Picking up the piggies

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lizzie_71

lizzie_71

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I have had my two piggies for nearly a year now. They are reasonably friendly and don't bite but they still absolutely hate me picking them up out of their cage. Once I have them out, they sit happily on mine or the children's laps, and they love being brushed too. But when I try to get them out, they run around, hide, and do anything to avoid me.

They will take food from me (of course!) but if I touch them they bolt.

Is this normal piggie behaviour?
 
I have the same with most of my girls, they always run and hide. The boys though are completely different. They all sit still and let me pick them up.
 
I have two boys, one lets you pick him up, the other runs, hides and even tries to climb to avoid it.
Sits still for cuddles though.
Perhaps down to individual piggy personality?
Anne. :)
 
One of mine runs about mad and hates me trying to pick her up and goes about squealing like I was gonna kill her - once she's up she's fine though and lies there quite the thing. My other one just lies still waiting to be picked up. :)
 
2 of my girls i've had for 3 months nearly and they still leg it! My boar makes an attempt to get away but isnt really bothered, my baby girl runs but she isnt as jumpy and skittish as the other 2. I think it depends on the pig, some never get used to it and run all the time, others dont mind x
 
at the end of the day as much as our piggies do get use to us, they are quite far down the food chain and the little piggie DNA tells them to instinctively rin and hide when something big is around.
Unless you spend pretty much 24/7 with them I think they are always a little wary
 
I hold my girlies at least every day for at least an hour (I like it and so do they).I think most Gpigs are wary :( at first. The more you pick them up, the more used to it they get. Mine now know that I mean food and cuddles!

When they have floor time though, they make it impossible for me to catch them! 666)
 
An hour a day! That's loads! That's probably more time than I spend cuddling my children ?
 
I have two boars who run like mad everytime we try to pick them up....thought it was personal! They are very happy to be cuddled etc...even the link with food won't entice them but funnily enough they are happy if I hold out a ferret plastic tube, they crawl in and then I lift it out blocking both ends with my hands...after that they happily walk out onto my knee. Think it's the motion of an arm coming at them they fear, it must be a natural survival instinct to run I guess! Lesley
 
The piglingtons run away when I try and pick them up, even though they both like snuggles. Boogie also likes to be petted in the cage. I'm still working on Fluffkin - I just stroke her head every time I walk past, I assume eventually she will get the message that I'm not going to pick her up every time I touch her.
 
An hour a day! That's loads! That's probably more time than I spend cuddling my children Huh?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I am sort of a child. I don't/can't do much else.
 
Aha, that explains it! I'm a mum with 2 kids, 2 piggies, a tropical fish tank and my own business. Spare hours are few and far between.
 
I'm a kid with 2 piggies, 3 cats, a dog, a terrapin, a tropical fish tank, a sister, a Dad and a Mum, so there! :P
 
Lizzie71 said:
Aha, that explains it! I'm a mum with 2 kids, 2 piggies, a tropical fish tank and my own business. Spare hours are few and far between.
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You know, I spent at LEAST an hour with my piggies watching Stars Wars last night :smitten: They were so cute! I hold my for long periods of time...

AND I HAVE A MOTHER, SISTER, TWO PIGGIES, A DOG, A DOVE, *A BOYFRIEND*, A FULL-TIME JOB AND I'M A FULL TIME STUDENT!

So there :D

Just teasin' :P
 
I'm Mummy Mutton Chops!

I have 2 kids, a husband, Full time Job, 1 dog, 3 cats,a terrapin, tank'o'fish, and 2 guinea pigs!

I'm also involved with the cuddling and yes I will quite happily sit down for over an hour with G.P.'s and Baby Mutton Chops (who is 13yrs). It's a good bonding session for Pigs & Kids & a great excuse to sit down, relax and watch the telly with something warm and furry. Often there will be a cat and a pig on my lap and they are happy to share me! It's a great excuse to post-pone housework!

Top that one LOL! ;D :D O0
 
Lizzie71 said:
I have had my two piggies for nearly a year now. They are reasonably friendly and don't bite but they still absolutely hate me picking them up out of their cage. Once I have them out, they sit happily on mine or the children's laps, and they love being brushed too. But when I try to get them out, they run around, hide, and do anything to avoid me.

