I think my piggies hate me - please help

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okciv

I've had my boys for about 9/10 weeks now and they really are not much better than the first day I got them.
They both hate being picked up, Marmaduke more than Pepsi.

I always pick them up using towels, I've tried putting them in upside down pigloos, letting them climb into a box that I can then pick up etc. Nothing seems to work.
They really seem to hate being handled.

I've tried so hard but nothing seems to be making them better.

They are a lot easier to catch than they were but they always seem so scared. I feel so sorry for them. They will take food out of my hands but run right away with it.
If I have them lifted or in a box/pigloo etc they will not touch anything to eat & sit still in a corner. I hate it, I feel like I am the big bad wolf.8...

Have I missed a trick somewhere or am I stuck with boys who hate cuddles?

Oh I've tried them both at the same time but it seems to make them fight, I'm guessing they have nowhere to hide from each other & are both scared and taking it out on each other.
 
I'm sure they dont hate you. I've only had mine for 3 weeks and just being slow about it, talking in a calm voice, giving treats when you have them out should bring them around. I'm noticing Molly coming closer to the edge when she hears my voice....I dont feel like the Big Bad Wolf....I choose to be the All Powerful Food Machine! If i have to bribe them out...I will :<>:<> cuz i 'will' get them to love me....Just keep trying...try a special food that they cant resist....yes, they will run away...but they will put 2 and 2 together one day and see that you are not all that bad and have treats!
 
I really doubt that they hate you, I would not take it personally. Some piggies are just shy. Give them more time, if you have had them for 9 or 10 weeks, then things can still improve...
 
Abby'sMom said:
being slow about it, talking in a calm voice, giving treats when you have them out ....Just keep trying...try a special food that they cant resist.......but they will put 2 and 2 together one day and see that you are not all that bad and have treats!
Click to expand...

I've been trying all of that every day since I got them and was hoping they would be better by now 8...
 
I have had six piggies over the years and each piggie has been very different in its tempremant and behaviour. I have found that my boys are far more docile than my girls. One of my boys (Montgomery) is extremely tame now, however was very very shy when I got him. I spend a lot of time with them and always talk to them when I'm in their room. I also read a tip that playing a radio can help soothe them and get them used to voices and different noises. (I now have a radio in the piggies room) Of course this will only work if you have indoor piggies as I'm sure your neighbours would have something to say if you played a radio out in your garden! Keep persevering. Eventually the boys will settle and get used to being lifted. Please dont think that they hate you. They are just naturally shy animals and it can take time to bring them out of their shell. Good luck and dont give up!
 
Yes, some pigs are shy. When I first got Cookie, she squealed when I tried to pick her up. And she bit HARD. But now she loves cuddles. rub them gently in their cage and offer them parsley (no pig can resist parsley is what I've learned.) Feel really really calm when you do these things. That's what worked for Cookie.
 
Have you tried having one of the boys on your belly under a pullover and cuddle them there?

My Llewelyn is another of the "skittish brigade" and even after nearly two years still runs first and asks questions later. He STILL doesn't like to come up to me and pick things off my hand and the runs away with them - which is funny when he does it with a whole leaf of lettuce and inevitably steps on it! At least, I don't have to leave the room for him to come out for his food, like I had to for the first few weeks!

However, he is very happy where he is. I have trained him to go in his hut for the pick-up (so I can overturn it without him runing away) or in the upturned pigloo for transport ot the lawn. And I can give him cuddles, and he relaxes.

Be patient, patient, patient. Talk gently and constantly. I'm sorry that you got a tough lot.
 
your piggies don't hate you, try giving them their fave treats only when you hold hold them so that that they will look foward to your company and your piggies are only young and will be shy untill they come out of their shells and will be making a lot of happy noises 24/7 lol

hope everything goes wellxxx
 
Dont worry, I have had my piggys for 2 and a half years, and only in the last 6 months they really have stared to trust me.
Try and make sure you cuddle them every day, give them lots of treats and talk to them so they can get used to the sound of your voice.
They dont hate you, they are probally just shy and a bit scared, give it a few months and I'm sure you will have bonded!

Good luck!
 
I always think new pigs hate me and get really upset. My husband thinks its funny because it always takes about 3months-1 year depending on the pig for them to settle. I always say 'they'll never love me they hate me!:0' then a little while later they're putty in my hands!

Just be patient, they'll love you in no time!
 
