How to mend shaken human-pigs bond?

gayfurryclown

gayfurryclown

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Hi hi :)
(Jump to the last paragraph to skip the context.)

My bond with my sows (~10 months old) has always been a bit fragile. It feels like every time I reach a point of “this is the most comfortable you’ve ever been with me”, something happens that takes us back a few steps.

(Example: I was trying to encourage Kinoya to go back into the cage after floor time, so I put my hand in front of her, blocking her from going further into the room. I accidentally poked her snoot as I moved my hand in front of her (not hard, she isn’t hurt), so she panicked and now moves away from my hand whenever it’s close to her without food.)

Today I’m taking them to the vet, and I’m REALLY worried that it’ll have a big, long-lasting impact on our bond.
If that happens, how do I mend it? Aside from waiting til they come around again, I never know what to do when I do things (by accident/out of necessity) that leaves them scared of me.

Any advice is appreciated, thank you :)

P.S.:
It’ll be their first time at h the vet!
 
Vets are usually good with nervous patients and won't handle them unnecessarily. They are usually quick and coordinated with what they do, so less time for piggies to get wound up. Putting a fleece pet blanket over the carrier should help to keep them calm. Good luck with the visit!
 
gayfurryclown said:
Hi hi :)
(Jump to the last paragraph to skip the context.)

My bond with my sows (~10 months old) has always been a bit fragile. It feels like every time I reach a point of “this is the most comfortable you’ve ever been with me”, something happens that takes us back a few steps.

(Example: I was trying to encourage Kinoya to go back into the cage after floor time, so I put my hand in front of her, blocking her from going further into the room. I accidentally poked her snoot as I moved my hand in front of her (not hard, she isn’t hurt), so she panicked and now moves away from my hand whenever it’s close to her without food.)

Today I’m taking them to the vet, and I’m REALLY worried that it’ll have a big, long-lasting impact on our bond.
If that happens, how do I mend it? Aside from waiting til they come around again, I never know what to do when I do things (by accident/out of necessity) that leaves them scared of me.

Any advice is appreciated, thank you :)

P.S.:
It’ll be their first time at h the vet!
Click to expand...

Hi

Use our piggy whispering tips re. communication and reassurance on a level they understand instinctively; as they understand the praise and sympathy in your voice:
Wiebke

Thread 'Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips'

1 Understanding Prey Animal Behaviour
- Unresponsive prey reflex
- Flight reflex
- Fight reflex (defence bites)
2 How to Avoid Predatory Behaviours
- Scent
- Flow of chatter
- Sudden movement and noises
- Looming and staring
- 'I am not seeing you'
3 Piggy Whispering
- 'I want to be friends with you'
- 'I invite you into my herd'
- 'I love/care...
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Here are our practical tips for vet visits:
Wiebke

Thread 'Tips For Vet Visits'

1 Before you need to see a vet
- Accustoming your guinea pigs to their carrier
- Finding a good vet
- How soon do I need to see a vet?
- How to find an out-of-hours vet in an emergency
2 Care until you can see a vet
- Emergency and bridging care advice and resources
- How to improvise crucial...
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Bringing skittish piggies round is very much a matter of patience and persistence. Trust is a tender plant that needs to make deep roots before I can grow and flourish. Until then is a process of one step forward and two back - only that they will come round that bit quicker each time.
 
I can only reiterate what has been said already.
Will it help you to know that I adopted a skittish, unsocialised boy just over a year ago. We took everything at his pace, this is him now...IMG-20240529-WA0004 (1).webp
 
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