Handling Advice

[helenk6]

So I have had my 2 boys now for 10 days have only handled them to clean there cage and had lap time on 2 occasion they don't like being picked up I use a tube to get them out of their cage, my question is should I be handling them more or should I still leave them to settle in more?

 

[helenk6]

Any advice please

 

[lawz]

10 days is ample for them to settle in, so you should ideally handle them daily so they get familiar with you.
I have 8 piggies and 1 of them doesnt like to be handled, but they will with enough.
When you have them on lap offer them so tasty vegetables....way to a piggies heart is through their stomach

 

[Swissgreys]

with lawz.
Hand feed them every day (or several times a day if time allows).
We made sure that initially ours only got fresh when it was fed by hand or during lap time.
We kept a small bowl of fresh nibbles on top of the cage, and every time we passed we called the pigs and fed them something tasty (through the bars).
Now (7 weeks later) whenever we come anywhere near the cage they are all rushing to the front, wheeking and pressing their noses through hoping for something nice.

 

[sport_billy]

I would recommend to keep talking softly to them and try some hand feeling while they are in their house - offer some veg in their hidey and see if they will take it from you, slowly but surely you'll gain their trust. Food is always a good bribery. As for laptimes do it a little at first say for 1 minute a day then put them back again off them food so they associate it with good things. Building up trust slowly is the way to go, we have all been there. With our first piggies we set upo a video camera because we never saw them

Here is a great thread for tips on how to settle piggies How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?

This video show techniques to pick up piggies which is stress free for them and you, we use this technique still to this day

 

[3stooges]

I would recommend handling them now, we have had ours 3 weeks and we handle daily and always try and clean the cage with them in it. They don't like being picked up initially but when snuggled on our laps, they talk and lick us and when we do put them back they tend to appear really happy lol and popcorn. We do not hold them for to long as they get very bored being so young, so we do lots of little handles throughout the day. xx

 

[helenk6]

Peppa seems more confident will be taking them out for lap time later, should I take them out one at a time or have both of them out at the same time

 

[lawz]

@helenk6 handling either both or separate will be ok. I think allowing one on one with you will also be good for them to get used to you. Equally if they have their buddy with them may or may not help. will help more if one is really mellow then that will relax other one, maybe one on one is best till you gain their trust a bit?

 

[helenk6]

@helenk6 handling either both or separate will be ok. I think allowing one on one with you will also be good for them to get used to you. Equally if they have their buddy with them may or may not help. will help more if one is really mellow then that will relax other one, maybe one on one is best till you gain their trust a bit?

Thankyou