How often should you hold babies

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ts1

ts1

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Hi all Slaves
I would really welcome some advice about how long and how often to hold my new babies.

I have 2 girls that are around 3 months old, i have been holding them for around 10 mins each morning and around 10 mins each evening. They will now take veggie treats from me as well but each time I try to get them they are really scared still.

Should I hold them longer more frequently? Any advice on this would be very welcome.
 
I'm interested to hear people's replies. My two babies (4 weeks old) squirm and teeth chatter like crazy when I hold them :(
 
How you pick a pig up can cause them distress - as they are a prey animal, if you loom over the top of them and pick them up with your hand holding them from above, then to a GP is it like jaws or claws getting hold of them - scary for little pigs that do not know yet that you are not a predator even though you act like one.

If you use the length of your arm and hand to herd them into a corner (at their level so coming in at the front of the cage rather than the top), once they are cornered scoop your hand underneath their body to lift them out of the cage, they will soon learn what is going to happen and as you no longer act like a predator there should be far less stress. It takes a bit of practice, chasing round and round the cage to corner them isn't the idea - it should be smooth, calm and done in the same way each time so they learn that being picked up isn't scary.

I would also advise that if you open the cage regularly, give treats and chats without picking them up, they will relax more too. If they struggle when being carried the safest way to move them would be in a fleecey cuddle cup or, as I do in a basket so there is no chance of them falling.

HTH

Suzy x
 
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This is what I taught extra skittish Llewelyn to get into so I could carry him anywhere without having to physically catch him (apart from the odd gentle tap on his behind - piggie language for "move on!" ).


A padded shoebox with one small side cut off will also to for safe transport. If you place it in a corner with a little treat at the end and then start gently herding your piggies into it once they are have had a nap in the box and are relaxed with it. It can take a few weeks until they work it out, but it worth it - they will cooperate as soon as they realise that this way of picking up is a less stressful for them!

Also - lots of praise and verbal fuss for every little achievement will help, too! Like with a pint sized dag, but don't shout at them!

I would cuddle your piggies only for as long as they can stand it; once they give signs that they've had enough, put them back (most often wiggling, pulling clothes etc).
 
I held my babies several times a day when they first came, mostly because I didnt want them to be timid like my trio, Patch is fine with being picked up but Fudge still hates it (I do think its the way I pick them up though) however now once out they both love snuggles (it does help though that the breeder I had them off also handled them lots, she had them indoors for a few weeks before we picked them up to to get them used to noise etc)
 
The sooner you start to handle them the better, some piggles just don't like being picked up... once you have them in your arms or on your lap they are fine.

I started to handle all of mine within 2-3 days of bringing them home. Cuddles/lap time can last from anywhere between 10 - 30 minutes with my boys before they start to wriggle and chew my clothes to tell me they want to go back in their run or hutch.
 
PiggyGuru said:
I'm interested to hear people's replies. My two babies (4 weeks old) squirm and teeth chatter like crazy when I hold them :(
Click to expand...

I posted on here a while ago about the difference between anxious "chattering" and just simple chewing. I will try to find the thread but basically piggies chatter to each other as a sign of aggression and/or nervousness and, rarely, to their slaves if they're uspet with them in the same way.

However, piggies also keep food at the back of their mouths to chew on and to grind down their back teeth. If they're doing this while you're holding them, they're pretty comfortable actually. You can tell the difference by their general behaviour and by how they chatter/chew
 
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