Is it normal to never pick up your guinea pigs by hand?

[Beth-Joy]

We've had our piggies for about a year, and they have come a long way in terms of taming. We can stroke them plenty, however they have never liked to be picked up by hand. Instead, when it's floortime, we just chivvy them into a box/tunnel and put them on the floor, or onto our laps for strokes. We just settled for the fact that we won't ever try to pick them up directly, seeing as they dislike it so much. Is this normal? Or do most people pick up their piggies?

 

[Piggies&buns]

This is very normal. Being picked up equals being eaten if you’re a piggy!
My two boys have been with me for almost three years and they don’t like being picked up....either by hand or even after I’ve got them into a cosy

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

My boys are the same. Neither like being picked up and Elvis doesn't like being touched in general so I use a fleece tunnel. They're used to the tunnel so happily walk straight in when it's time to go in and out of the cage/run. This is perfectly normal for prey prey animals

 

[BossHogg]

I must be blessed, mine have never had any problems with being picked up, in fact, Delilah settles down and goes asleep on me when I bring her in for cuddle time.

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

Wow you are blessed!

 

[Tara95]

It's very normal, I never pick mine up by hand but worry so much about how they'll react when they get their nails clipped as they aren't used to it.

 

[Annie's pets]

We've had our piggies for about a year, and they have come a long way in terms of taming. We can stroke them plenty, however they have never liked to be picked up by hand. Instead, when it's floortime, we just chivvy them into a box/tunnel and put them on the floor, or onto our laps for strokes. We just settled for the fact that we won't ever try to pick them up directly, seeing as they dislike it so much. Is this normal? Or do most people pick up their piggies?

one of my guinea pigs is okay being picked up by hand and one of my others isnt it all depends on the guinea pig, however no guinea pig "likes" being picked up since they are prey animals. This is a totally normal behaviour

 

[Freela]

A lot of pigs dislike being picked up, even though they may like to be held and patted. If you've got a system that works, great! My pigs do let me pick them up unless there's a specific reason why they are not happy with me (i.e. are on meds and know that being picked up means getting nasty medicine.) That said, they are upset if anyone else tries to pick them up from the cage, though they'll happily sit on someone else's lap if I hand them over.