Handling too much?

Lovely piggies. :love:
There are thoughts that too much handling can make them stressed but I guess that depends on the temperament of the piggies and what they are used to. I'll be interested to see what the experts say.
I only handle mine for weekly health checks unless they need medication. I lift them out of the cages in a carrier or hidey for floor time. I've never had lap piggies, I've never felt any of mine like cuddles and I prefer to watch them playing together.
 
I've wondered this too. When we adopted our rescue piggies last September, we were careful to avoid handling for the first week, then only briefly, but built up to a regular 30 mins or more lap time every day, which they really seem to enjoy. They don't squeal like we're killing them when we pick them up now, like they did for the first month or so, and show all the signs of enjoying being cuddled and stroked, so have recently allowed my children to have an extra lap time session every day too, which the piggies really seen to enjoy, so I'm hoping there's no harm in it. :-)
 
JandfpiggiesUK said:
Hi everyone.

Just wanted to ask, is there such thing as handling/cuddling your Guinea pigs too much?

My mum has a go at me sometimes as I pick the boys up a few times a day, she says the more I cuddle them that they’ll get viscous?!

I just laugh it off, is there some truth behind that?View attachment 134194
Click to expand...
Fantastic photo, gorgeous pigs both mid chew.
 
I think a lot depends on the temperament of the piggies and what they are used to, and also who handles them and how! We dont handle ours much except for health checks, although our little boar Theo who came to us as a lonely neglected baby and would cry if he was left alone spent several weeks cuddled up in piggy daddy's jumper and even now almost 2 years later when he is a big boss boar and has lots of lady friends he's still partial to a cuddle from daddy! But only from daddy :)
We have 2 others who also dont mind an occasional cuddle in exchange for a snack.
But for some piggies handling can be extremely stressful, I find a good general measure of this is whether they will eat while you are holding them and if they are confident enough to tell you when they want to go home- if they do both these things, they are probably not too stressed out...
 
My sow is viscous but doesn't get handled much atall, my boar gets handled more and he is very gentle
 
Black piggies said:
What does Dot do? She looks very sweet in photos.
Click to expand...
If you put your hand in the cage, she will grunt and chase you, then nip you. And if you accidentlt brush her face with your hand slightly, she lunges and bites, but kind of a false warning. She looks beautiful but she's a right devil
 
JandfpiggiesUK said:
Hi everyone.

Just wanted to ask, is there such thing as handling/cuddling your Guinea pigs too much?

My mum has a go at me sometimes as I pick the boys up a few times a day, she says the more I cuddle them that they’ll get viscous?!

I just laugh it off, is there some truth behind that?View attachment 134194
Click to expand...
I think it depends on the piggies' personalities and the way you handle them. I don't handle my girls too often as I like to see them in their natural environment, but when I do I tend to lure then into their tube as it tries to minimize any stress. Mine don't mind being handled but get fidgety now and again. I have two babies who are only two months and haven't gotten use to a human touch yet lol
 
Both of my boys are very cuddly.

Jaffa makes himself comfortable tucked in your arms when they’re folded & Fudge likes to curl up on a soft blanket when you have one on your knee.

jaffa is more affectionate in terms of his cuddliness but fudge only sits for so long.
They’ve both been like that since I’ve had them, I used to handle them everyday and I think they’re just used to it now that they completely relax.

877B31C2-5F26-4142-B819-6B737FB872D1.webp6594E37A-1E36-4E8A-B431-88DA34B4C09A.webp
 
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