch her tonight and I was driven to tears with frustration. Eventually she just gives up and goes in but I'd rather not go through the stress beforehand (hers and mine) to get there.

I don't want to deprive her of floor time. No idea where to go from here really. The underpig has absolutely no problems at all!
 
Why don't you just pick her up? Sorry I haven't seen your other thread, but why are you having problems picking her up without the tube?
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Why don't you just pick her up? Sorry I haven't seen your other thread, but why are you having problems picking her up without the tube?
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She's still not at a place where she's happy to be held despite daily practice! She just freaks out if I try to slip a hand under. She practically turns herself inside out jumping and kicking and gives warning bites. I'm stuck where I know she needs to build a bridge and get used to being handled but at the same time I don't want to stress her out.
 
Have you got a cuddle cup? You could get some veg in your hand and hold it over the cup, once the pig is in the cup take the veg away and lift the cup with piggy in it
 
I know where you're coming from . Things will get better with time - but you need something that works now !


I think that between us, we've got to work out a way that you can herd her into an area where she can't escape - have the carrier case ready - and just quickly transfer from floor to carrier case .

Sounds easy in writing !
 
My Ludo is the same. He doesn't like to be caught and is very fidgety when held. I find it easier to catch him buy getting him from his hide house as he is more calm inside there. Catching him after floor time is another story! It's a wild chase but with a vege treat bribe he eventually will come to me. I gently stroke him for reassurance before making the move to pick him up
 
I think what frustrates me more is up to now I've followed all the fab advice on here for handling and I have one pig who is absolutely fine and one who is an absolute nightmare! And I'm just thinking where did it all go wrong! She'll be fine with something in the short term but then becomes unhappy and I have to find another tactic.

They used to have floor time on the landing where there is less space and more easy places to corner them. They got good at being caught and so they graduated to the dining room which is bigger and with table there slightly more awkward for a quick catch. Think they may need to be demoted back to the landing again.

She won't go into a cuddle cup either. Basically anything enclosed she won't go in to! Or if she does she jumps straight back out again.

Maybe I need to abandon a transfer vessel and like piggyowner suggests just round her up and do a quick carry transfer.

I'm feeling more positive about it today. I think last night I was at breaking point and rather emotional!
 
I think what frustrates me more is up to now I've followed all the fab advice on here for handling and I have one pig who is absolutely fine and one who is an absolute nightmare! And I'm just thinking where did it all go wrong! She'll be fine with something in the short term but then becomes unhappy and I have to find another tactic.

They used to have floor time on the landing where there is less space and more easy places to corner them. They got good at being caught and so they graduated to the dining room which is bigger and with table there slightly more awkward for a quick catch. Think they may need to be demoted back to the landing again.

She won't go into a cuddle cup either. Basically anything enclosed she won't go in to! Or if she does she jumps straight back out again.

Maybe I need to abandon a transfer vessel and like piggyowner suggests just round her up and do a quick carry transfer.

I'm feeling more positive about it today. I think last night I was at breaking point and rather emotional!
 
I feel for you. We have most of us been there at some time with one piggy or other. Please rest assured it isn't you - you are doing nothing wrong. You have a smart piggy with a heightened reflex not to be caught.

Can you entice them into the pet carrier on the floor? I have always left pet Carriers out on the floor and made them snug and cosy with fleece. I've let my piggies play and sleep in them during floor time so they don't feel like they are going to be trapped every time they go in them. Then when it's going in time I simply lift them up in the carrier (I often don't need a door on them as mine are so used to this but at first I would close the door) and pop the carrier back in their cage and let them out. Two of mine are so at home with this that when it's time to go back in I simply tap the pet carrier a couple of times and they go into it. However, that doesn't work with the other 2.

Please try not to get stressed as this makes everything worse in my experience. Don't let them out when you are short of time or have a deadline or it just gets stressy. It really will get easier in time x
 
Great advice from VickiA, pop a few pieces of veg in the carrier to entice her in. Will she come to you if you offer her veg by hand? If not I would start to build her trust in you by offering her veggies by hand, after a few days slowly stroke her head with your other hand whilst giving her veggies then slowly progress to stroking her all the way down her back whilst hand feeding her. Eventually she will begin to trust you & associate you with nice things :) After a while I would try to stroke her in the hutch/cage & gently put your hand slowly under her tummy. If she tolerates this then reward her with veg. Eventually she will let you pick her up. Give her veggies at lap time so she associates food with it. All this can take longer with some piggies than others, you have to be patient, it could take days, weeks or even months to earn her trust. Oh & always feed them before lap time, a full piggy is less wriggly ;) Good luck :)
 
Aww I know what you mean, you don't want to frighten them... Gladys is a runner but we have managed a routine, I remove the hidey from upstairs and usher her up,, she cowers into the corner then I block the ramp with one hand and get her with the other.. As soon as held I put her on my neck and give her a cuddle.... Good luck xx
 
Thanks for the advice all. The pigs are back on the landing for run around time. More easy to corner them! Once we're better at voluntary catching then they can go back downstairs!

Amelia (the one driving me nuts!) will come and take food out of my hand in the cage and when having floor time. Maybe I'll start trying to coax her into things! Funnily enough the one who doesn't like being held or caught will happily take food from me. The one who's ok being caught and being held is really wary of coming for food!
 
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