Little help with handling

[Robs83]

Hello all and thanks in advance for any help.

We got our piggies at Christmas.
We have abyssinians. Very lovely looking little things. Well rapidly growing…
Since coming home, they hid for 2 days. We do floor time everyday, over the last 2 weeks a few hours at a time.
They are tame enough to respond to certain words. Squeak away at the rustle of a bag.
They are very chatty and responsive. And I think overall. Very spoilt.
However…. They are tame enough to climb on me, smell and nibble fingers. They don’t run away if i literally walk right next to them. They even happily climb into there hidies
When I tell them to so I can return them to there enclosure.
But… boy, are they skittish at times. This involves running at light speed away from me for a fraction of a second until they realise there is no threat. Then they immediately return. This is all great and the journey has been great. But they won’t let me stroke them. So have been putting off trying to hold them as I don’t want to reset all the hard work and time spent taming them.

do you guys have any expert tips. I remember as a kid holding my pigs all the time. These little ladies are completely against any contact. They run away and if I persist. I get a stern frozen stare and maybe a little teeth chatter.

Happy to keep at what I am doing but gutted I'm not sitting there with them on my lap.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[fluffysal]

They are certainly gorgeous. It actually sounds like you're making very fast progress. Just carry on with what you're doing. Having them happy to climb on you is a big step.

 

[Mikatelyn]

I find mine don't like a hand coming in from above. Here's what helped tame our piggies: hand feed all the veggies, you can hold the veggies between the thumb and middle finger, and use your pointer finger to get a little chin rub in as they come in for the treat. To get head pats in, I hold 1 hand still in head patting position, and hold the veggies underneath, then wait for them to essentially walk into a head pat. That way you aren't moving, they move into the snuggle. Hope that helps!

 

[Piggies&buns]

They actually sound to be doing everything in a very normal way.
As prey animals they are always likely to be skittish. One is mine in particular was like that for the entire 7 years of his life. Being touched or held is actually against what most of them like.

I’m down to two now but had four up until last year (I lost my two oldest boys at 6 and almost 7 years old). Of the four, only one enjoys a bit of a stroke, the others hated being touched. Not one of them enjoys/ed being held or sitting on my lap. Its normal! My interaction with them was most enjoyable for me when they chose to come to me and climb on me, like yours do - because it was their choice.
The only time mine were ever handled was for the weekly weight and health checks. They were done quickly but carefully but I never sit and cuddle with them because it isn’t enjoyable to them.

Keep persisting but really it sounds like they are doing really great and are very comfortable with you.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

Your piggies sound very normal to me. Please be aware that all the cuddling videos on social show what humans want to see but they are not a reflection of the reality.

Most piggies will come to tolerate a short 5-10 minute cuddle and their weekly weighing and grooming care but only a comparatively small number will actively enjoy cuddling. Guinea pigs are prey animals and not naturally born animated cuddly toys when the chips are down.

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

Jul 29, 2014

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...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 2
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

There are however so many more different ways in which you can interact with them in their own world, which is frankly a lot more interesting for both parties via enrichment activities; they are also great for trust building and drawing you into a much more complex and fascinating piggy world than you would expect.

Thread 'Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs'

Mar 11, 2019

1 Company and interaction
- Company of their own kind is the best enrichment
- Human interaction
2 Excercise
- Daily run time and exercise
- Race and obstacle courses
- Outdoors time and how to bring it indoors
3 Sensory enrichment
- Things for the nose and the palate
- Working to get their daily food
- Romping and burrowing in soft...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Housing, Enrichment, Travel and Climate

• 
• 

Be patient and persistent but try not to confine yourself by human expectations.

 

[fluffysal]

I'm EXTREMELY lucky as I have two boys who do enjoy lap time. Sir George always has but Master Boris mellowed as he got older. At first he was fine until the treats ran out, now he likes a cuddle and even gives lots of kisses.
I always thought of the process as making friends and gaining their trust rather than taming. When they were younger I found "long" food was helpful (a green bean, good long sprig of mint etc), as they are happier to get hand fed these without getting too close. Eventually they will realise that the hands aren't trying to eat them.
Because we do have to work for the trust I feel that every little bit of progress is immensely rewarding.

 

[Robs83]

Many thanks everyone for your advice and responses.
I will keep doing what we are doing as I can clearly see the positive changes.

After their floor time today they both followed me around the floor for about 15 minutes and wouldn’t let me leave without squeaking away for more attention!