They will take food from me (of course!) but if I touch them they bolt.

Is this normal piggie behaviour?
Click to expand...

One of mine will sit quite happily while I pick her up but the other one is a total nightmare to try and pick up - she runs about everywhere and half the time I feel I'm terrorising her! Once she's up however she's a happy wee thing and loves a cuddle and a runabout in her run. :smitten:
 
I just have 7 piggies and a laptop. And 3 male housemates, but they don't actually belong to me. And they don't know there are 7 piggies, so sshhhh!
 
mutton chops said:
I'm Mummy Mutton Chops!

I have 2 kids, a husband, Full time Job, 1 dog, 3 cats,a terrapin, tank'o'fish, and 2 guinea pigs!

I'm also involved with the cuddling and yes I will quite happily sit down for over an hour with G.P.'s and Baby Mutton Chops (who is 13yrs). It's a good bonding session for Pigs & Kids & a great excuse to sit down, relax and watch the telly with something warm and furry. Often there will be a cat and a pig on my lap and they are happy to share me! It's a great excuse to post-pone housework!

Top that one LOL! ;D :D O0
Click to expand...
I totally loooove my pigs. They really are a great excuse to just relax. What pleasant little furries :smitten:
 
hi i came on looking for some help, i too have trouble picking up my piggie and i read all your posts, a lot of you have said 'once theyre up they're happy' but i was wondering how you get to the point of 'once they're up' because i chase my piggie round and round the hutch but always to no avail and i end up being scared i'm going to give her a heart attck so i leave her. i've had her for about 4 weeks now and haven't managed to get a cuddle yet! does anyone have any ideas how i can get piggie to trust me so i dont have to worry about her poor heart when i'm chasing her?!?
 
thanks! will try that for a while. should i just hold a slice out to her and wait until she comes to me? or should i put a peice in her hutch everyday for a while so she knows i'm there to give her treats?
 
I'll second that! lol! cucumber really is the answer to all pig issues!
One of my girls happily lets me pick her up but the other hides and makes a weird grunt in her throat when i pick her up, does anyone elses pigs do this? my other pig never does! :D
 
i would hold out the cuc for her to come and take it from you, that worked with mine when they were babies. :)
 
It makes you feel silly, but if you sit very still with the cucumber in your hand for a while, they'll come and take it from you. If you make any sudden movements, even small ones, you're back to square one.
 
one of my piggies "Latte" always goes "wheek wheek wheek" when you go near the cage as if to say "oh please give me attention, i want a cuddle".

You open the catch and she legs it, you close it and she repeats the process, good thing is, when you catch her she LOVES a cuddle and really tucks her head up under my jaw and tickles your ear. 98)
 
my piggys are only just getting out of this, and ive spent 9 months constantly trying to completely tame them
 
My two girls, who are about 6-7 months and they have a fit when I pick them up. Neither one of them bites. Remy is the little devil, she'll squeak and squirm, but Ella is just relaxed and loves to cuddle. My old pig Max loved being out and cuddling, you walk in the room and he would squeak as loud as her could for attention. I can't wait until the girl's start that. I think it annoys a lot of people but I love it.
 
Sweet Amy - if you need to catch your guinea pig it might be worth trying a few different ways to see which one works for you.

If you have a standard hutch it is best to block off the sleeping quarters (just use a piece of wood/cardboard) so that she has a small place to be caught. You could try putting a towel over her and scooping her up or you could try putting a small shoe box in there with a hole in the end. Once she has gone in the box you simply put your hand over the hole and lift her out. Or you could get her to go into a tunnel/pipe and then lift her out with both your hands over the ends.

I always advise too that when you first sit with them on your lap you have them in a small box/carrier. This allows you to stroke them without the risk of them flying off your lap, they eventually get used to being stroked. However, it can take a very long time, many months in fact so don't give up. Your hardwork will pay off but it sounds as though you have a long way to go. Little and often is the best way to try it. Going for full blown cuddles straight away is a risky strategy, just get her used to being picked up first and stroked O0

Good luck with her ;)
 
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