Picking up

  • Thread starter Thread starter guineapiglove_21
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

guineapiglove_21

I have had 2 guinea pigs for 3 weeks now.
One of them is fine and great where as the other one if fiesty and fidgety and nibbles. I get them out every night, and he will be fine for a couple of minutes then starts moving about and not staying still :{

I am wondering if it is nessecary to get them out everynight, if there are any tips for picking them up, calming them down?
thanks
 
I foster for a rescue and I usually look after the piggies that have difficulty with people.

With the piggies that are scared at every noise and everytime a person moves, I bring them into the living room. They gradually, over a couple of weeks, get used to the noise and movement. If at the same time you specifically go to the cage and speak to the piggie, they get used to your voice.

It is not a quick process but if you persevere with talking and cuddles, even when they are all of a tremble, they learn you are not a threat and gradually become more settled.

If you continue in this way, in the limited experience I have had, they become used to the human noise and smell and pretty soon come to the cage bars for a fuss and munchies.

good luck and if you ever need a sounding board PM me.
Dx
 
t takes quite a long time for some piggies to settle, much longer than most people assume; many have not been handled much or at all in their previous life.

Continue your routine and start praising your boys as often as you can. Slowly the period over which he'll sit still will get longer. I assume that your boys are still quite young? Many youngsters are not very good with sitting still at all! Turn as much of your contact into a routine with the same phrases, so your piggies know what's coming now and it doesn't look so much like random violence by big smelly predators anymore.

Here are more tips on how to make new piggies welcome:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36239
 
Thank you very much for your help, i think i have just got to keep perservering with them and keep getting them out everynight.

Do you have to get them out and play with them everynight? Because i am not sure, i love picking them up and i dont know whether they needd breaks or not?
 
I make sure I get my guinea pigs out every day. Delilah will sit on my lap for quite a long time whilst Flumpet will stay as long as there's treats and then starts squirming to get off. I put her back when she's ready. I find it much easier with a cozy as they feel they can hide whilst still being on my lap. You can make a pocket with a fleece as well.
Some pigs don't like lap time much, I don't think Flumpet sees the point- but the more they get used to being handled the easier it gets. And it's really important that they're used to being picked up so you can check them over for health issues. Getting them out every night should be fine. It's only a short time out of their day. Good luck. :)
 
A am not sure how true this is, but I did read it somewhere. Some guinea pigs have very sensitive backs. I know with my 3 girls they are happy to be fussed and are not phased by been patted on the back. Basically a long flat hand stroked from the head to the bottom. My boy is a different story. When we fuss him like that he does like a mini popcorn. He doesn't seem unhappy or stressed, he has always been handled, but I am thinking that in some way he gets a bit excited, then there is no way he is going to sit still! He doesn't want little fusses of us, he wants to go and find the girls!drool

Perhaps its a bit of a boy thing! xoxo
 
guineamad said:
A am not sure how true this is, but I did read it somewhere. Some guinea pigs have very sensitive backs. I know with my 3 girls they are happy to be fussed and are not phased by been patted on the back. Basically a long flat hand stroked from the head to the bottom. My boy is a different story. When we fuss him like that he does like a mini popcorn. He doesn't seem unhappy or stressed, he has always been handled, but I am thinking that in some way he gets a bit excited, then there is no way he is going to sit still! He doesn't want little fusses of us, he wants to go and find the girls!drool

Perhaps its a bit of a boy thing! xoxo
Click to expand...
ahaaah maybe it is :L but i do find boys alot more relaxed when i went to buy my two (elliot and grandad) there were some females and they didnt seem to come out whereas my two were out espicially grandad, elliot gets abit fussy and nervous but after a bit calms down! I find also that grandad gets very flinchy when stroking him then gets over it, and elliot doesnt like his side being stroked until he is on your lap, very funny little creatues :)
thank you for your help
 
flips said:
I make sure I get my guinea pigs out every day. Delilah will sit on my lap for quite a long time whilst Flumpet will stay as long as there's treats and then starts squirming to get off. I put her back when she's ready. I find it much easier with a cozy as they feel they can hide whilst still being on my lap. You can make a pocket with a fleece as well.
Some pigs don't like lap time much, I don't think Flumpet sees the point- but the more they get used to being handled the easier it gets. And it's really important that they're used to being picked up so you can check them over for health issues. Getting them out every night should be fine. It's only a short time out of their day. Good luck. :)
Click to expand...
thank you ever so much for your help. i <3 your guinea pig names truely awesome :D mine are named grandad because of his markings, and elliot's my little one. grandad likes to hide away in my dressing gown :)
 
Thank you so much everyone for your kind comments on helping me, its given me more confidence and those thoughts of what to do have vanished :D
I wanted to ask you, Grandad, the calm and collective one sometimes has these strange moments when i go to check on them, like he makes this loud vibrating noise, and then he starts like i suppose sorta jumping and twitching and running around, i have heard of 'popcorning' but not so sure if this is what he is doing?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top