Help with bonding

[mstarpiggie]

Hi,
So I have had my piggies for about 2 months now. I am really struggling with bonding with them. Cedar is much more brave and will eat from my hand and come say hi but Sage is very timid. I have been taking it slow with both of them to build trust but the times I take them out of their cage for nail clipping or floor time, it's like starting all over from scratch and they will completely avoid my for multiple days after handling them. I just briefly pick them up and put them down in the play pen for play time. I don't force them to let me pet them or anything but with nail clipping, I do obviously have to hold them for longer. Are there any tips to make handling them less traumatizing? I know being picked up is unpleasant for guinea pigs because they are prey animals but is there a way I can do it in a way where they don't become so terrified for so long afterwards? I don't chase them around the cage and I pick them up by using a towel or if I can get one in a fleece tunnel and I fully support their body when I do hold them. I also try to offer treats when I am clipping their nails but they won't take them.
I am sorry if this sounds like I am clueless but I just want to be able to build even the teensiest bond with them and it seems impossible with how scared they get after any handling.
I would put their cage on the floor and make a door so they could come out without being handled but my dog would be able to stick her head in also I use the space under their cage for storage. Just looking for any tips! Thank you so much

 

[Piggies&buns]

The good news is that as one will take food from your hand, then you do have a bond with him/her and s/he does trust you. However, for a lot of piggies this is as good as it gets. All you can really do is what you are already doing - being slow, taking it at their pace etc.

My own two boys have been with me for 2.5 years. It took Dexter six weeks to take food from my hand And it took Popcorn 18 months to take food from my hand. Dexter is much braver and is happy to be about when I’m doing things in their shed, and even though Popcorn has made huge improvements, there are still times when he will run away as soon as he sees me coming - those times are now getting fewer between but it has taken two years to really earn his trust.

 

[mstarpiggie]

The good news is that as one will take food from your hand, then you do have a bond with him/her and s/he does trust you. However, for a lot of piggies this is as good as it gets. All you can really do is what you are already doing - being slow, taking it at their pace etc.

My own two boys have been with me for 2.5 years. It took Dexter six weeks to take food from my hand And it took Popcorn 18 months to take food from my hand. Dexter is much braver and is happy to be about when I’m doing things in their shed, and even though Popcorn has made huge improvements, there are still times when he will run away as soon as he sees me coming - those times are now getting fewer between but it has taken two years to really earn his trust.

did you ever find that after handling/nail clipping that they were super nervous of you for a while after? Did that improve? I definitely don't expect this to ever completely stop but it's discouraging to have to start from the beginning of gaining their trust every few days. It makes floor time hard because one I handle them, they become really scared for a few days and so I have only been able to do floor time twice a week :/

 

[Piggies&buns]

did you ever find that after handling/nail clipping that they were super nervous of you for a while after? Did that improve? I definitely don't expect this to ever completely stop but it's discouraging to have to start from the beginning of gaining their trust every few days. It makes floor time hard because one I handle them, they become really scared for a few days and so I have only been able to do floor time twice a week :/

yes it did improve but it took time for them to realise. They don’t like being handled but aren’t scared of me like they were.
is there any way you can just open the door to their cage and let them come out rather than being lifted out? It of course depends on your cage and set up!
mine live in a hutch in my shed so I only have to open the hutch door for them to come in and out so my handling of them is limited to weekly weighing and health checks as well as less regular Nail clips/grooming