When I concentrate, I can feel the love for my piggies well up in me and I imagine that I wrap them in my love and give them little cuddles with my mind fingers. I also project calm an reassurance on them.
It's a bit wacky, but works really well with all the shy piggies I seem to adopt these days.
 
I have found little and often with regard to handling, try sitting and talking to them i found reading the newspaper to one of my rabbits. Also don't pick them up every time you visit just give them a quick stoke say hello and then leave them to it that way they do not think they are going to be picked up every time.

wish you all the best in your taming quest in time they will come round and show you affection back
 
I have found little and often with regard to handling, try sitting and talking to them i found reading the newspaper to one of my rabbits. Also don't pick them up every time you visit just give them a quick stoke say hello and then leave them to it that way they do not think they are going to be picked up every time.

wish you all the best in your taming quest in time they will come round and show you affection back
 
Get them used to you by sometimes putting your hand in near them without speaking and walk away. Other times put your hand in and talk to them and walk away. other times give them veggies right by their feet then walk away etc.. They will soon get used to the fact that different things happen when you come near and won't be so worked up when it comes to cuddle time, as they will stop associating you with being pulled out of their house and it being scarey!

I have had George since dec and he has only got to the point where he doesn't run off when I try pick him in about 2 weeks ago. Don't worry it will come with time. I can now give him stroke in the cage, tickle his nose and alsorts but it did take about 7/8 months.
 
Oh no please don't be upset and think that your piggies hate you! *hugs*
I went through a phase of thinking Rocky hated me - he would do *anything* to get away when we tried to pick him up out of the cage, so panicky bless him, it really worried me. However, only in the last week or so he has started to settle slightly - I've had my boys for about 2 1/2 months. He is still terrified of being 'caught' but once he is out he will sit still for about 30 seconds to a minute which is an improvement! Unfortunately for us humans I think the only way is to let the piggies come around to enjoying our company in their own time - we have to be patient and persevere. I know I still have a lot of bonding work to do with my boys (Rufus was always more laid back and he is really quite tame now) but the smallest demonstrations of their trust are so rewarding, so focus on those and build up.
Personally I think the difference between my boys in how tame they are stems from the fact that when they first came to live with us Rufus had a bad case of mites and needed treatment etc first, followed by a bad case with Rocky so Rufus came to trust us much faster.
Chin up and think of the positives - you'll get there xxxxx
 
Forgot to mention on a couple of occasions I was nearly in tears as I thought George and Tiger both hated me. I feel silly now and at the time it was like I give them everything they are spoilt rotten and they still hate me.

Luckly my boyfriend is very understanding and just said that they would get used to me in time and that they did appreciate what I did for them just not cuddles!

The more they get used to you the quicker the progress will seem and you will all love hugs together.
 
I tend to advise that it takes up to 6 months for guinea pigs to really settle into a new home. Some pigs will settle in straight away, while those of nervous temperament - especially those who are young, hormonal or both - can take many months to begin to truly relax and accept your company.

Honestly, it is nothing personal at all. You are doing just fine. :)
 
Yes, it takes time and patience to settle a piggy down. Some do it quicker than others.

However, remember that running away to take cover is intuitive and deep in their survival brain. Its not easy to change millions of years of evolutionary instinct in a few months.

Anders.
 
Don't give up on them, whatever you do!

They don't hate you. They're still adjusting.
Mine STILL snatch food from me and run away with it. So don't worry.

As for hating cuddles, I've found that family and friends around me, who have had piggies, always said they didn't like cuddles at first but after a while, they learn to love it.

Ralph used to pee on me whenever I held him, he used to bite me, once or twice he broke the skin but now he loves cuddles and gets upset if I don't give him one when he wants it.

You need patience. Persevere. Don't give up.
As time goes by, they'll get used to you and learn to enjoy cuddles.
You do, however, get piggies that fidget and don't like to be cuddled for too long (I've only ever met 2 like this @) )but I'm sure yours are not like that.
They're probably still scared and trying to adjust.

I'll let you know a neat trick.
When I first got my boys, I had this same sort of problem (As I said) and I thought that they must see me as a giant ogre and really not like me.
So I decided to let them have floor time in a bedroom. A whole room.
I then let them loose on the floor and positioned myself so that they could run between my legs and arms, under my belly, everything.
I constantly talked to them while they were playing. And every now and then, I'd shift into a different position.

My aim was to make them see me as a "play thing" rather than a scary person.
And it worked, they become very used to me quite quickly.

So, if you have the space, I'd try and do something like that.
It's fun for you and the piggies.
You get to see them popcorning around because they think you're a giant play frame.
 
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