Just an independant pig?

[Mimikkry]

My family adopted a pair of pigs from craigslist about a month ago... Vet suspects them to be six months or so old. The girls live in a three by three homemade cage that sits on the floor and as either my wife and I are always home... they are only shut in it when we both leave the house or the rats are out for their run... we allow them full use of the livingroom which is rat proofed already for our rats. The girls can easily go in and out of their home and do to use the potty.... most of the time. LOL and eat and drink.

My question is while they both still run and hide if we try to pick them up... Miley allows us to pet her and enjoys the cuddles shell get... Meiko on the other hand starts yawning and nipping if we pick her up. She does come up and sniff us if were on the floor but we are absolutely not allowed to touch her.

Is this normal? Is she just more independant than Miley? Is there anyway to improve this behavior in her?

Thanks

 

[Wiebke]

the yawning indicates that she is actually very frightened and wants you stay away from her; she may have a bad experience. If I were you, I would take it slowly and build up a relationship with her that is not based on cuddles but on interaction.

You can get past the pick up problem by training your girls to come into some kind of pickup conveyance - a tunnel, an upturned hut or pigloo, a cosy, a small padded cardboard box with one end cut off etc. With mine, I use a waste paper basket turned sideways. Just place a little veg of herb treat at the end of it and let them get comfy first for a day or two.

Please praise your girls lot, for every bit, like you would with mini dogs. Piggies react well to being made a fuss of. Be patient; trust is a tender plant that needs time to grow - but makes beautiful flowers eventually!