Handling Advice

[Maddykins]

Me and my partner adopted our first two piggies (brother boars, suspected to be a little under a year old). We brought them home on Saturday and they're getting more and more confident and comfortable around us by the hour. We held them in the fosterer's house on the Saturday and one of them was trying to escape for awhile, but then eventually seemed to enjoy being stroked by me and was wheeking (Nelson). The other (Martin) was more placid (though possibly out of fear)? and warmed up to my partner quicker nibbling him gently and stuff.

This evening we picked up one each as we were told we need to start handling them early so they get used to us. However as expected they were both petrified! Martin was shrieking for awhile and Nelson just froze in fear alternating with trying to escape. They did both calm down after a few minutes, Nelson lay down on my lap and would take some veg after awhile and Martin was nibbling and licking my partner's hands. Are these good signs? Although Martin got a bit aggressive with biting after awhile but I think that's because he'd just had enough and maybe because he needed to wee because we didn't realise but he did a wee on my partner's lap

Does anyone have any tips for how often we should try and hold them without stressing them out? And how to go about it? We tried to use veg to tempt them but they were so frightened at first that they wouldn't eat any until they had calmed down.

 

[madguinealady]

You could use a cuddle sack to herd them into then put that on your lap and let them come out in their own time so it isn't hands grabbing them

 

[Germaine]

Hi, did you get those two from a rescue? The names sound familiar. I don't know the magic formula for how often to hold them. I started just handfeeding veg to mine in their cages until they were no longer afraid of me and would eat it from my hand. Two of ours were sick within a week of us getting them which meant we had to handle them twice a day for about 10 minutes each time force feeding them meds through a syringe (a bit traumatic for all involved). We always started and ended those sessions with a bit of veg. They still hate being picked up so we try to pick them up using something from their cage or a carrier. They are less stressed when we get them out this way. One (Winnie the brown and white pig in my profile pic) freezes everytime we take her out and would never eat from our hands. My boyfriend now takes her out once a day at least for about 15mins and she is no longer shaking when we take her and will sometimes take food from us (5 weeks later).
Winnie will never go to the toilet on anyone so we put her back after 15 minutes to ensure she can go to the toilet. Germaine will chew on your sleeve or trousers to let you know and Lily will either go on you or lick you to tell you its time!

 

[Maddykins]

Hiya, yes they are from a rescue but we named them ourselves they had different names before. They're named after Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr, haha!

Thanks for all your stories they're interesting and helpful. Nelson looks very similar to the ginger and white one in your pic Germaine.

So is nibbling and licking always a sign that they are trying to tell you to put them down? We are unsure if it's just affection or they're trying to say 'get off me please!' haha.

 

[Maddykins]

Nelson was sitting on his loft eating hay and I went up beside him quietly and he seemed fine, so I started stroking his head. He wasn't making any noises but he was just continuing to eat his hay. I carried on and then after a bit he like lay down comfy so I thought that was a good sign that he was relaxed and probably enjoying it even though he wasn't purring or anything? A tiny bit later he started making noises and I thought they were happy weeks because he seemed relax, but then he suddenly shout round and bit me so I'm guessing they were 'go away!' wheeks? How am I supposed to tell?!

 

[Germaine]

Mine don't make noises when they are enjoying a rub. Mine only like chin rubs really. Lilly will lift her head up to let you scratch more! Germaine is our grumpy pig. She makes a low brrr type noise and that means get off me now! So we do. Little and often might sway them to your side. or put veg in front of them so they have something to chew on that isn't your finger!
Post some pictures of your two! The ginger and white one is Winnie!