New Piggies ...best Way To Tame Them?

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Jojessgaz

Jojessgaz

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Hi everyone. I have finally after months of looking got 2 girls at 8 weeks old. They came home last sat and as today is only thur been with me less than a week. I'm trying so hard to do the right thing it's starting to stress me out at how skittish and frightened they are. I look at the pics and videos here and wonder if I will ever get them to that level. I have read so much online that I am very confused at the best approach to this.... some say they have to get used to being handled and me so hold them every day even though I feel like I'm scaring them to death when I lift them out. ..stressing them is stressing me. While others say don't pick them up but hand feed them and slowly they will get used to you. But will this take too long and they will never want to be picked up? I don't want to do the wrong thing and never be able to bond with them like so many here have..... all help very much appreciated! ! Thx Jo
 
I think its down to the individual piggies and also personal circumstances.... before we moved I had piggies that lived indoors and they were quite tame and would take food out of my hands and were easy to hold.... my boars now live inside a garage and although they come out every day they are not anywhere near as tame as the ones that lived indoors.... patience is one thing but I think to a degree piggies are always going to remain timid
 
Jojessgaz said:
Hi everyone. I have finally after months of looking got 2 girls at 8 weeks old. They came home last sat and as today is only thur been with me less than a week. I'm trying so hard to do the right thing it's starting to stress me out at how skittish and frightened they are. I look at the pics and videos here and wonder if I will ever get them to that level. I have read so much online that I am very confused at the best approach to this.... some say they have to get used to being handled and me so hold them every day even though I feel like I'm scaring them to death when I lift them out. ..stressing them is stressing me. While others say don't pick them up but hand feed them and slowly they will get used to you. But will this take too long and they will never want to be picked up? I don't want to do the wrong thing and never be able to bond with them like so many here have..... all help very much appreciated! ! Thx Jo
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It takes generally weeks, if not months to turn prey animals that have not had much in the way human interaction into pets. Hang on in there and be patient!

Our extensive and detailed tips on how to settle in your new piggies and eventually make friends with them are included in this link; the tips in there will help you to interact with your piggies on a level that they instinctively understand and that helps you to avoid behaving like a predator. You may also hopefully find the other information for new owners helpful:
" Starter Kit" Of Information Threads For New Owners
 
When I got Beans and Toast, Beans was already quite friendly and tame, but Toast was absolutely terrified of humans and would hide behind Beans (Toast came from a very bad home so it's not surprising).

Within a month Beans really came out of her shell and got very comfortable with me, Toast was still not anywhere near ready.

I talked to them every day and offered them food from my hand, I handled them if they would allow it, but still Toast was not budging.
After about 5 months I really thought perhaps Toast was too traumatised from her previous owner that maybe she'd never get used to me.

Then at around 6-7 months in, Toast finally came over to me and licked my hand and that was it, she would come to me and cuddle in after that. It was amazing, it took a long, long time but it was so worth it. She comes out to see me when I come in from work when she hears my voice.
Both of them have their own little personalities and they are completely trusting of me now (although they do still have a bit of a temporary freak out when I attempt to pick them up but they're fine once I've got them) :nod:
 
Thanks for all the feedback....I think my biggest problem is I have to have them outside as my husband is very very alergic. It's definitely alot better if they live indoors. I don't mind being patient it's just I don't want two steps forward and then one back if I don't pick them up every day. I left them to settle 3 days then picked each up only for a few mins and fed them both while holding them for 2 days then yesterday when I came to the hutch they were so scared I decided not to pick them up just managed to hand feed one a little but the other didn't want to know. I was going to try and pick them up again today but feel I'm putting them through so much .
 
Please don't be discouraged. Piggies are fearful by nature! And most pigs, no matter how much they love cuddles or being stroked, HATE the actual process of being picked up. When I first brought my boy Keiko home I did what you did, let him settle for 3 days before trying any handling/hand feeding. On the 4th day I decided to take him out. He was scared and stayed absolutely still. I let him hide under a blanket on my lap and just talked to him. Of course my piggies live in my room so he grew used to my presence very quickly. I gradually increased the time I would keep him out 5 minutes, 10, 15 etc each day until he started exploring. I just sat with him, very still, and talked as he sniffed around. It took him a couple weeks to take food from my hand, but I think you should perservere with the handling. Keiko now loves to be pet so much that as soon as I go to stroke him he lays down and stretches out as much as possible! (Of course this is after he's done popcorning or zoomies, if he's still full of energy he won't lay down but instead jumps off my lap to get more air). It's true they do need to get used to it. Which is why the first couple times only take them out for short periods. After a couple times of being out and nothing bad happening to them they should start to learn it's not something to be scared of. As cuddly as Keiko is now, he still runs like hell when it's time to be picked up, and then popcorns the second I set him outside the cage! Good luck with your newest additions!
 
