New Guinea Pig Won't Be Touched

Sunshine114

Sunshine114

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi

Sorry if this is in the wrong place - it's kind of New Guinea pig, behaviour and general care!
We got a New Guinea pig for our bereaved 3 year old boar in July. He's now six months old and just will not be petted or touched in any way.
They have bonded ok apart from occasional squabbles when our new pig tries to challenge dominance, but it's all been fine. He is very curious and inquisitive, very lively, he runs around happily (c and c cage in our living room) will take food from our hands, and if we sit with our hands over in their cage he will come and have a sniff and a nibble, but he just will not be stroked, touched or picked up - we pick him up inside a tunnel when it's cleaning time. If we are petting our older pig inside the cage and he's purring, the new one comes over to have a look and see what's happening- but runs away as soon as we approach him - even moving our hands low and slowly...
I'm concerned about grooming and nails - he could really do with a good groom and a little trim of the tips of his nails, but he just won't let us near - if we do have hold of him he clearly hates it and tries to get away - does any one have any ideas of what we can do to help him settle?
 
All piggies are different as you are discovering. I've 14 and very few really enjoy sitting still for lap time etc.
When I need to do their nails I wrap them gently and firmly in a hand towel, leaving access to the area I need to do!
Sometimes having a friend to help is good too if you have a real wriggler to contend with - get them to hold the piggy in a towel while you get on with nails etc. Do try and lift him daily even for a few seconds so that he gets used to interacting with his Human! As you'll be aware, lift him at floor level if possible just in case he wriggles free from you and tries to jump!
persevere and you'll get there!
 
Mine are the same. Chewie will consent to be stroked in the cage if there’s a reasonable chance of food (or if she’s busy eating!) but you can’t puck her up. Rey will sometimes endure a head rub but B.B. will not let you touch her at all but she will lick and snuffle hands/ feet/faces!

I pick mine up in tunnels and tip them out!

I always provide lettuce/ cabbage at claw clipping time and have my OH hold them. They’re getting better but are still squirmy.

Rey is the only one I’d take out for ‘lap time’ as although she’s the most shy, she settles and will from herself on my lap.

Mine will never be lappigs and I’m OK with that!

B.B. is having to have almost daily checks on her cyst site and she’s getting really good at standing still on a table with my hand under her tummy.

Time patience and practice! (And food)
 
Some piggies just don't like it. Doesn't matter what I did for Jemima she hated physical contact. She was first at the bars and would always come and see us, take food out of hands etc but hated lap time. She would put up with it for a minute or two and then would get annoyed and nippy. Doing her nails was a nightmare, I did one or two paws at a time depending on how much she could be bribed to let me do. Like I said nothing changed her attitude and I had her from 6 weeks old til she passed at 5 and a half years
 
Two of mine are happy to be petted and held, the other three are offski the minute they think they're going to get picked up. It's the younger ones that run, and they are really friendly otherwise. They will actually jump up on my lap when I'm hand feeding them, but try to catch them and it's a different story. I just think they have too much they want to be doing other than sitting for a silly old slave to pat them.
 
Thanks for all the replies - it's good to know I'm not alone!
We were trying a bit of lap time and he was getting betteye.. I guess it's just time and patience like you say! I think I've forgotten what our others were like at that age too perhaps - sam in particular (the one we lost too soon ) took ages before we could just lift him out without any trouble!
I guess I just don't want to stress Henry further! His nails are ok at the moment, just a little sharp, but it won't be long before they need a bit of a trim!
 
Sunshine114 said:
Hi

Sorry if this is in the wrong place - it's kind of New Guinea pig, behaviour and general care!
We got a New Guinea pig for our bereaved 3 year old boar in July. He's now six months old and just will not be petted or touched in any way.
They have bonded ok apart from occasional squabbles when our new pig tries to challenge dominance, but it's all been fine. He is very curious and inquisitive, very lively, he runs around happily (c and c cage in our living room) will take food from our hands, and if we sit with our hands over in their cage he will come and have a sniff and a nibble, but he just will not be stroked, touched or picked up - we pick him up inside a tunnel when it's cleaning time. If we are petting our older pig inside the cage and he's purring, the new one comes over to have a look and see what's happening- but runs away as soon as we approach him - even moving our hands low and slowly...
I'm concerned about grooming and nails - he could really do with a good groom and a little trim of the tips of his nails, but he just won't let us near - if we do have hold of him he clearly hates it and tries to get away - does any one have any ideas of what we can do to help him settle?
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Please try our guinea pig whispering tips. Establish that you love him, but that you are the top pig, so what you say goes. Then you give him more love again. That should help. Give him lots of praise and encouragement so he learns what is the expected behaviour.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
Guide to Cutting Guinea Pig Nails
 
Hi

Just thought I’d give an update - we have trimmed his nails and it went really well! My son kept him occupied hand feeding him some romaine lettuce, my husband was on hand in case he jumped and I had him on my lap and snipped his nails :-)

He was also much happier to be lifted and held, it seems it’s stroking that he doesn’t like, possibly because he’s long haired.

We even managed to trim some of his back end hair - he wasn’t too keen about that but we are just going to do a bit at a time until it’s more under control!

Thanks for all the advice - as ever this forum is brilliant! :-)
 
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