How Often To Handle?

[Antares]

So we have had our piggies for about a month.
They are still a bit nervous when I lift them from their hutch. And the sit quietly on our laps.

How often should we be handling, and for how long?

 

[Tiamolly123]

Our 8 always quite & they love having a cuddle we give them 20 minutes to half an hour then back in the cage for a clean up & food. But I'm sure everyone's different.

 

[sport_billy]

Very early days yet.

It may be worth offering food to your piggies while she is in her hutch and hopefully they will take it off you. Food is the best way to bribe, use food when you get round to lap times also. Start lap time for a short amount of time at first and build up. We started off we laptimes for 1 minute with new piggies then pop them back, slowly increasing the time. They will soon associate you with food and good things but at first it takes a while to gain their trust.

Piggies are prey animals and hate been picked up as it goes against all instincts so a cosy/tunnel is a good way to go as you can herd the into it.

have a read of this thread here How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?