Thank you so muc
Keiko The Pig said:
Please don't be discouraged. Piggies are fearful by nature! And most pigs, no matter how much they love cuddles or being stroked, HATE the actual process of being picked up. When I first brought my boy Keiko home I did what you did, let him settle for 3 days before trying any handling/hand feeding. On the 4th day I decided to take him out. He was scared and stayed absolutely still. I let him hide under a blanket on my lap and just talked to him. Of course my piggies live in my room so he grew used to my presence very quickly. I gradually increased the time I would keep him out 5 minutes, 10, 15 etc each day until he started exploring. I just sat with him, very still, and talked as he sniffed around. It took him a couple weeks to take food from my hand, but I think you should perservere with the handling. Keiko now loves to be pet so much that as soon as I go to stroke him he lays down and stretches out as much as possible! (Of course this is after he's done popcorning or zoomies, if he's still full of energy he won't lay down but instead jumps off my lap to get more air). It's true they do need to get used to it. Which is why the first couple times only take them out for short periods. After a couple times of being out and nothing bad happening to them they should start to learn it's not something to be scared of. As cuddly as Keiko is now, he still runs like hell when it's time to be picked up, and then popcorns the second I set him outside the cage! Good luck with your newest additions!
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We have all been through this so I know where you are coming from, time is the thing that helps build the trust up. You are deign well keep at it.

Have a look at this video here, it shows a stress free way of picking up piggies and may help

 
Thanks...Maybe my phone but I can't get into the video .... is it something on u tube I can find?
 
Yes that is a youtube link
 
We found that the first couple of weeks they girls hated being lifted up and ran if we tried to get them. We used their house upside down as a transporter to put them on the floor or in the play pen and then sat and played with them there. My daughter loves her piggies, so they get regular cuddle time and floor play and, thank goodness, seem to have settled well. They now stay still when we reach hands in to pick them up, and popcorn when they get a chance to run about more.
 
Zerlina said:
We found that the first couple of weeks they girls hated being lifted up and ran if we tried to get them. We used their house upside down as a transporter to put them on the floor or in the play pen and then sat and played with them there. My daughter loves her piggies, so they get regular cuddle time and floor play and, thank goodness, seem to have settled well. They now stay still when we reach hands in to pick them up, and popcorn when they get a chance to run about more.
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Thank you so much for that reply. It's made me feel less hopeless. Do yours live I'm the house? Its been 1 week now and I can't bring myself to pick them up and traumatise them to the degree that shows. They scatter and hide and climb onto each other in the far corner as it to say..no get her before me. It's awful. I will try and lift them out via their tube to try and help them as I need to give them a good run out asap. One will feed and slowly sniff my hand now .the other will hand feed but from a distance and she's runs at the slightest movement. I new it would take time but wasn't prepared for this stress. I want to do it right for them
 
Patience is a terrible thing when you have none. I know because I am really impatient at times. Don't concentrate on their fear, think happy thoughts about what larks you'll have together. In cognitive behaviour therapy terms, talk to them in the present tense "I love my piggies and you love me and you trust me to hold you and touch you. We play games together and you love sitting on my lap" It sounds daft and you might feel a bit crazy, but it creates a positive feeling in you that the piggies pick up. If you always reach for them with dread or fear or even apologetically then they know what fear feels like and they won't relax as well. And they are such lovely animals to be with. I guess what I really mean to say is relax and enjoy the bonding process, by thinking the good times are here already.
 
Jojessgaz said:
Thank you so muc
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Thanks for your help and advise. I can't decide if to keep picking them up by hand hoping I get more confident and they get used to it or just for now pick them up via their house upside down maybe for another week til they get to know my hand a little more. Being outside I feel makes this process all the longer as they see you alot less but thanks again for your help everyone has been great
 
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