Handling Skittish Pigs

[Zetros]

Hi, as I've posted on here before I'm a new owner of 2 rescue sows, about 5 and 6 months old, since last Friday. They're still very terrified of me, though they've begun to explore parts of their pen that I have covered with a towel. I've started to lay down next to them which results in them either dead staring at me or sometimes bobbing their head up and down at me so maybe they don't hate it too much haha. Any attempts at feeding them when I'm near their cage or hand feeding them only result in them balling up in their hides or violently running away, which I understand is normal for how new they are. My question is that on Sunday I'm going to need to deep clean their pen for the first time due to its fleece bedding, in which the pigs will have to be moved out and into a play pen. Since they're so skittish I haven't dared to touch them yet, but I'm wondering what would be best, both for getting them to trust me and to keep their list of traumatic events down, either to start to warm them up to being handled by attempting a brief handling moment each day before Sunday, or just let it be a single fearful endeavor when they need to be taken out of their cage for the clean. Thank you for help!

 

[Merab]

I took on 2 rescue piggies last September.
They were very scared and it has taken until now for them to stop hiding whenever I come into their room.
To do a deep clean I used a pouch or a fleece tunnel to catch them and let them stay in it until I could put them back.
Initially I cleaned the half the cage at a time so they could stay in it.
Food was placed in the cage for them but I just chatted to them and didn’t try to handle the for a couple of weeks.
It can take a lot of time and patience with terrified piggies but it is worth taking things very slowly and gently.
This week, for the first time, Miriam approached the bars to get her morning lettuce leaf.

Your piggies sound as if they have landed on their paws with you so with love and patience they will begin to feel safe and secure.

 

[Roselina]

Welcome Zetros and your piggies are very lucky to have found such a caring slave
When I rehomed my two they were terrified and ran away if I came near ….i used a pet carrier with some herbs or a treat inside and they soon realised it was a nice place ….it meant that when the carrier was placed in their c&c they ran straight in.
It’s useful for vet visits as they’re familiar with it too.
Over time they got used to me and ran to edge of the cage if I came near as they expected food !
In time they will get used to you ….my older piggy Geoff is quite happy to take good from me but my newer piggy Freddy is still a work in prognosis ( I’ve only had him for 3 months) some piggies may never get used to being handled…..
Good luck and let us know how you get on