Piggy biting when being carried

[PigTastic]

So this morning I was nibbled on the wrist, quite hard, by one of my piggies while carrying her back to her cage - and it's not the first time it's happened. There was a tiny drop of blood and it's all swollen up and itching, so she even broke the skin.

Now I know a lot of piggies hate being picked up and carried. Mine have always loathed it. But, otherwise they are absolutely gorgeous and very tame when they are in their cage. They are females, about 8 months old and improving all the time. They are happy to take veggies from my hand, and they usually adore being stroked and petted in their cage - they always come over to see me when I open it up, and sometimes they pancake before I've even touched them, ready for a good stroking session. But they're not really lap pigs as such, unless they are snuggled up in a towel or cosy, so I don't think they feel very secure outside the cage.

I can't even begin to pick them up from inside the cage, as they jump around like they're being electrocuted as soon as my hand goes under their chests, but they are trained to walk into a cosy sack to be picked up and carried for floor time etc. Most days though, when I put them back, I try to pick them up by hand (I can only do this from inside a hidey house, where they can't run). But after however many months of trying, they still hate it. They know when I'm going to do it and they wriggle and try to get away - and nibble, like today. I never feel like I've got a good hold on them, as they wriggle and kick, which must be making them feel even more insecure. They very quickly learned which hidey house I pick them up from, and they avoid it like the plague, which makes it even more stressful for us all...

I don't mind too much if they always hate being picked up, I know it's not a natural situation for a piggy, but should I keep on trying? It seems like something they won't get used to so maybe it's better to just do it occasionally, when I have to (nail clipping etc) rather than putting them through the stress every day? They're obviously not afraid of me since they're so friendly otherwise, so it's just the picking up/carrying they hate. I just want to know what's best to do for them so they're as happy as possible!

 

[PigTastic]

They have been treated for mites btw, don't think this would be the problem anyway since they are fine with being touched as long as they're not picked up.

 

[Wiebke]

Perhaps you may prefer to train to come into some kind of pick-up conveyance instead? It can be a tunnel, an upturned house or pigloo, a small padded cardboard box with a walk-in opening or even a folded towel. I use a waste paper basket that has been turned sideways and padded with an old toilet mat for my big group...

Place a small veg treat in the back and give lots of praise. Let them get comfy with the shuttle first before lifting them out or trying to chivvy them into it gently.

Most piggies don't like being picked up (it cuts too close to their prey animal instincts). Yours has obviously found the trust to tell you off.

 

[PigTastic]

Thanks, I like the idea that they now trust me enough to tell me off! They are already trained to come into a conveyance and they are usually quite good about walking into it without being chivvied. I just feel like I should try to get them used to being handled more rather than relying on that all the time... I'm worried that being picked up will frighten them even more if I don't do it most days, even though they hate it so much. But if they're always going to hate it I guess there's not much point putting them through it every day?

 

[Wiebke]

I have very fond memories of piggies climbing all over me - as long as I wasn't trying to pick them up! Personally, I'd rather have their freely given friendship and trust!

PS: They were still totally OK with being handled, groomed and medicated on my lap.

 

[PigTastic]

Yeah, I feel like they trust me a lot more when I'm not constantly trying to grab them. That's one of the reasons I never pick them up from their cage as I want them to feel safe in there, so I think that's why they're so much more confident in their cage, where they're never picked up, than they are when they come out and I try to handle them. As soon as I saw that I vowed not to start grabbing them from their cage because I thought it would be so sad if they stopped trusting me and coming up to me for a head rub. They're not quite comfortable on my lap yet anyway so I guess I should work on that first...

I have very fond memories of piggies climbing all over me - as long as I wasn't trying to pick them up! Personally, I'd rather have their freely given friendship and trust!

PS: They were still totally OK with being handled, groomed and medicated on my lap.

 

[lauraboara]

Thanks, I like the idea that they now trust me enough to tell me off! They are already trained to come into a conveyance and they are usually quite good about walking into it without being chivvied. I just feel like I should try to get them used to being handled more rather than relying on that all the time... I'm worried that being picked up will frighten them even more if I don't do it most days, even though they hate it so much. But if they're always going to hate it I guess there's not much point putting them through it every day?

I am not quite sure what you are worried about to be honest because it sounds as though you have a great system of picking them up in their cosy sacks! Why do anything else if that is what they are comfortable with? All my boys are also trained to get into a sack to be picked up and that works for us really well - no stress. One out of six is v happy to be picked up with bare hands but I still get him to walk into the sack I like routine too!
If you then feel they are not be handled much after that, just sit with them in the sack and hand feed before they have their run and then move onto hand feeding out of the sack on your knee maybe?

 

[PigTastic]

Yeah I'm probably worrying too much, I've just read loads about how you should handle guinea pigs every day or they'll never get used to it and always be nervous of you, but it looks like that isn't true!

They will sit on my lap for a bit to eat veggies (though they prefer to be inside their sacks) so I'll continue with that for now!