New to lap time - more advice needed

[Vic85]

Hi all,

So I’ve now had my piggies about a month and they are about 12 weeks old.

Within a week we had built up trust to hand feed and now I’d like to take the next step of beginning lap time. However I’m worried about two things.

Firstly the videos on here make herding the piggies into tunnels and coseys to be picked up look so simple. But my two are so small and just zoom around the cage hiding in things or behind things. It quickly becomes a stress. Do I remover everything bar the tunnel I want to use to carry? I don’t have any of those fleece coseys yet and with this UK heatwave I was going to wait to order some. So would be using a cardboard tunnel. Just like in the tutorial video.

Secondly, once I sit with my piggie in my lap do I just try to coax them out the tunnel with veggies? I’m petrified they’ll do a running jump and I’ll end up chasing them round the living room? Or are they more likely to freeze if they are scared? Also - as a newbie should I try to do lap time with the both piggies at the same time? I really don’t want to stress them but I keep reading how the more they are handled the tamer they will become.

Many thanks.

 

[Free Ranger]

If they're lively and they jump about do any lap time on the floor. Piggies seem to have no sense of height at all! Mine see their enclosure when I'm bringing them into the house and will very suddenly try and fling themselves out of whatever they are being moved in even if they are meters off the floor - and mine are much older and fatter! A recent poster had to unfortunately have a piggies leg amputated following a dropping injury that was only 40-50 cm from the ground if I recall... the break was painful and too complex to heal. They just don't land well.

If you have any C&C grids to make a playpen on the floor try getting in it with them and start by tempting them onto your lap - albeit briefly - by waving veggie treats. Or at least fence off a floor area so they don't end up all over the house! If there are any other pets or small children make sure they are well away; don't trust the predators because they can't help their predatory instincts just like the skittish piggies can't help those prey-animal fears

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. I would probably take out as many hiding places and leave in the tunnel that you want to catch them in. Once I get them on my lap I tip them out gently and cover them with a blanket or towel so they feel safe and offer veggies to bribe them. I only catch one at a time in any tunnel or hidey as a few years ago two of mine had a fight inside the hidey as there wasn’t really enough room for two. I like to do lap time sitting on the floor as I too was worried they would fall off the sofa or bed. I use these Pigloos to catch mine.

 

[Vic85]

Thank you both. That’s really helpful and makes me feel more confident!
I suppose I just have to give it a go and see what happens. I’ll try in an evening when they are generally more inquisitive and alert