Handling

[Ati Ebrahimi]

Hi, I brought home my new piggy Sheldon on Thursday & yesterday he was brave enough to come out of his cage for play time, of course I used veggies to persuade him! but when I had to pick him up to put him back in his cage he got really scared. I read somewhere if you want your cavy to get used to handling you need to do it often. should I handle him everyday? or would he be as scared every time?
I must say he was happy and fine this morning so I don't think it was really traumatic for him.

 

[DM030819]

If it's a struggle, or he seems to be hard to catch, or he's a bit stresses with being caught use something to catch him.

Try something like one of his beds, or a carrier or a cardboard box. He'll either go in himself or you could shoo him in that direction and then once he's in you can pick it up and take him back to the cage.

Piggies are afraid at first. They're prey animals so their instinct is to run away. Even my boys run sometimes when they don't see me coming.

It takes time and patience for them to come round. Interact with him when he's in his cage too, offering him food so he learns that "the big hand" isn't something to be scared off.

He needs to get used to being handled as you'll need to get him out for health checks, weighing him and of course, for cuddles.

Just take things at his pace. He sounds like he's a brave little guy already, coming out for play time. My most recent pig, I don't think I saw him much for about a fortnight, he liked to hide from me. He's okay now though, once he learned that I'm not going to eat him.

 

[Ati Ebrahimi]

If it's a struggle, or he seems to be hard to catch, or he's a bit stresses with being caught use something to catch him.

Try something like one of his beds, or a carrier or a cardboard box. He'll either go in himself or you could shoo him in that direction and then once he's in you can pick it up and take him back to the cage.

Piggies are afraid at first. They're prey animals so their instinct is to run away. Even my boys run sometimes when they don't see me coming.

It takes time and patience for them to come round. Interact with him when he's in his cage too, offering him food so he learns that "the big hand" isn't something to be scared off.

He needs to get used to being handled as you'll need to get him out for health checks, weighing him and of course, for cuddles.

Just take things at his pace. He sounds like he's a brave little guy already, coming out for play time. My most recent pig, I don't think I saw him much for about a fortnight, he liked to hide from me. He's okay now though, once he learned that I'm not going to eat him.

If it's a struggle, or he seems to be hard to catch, or he's a bit stresses with being caught use something to catch him.

Try something like one of his beds, or a carrier or a cardboard box. He'll either go in himself or you could shoo him in that direction and then once he's in you can pick it up and take him back to the cage.

Piggies are afraid at first. They're prey animals so their instinct is to run away. Even my boys run sometimes when they don't see me coming.

It takes time and patience for them to come round. Interact with him when he's in his cage too, offering him food so he learns that "the big hand" isn't something to be scared off.

He needs to get used to being handled as you'll need to get him out for health checks, weighing him and of course, for cuddles.

Just take things at his pace. He sounds like he's a brave little guy already, coming out for play time. My most recent pig, I don't think I saw him much for about a fortnight, he liked to hide from me. He's okay now though, once he learned that I'm not going to eat him.

Yeah he is very nosy & brave I think his curiosity takes precedence over his fear of a new place! Thanks for answering.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I brought home my new piggy Sheldon on Thursday & yesterday he was brave enough to come out of his cage for play time, of course I used veggies to persuade him! but when I had to pick him up to put him back in his cage he got really scared. I read somewhere if you want your cavy to get used to handling you need to do it often. should I handle him everyday? or would he be as scared every time?
I must say he was happy and fine this morning so I don't think it was really traumatic for him.

Hi and welcome!
Please take the time to have a read through our start kit information. It contains guides for the most regularly encountered issues and questions by new owners, including several that deal with settling in, picking up and making friends with guinea pigs in a gentle way, as well as information on other areas.
" Starter Kit" Of Information Threads For New Owners

 

[Ati Ebrahimi]

Thanks!