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Jen_blue

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I feel really bad because my piggies Leo and Augustus still wont let me stroke them in their cage, even when I have food to offer. I wanted them to come out for a bit and watch telly with me and have a cuddle .... and they just run away and its a fight to pick them up. I sat on the floor with a bit of carrot and waited and they wouldnt come out to me .... when I cleaned the cage instead I tided around Augustus's little house and moved it to get underneath and he run away to the corner and seemed really anxious.

Not sure what I have done wrong, they will be around a year old in September.

Jen
 
Piggies are like this. I have a piggy called Gertie who shoots off at the sight of me. However, when i pick her up and put her on my knee she settles. Yes, it's a battle and have had her for 2 years.

I have another piggy Chocolate, who always bolts. We have a battle royale and he then settles with me for sometimes up to an hour.

Then I have Brows. He will let you pick him up and quite happily let you carry him around, while he just stares 'happily'.

Try not to panic. A piggy's natural instinct is to run.

Have you tried a cuddle pocket?
 
Whats a cuddle pocket?

They do settle on my knee after awhile but they will try to get off again and back on the floor if they can......
 
You haven't done anything wrong. It's only natural for piggies to be timid. Talking gently, no sudden movements and patience is what is required. I'm a newbie mum to two rescue boars and they're shy, especially the 10 week old Mr Piglet - he scampers away the majority of the time when I approach their cottage. It will take time for him to get used to me.
Mr Bear who is 14 months old, is a little more confident, but he'll still hide if he's unsure. I've only had them for 10 days, but it will take time for them to gain confidence. Treats may help - give them a yummy bit of apple or whatever they love - you might get some lovely wheeks then!
BTW: I was going to name my boys Leo & Augustus - fab names! :)
Melly x
 
My girls aren't interested in laptime really. I use a cozy which makes them feel more secure. I don't have them on my lap for more than 5-10 minutes a few times a week.
Cosygirl.jpg


However, I have recently started having floortime with them. I set up a space they can run around in and put in some hideys, hay and treats. I lay on the floor and they potter round me. They seems very relaxed as I'm down at their level and will even come up and sniff my face. This has been a complete revelation to me as only one will let me stroke her in their cage or take food from me.
Keep trying, you'll get there. :)
 
Wow I made one of those awhile ago but called it a sleeping bag.... mine werent as sophisticated as that one (or the ones on Cavy Couture which came up when I searched on google) I had to give them away as they got too small. I will make them another two sometime this week or so....
 
It's quite a big cozy and Delilah was quite a small pig when the photo was taken. It's now a snuggish fit for 2 pigs, although will accomodate a 3 piggy pile up when the occasion arises. :(|) Pollie (threelittlepigs) makes them to raise funds for rescues.
http://www.cavycozies.com/

I have made a couple myself as well. They're a real favourite here. :)
 
Most of my tribe won't let me touch them when they are about. It takes a lot of time and patience with most piggies.

My latecomer Ffion is getting some VERY misgiving looks from the others because she doesn't mind being petted when busy stuffing herself - but only then!
 
When you put your hand in the cage, use the front opening and not the top. Position your hand so that the back of your hand is downward, palm upwards and with your hand spread flat. Move your hand very slowly towards your pig and aim to tickle his chin from underneath. This usually works for me, it means that your big hand is not bearing down on them to stroke their heads/back. It is less intimidating for them when they can see all your hand and what you are doing. Good luck. xx
 
Jen_blue said:
I feel really bad because my piggies Leo and Augustus still wont let me stroke them in their cage, even when I have food to offer. I wanted them to come out for a bit and watch telly with me and have a cuddle .... and they just run away and its a fight to pick them up. I sat on the floor with a bit of carrot and waited and they wouldnt come out to me .... when I cleaned the cage instead I tided around Augustus's little house and moved it to get underneath and he run away to the corner and seemed really anxious.

Not sure what I have done wrong, they will be around a year old in September.

Jen
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Hi Jen_blue

My heart goes out to you. You clearly love your little piggies and would like to shower them with affection.

I am new to guinea pigs and have two very timid fellows that do not like to be stroked or picked up either but I have found that I can tempt them onto my lap first thing in the morning with bran mash. It is just plain bran (I get it loose from Jollyes or buy Jordan's wheat bran from Tesco) and mix it with a little water and my normally timid piggy wheeks and comes up to my foot while I am mixing it. I sit down on the floor with a towel on my lap (they make a terrible mess) and he climbs up and shoves his head into the bowl. He even puts up with me stroking his head gently a few times while he scoffs it (although I can only get a few in or he runs off).

We got a new piggy about a week and a half ago and he seems to copy Spike and climb up too now although Spike is being a bit of a bully at the moment and chases him off sometimes.

In the last few days I have started doing this with veggies as well now that I have found some veggies that Spike will eat and they climb up for those too.

It is wierd because they usually won't take anything from my hand when they are in their cage but are beginning to when they are roaming about the (piggy-proofed) room. I do sit in there on the floor a lot (much to the detriment of the house cleaning) so that they can get used to me. They are now occasionally climbing up just to check if there is food there. Of course, they go away when they realise that there isn't :(.

I must add, though, that Spike lived with a very friendly rabbit at first (duff advice from the pet shop that sold us the pair) so he copied her in coming up for the mash initially and letting me feed him nuggets from my hand.

Maybe there is a food that your piggies will be prepared to be brave for? I do hope so because it is a little dis-heartening when they don't appear to want anything to do with us after all of the care and attention we lavish on them.
 
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You haven't done anything wrong! Piggies who run and hide are the norm, those who bravely snuggle are the oddballs :) I thought so too in the beginning, that I was doing something wrong... I have three piggies. Bo is ok getting picked up most of the time, but he doesn't love snuggle -too busy with food and the ladies! Martha I can pet if she is eating something truly delicious, like grass or pellets (a rare treat here). It took four months to get there with Martha. Mette-marit will take goodies from my hand if she can't steal it from one of her pig mates but she screams blue murder if I try catch her... I think we are still a few years away from snuggles there...

I like watching them in their cage, redecorate and see them explore, hide small pieces of cucumber and let them find them.... There are so many things you can do with them!

Try spending time by their cage so that they get used to seing you a lot. My cage is in the living room so when I'm by the computer or on the phone I sit by the cage. I think it helps.

Good luck!
 
skrikopanik said:
Try spending time by their cage so that they get used to seing you a lot.
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yea, if you sit by their cage and talk to them they will get used to the sound of your voice :) good luck!
 
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