Stressful Time At The Vets With Pigs That Hate Handling

[HannahPiggie]

Hello all!

I just took my boys (5 months) to the vet for nail clipping and general check-up. They have seemed fine but as I am on my own I was worried about trying to hold them and do clipping - especially on Saga as he hates being handled and although he lets me stroke him in his cage, he will NOT let me hold him.

It was a very stressful experience for all 3 of us. Saga was especially bad and writhed around like a crazy thing and screamed his head off. They towel wrapped him. But he was so stressed that I almost couldn't bear to watch it. I wanted to cry to be honest. Martin was a lot calmer and didn't have to be towel wrapped.

They told me that I have to start handling them both more so they get used to it, as if they got sick and needed treatment that required handling then there would be a problem. But I remember being told on here to respect their personalities and if they don't like being handled then not to force them.

What do you think? Of course I would like to be able to handle both my boys and I don't want another vet experience like that ever again both for them or for me. But also I don't want to stress them out day-to-day by handling them when they hate it.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

 

[Bluebell]

I'm amazed at 5 month old piggies needing nail clipping tbh - I've kept multiple guinea pigs all my life - including until they are very old, and only a handful of times have I ever needed to clip their nails! When I do so, the same as when I do any other animal, my goal is that they never feel any pain!

 

[Wiebke]

For the sake of any grooming and vet trips, you have strike a balance between letting them be and handling them.

I would recommend to have short and, as things develop, slowly increasingly lap sessions daily, but to make it fun with little fresh grass, herb or tiny bits of their favourite veg as treats and increasing "accidental" touching with lots of fuss. praise and encouragement. I also have a sound for disappointment ("no" doesn't usually work). Also touch and handle their feet gently on a regular basis to get them used more to nail clipping. Get them used to having their bits checked weekly, too!

Nearly all piggies have a soft spot somewhere although it may take some time to for them to relax enough for you to discover it! giving them a little rub around the eye area is piggy body language for "I love you". A nozzle arounf the ear translates as "I would love you to be part of the herd I am running". You can additionally relax your boys by social washing. Imitate their face washing on eye height and they will hopefully respond in kind - this means "I want to be your friend".

You may find our video tutorial for picking up helpful, so the stress of the worst bit can be minimised. http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/videos/

Have a towel on top of your lap rug for them to snuggle under. Sometimes, you can build up trust by letting them relax and eventually fall asleep on your body. It will be slow process of sometimes one step forward and one back, but it is necessary and it will be worth it!

It is a very slow process. Let your boys tell you when they have had enough and accept that.

 

[AbiS]

I have one piggy who is quite happy being handled (Toby) and the other (Barney) HATES it. He will happily sit for strokes under his own terms but hates being held on a knee. We spend lots of time talking to ours and whenever we pass the hutch (it is in the lounge so this happens very often), we stop for a little chat and a stroke with both of them (Toby doesn't like being stroked unless he is on a knee). We handle them for cuddles once or twice a week and always with a food bribe. I cut up a small carrot into 4 bits each. When Barney is on my knee I just keep giving him carrot - he sits lovely and still while eating it and then goes a little bit frantic so I give him another bit. As soon as it is all finished he goes straight back on the ground. He is now 14months old and just recently he has started sitting still for a couple of minutes and accepting strokes before trying to escape. I was really pleased with him because I think we are making a bit of progress. But still - as soon as he becomes frantic he either gets put down straight away or gets another bit of carrot. This way I am both respecting his personality and also trying to encourage him to calm down. It has meant that when it is time for nail clipping he will sit relatively calmly in MrS's arms with carrot/baby corn while I clip - I wont lie though - there is no way I could do him on my own.

I think you need to try to strike a happy medium - spend more time with him and handle him for very short periods and hopefully he will become less stressed.

 

[Tewdric]

You can handle them and still respect their personalities.

Moriarty (rip) my avatar pig was not keen on being handled and I knew he'd never be a pig who liked cuddles etc. He used to literally spin in my hands when he was tiny, and I had to keep a firm grip on him when handling him. I may have a pic of him as a youngster showing an early handling session....



Anyway, I persisted. I needed to be able to catch him to transport him to his run etc, and as he had a semi long coat I knew he'd need brushing and trimming etc. I nail clip myself when it's needed so I had to get him to sit still for that, and as your vet mentioned he needed to be hand-a-label in case he needed to see a vet.

So I worked on him in short sessions. Every day he was caught and carried out to the run whilst I talked quietly to him. I practiced grooming etc. Eventually we got used to each other. I realised that he din't like being 'confined' or caught, so I respected this whilst obviously being very careful about how I did it. In the end he'd step onto my hand and arm to be picked up in the morning. I was careful when he did this not to enclose his rump with my spare hand - but kept him securely against my body with my spare arm along his side rather than over him. He was more relaxed like this, and I had the spare hand ready to steady him down to ground level or in case anything spooked him.

Grooming was similar. He'd step onto my hand and arm. I'd place him on a flat surface and brush away and he'd leave his front legs on my arm and tolerate it. Nail trimming was similar. He'd sit on my lap and let me have one leg at a time to work on.

All this took a lot of time to achieve - but it was worth it. Bribery whilst insisting on lap sessions worked (parsley and cucumber in his case) and he was happy to sit as long as he wasn't being 'fussed'.

I also have a call/special noise I use with all my pigs when I've got a special treat for them. I make this noise and give them their treat. I never, ever use it if I'm going to catch them. If I need to pick them up after I called them over with that noise I'll go away somewhere for a few mins and then come back again so that the noise is never associated with them being caught. I feel it's important for me and the trust the boys have in me - it also means that the ones who don't like being handled can associate their humans with something good rather than just the 'hands' coming for them all the time, especially in the early 'getting to know you' days.

Keep trying and you'll get there.

 

[Veggies Galore]

You can handle them and still respect their personalities.

Moriarty (rip) my avatar pig was not keen on being handled and I knew he'd never be a pig who liked cuddles etc. He used to literally spin in my hands when he was tiny, and I had to keep a firm grip on him when handling him. I may have a pic of him as a youngster showing an early handling session....

View attachment 9797

Anyway, I persisted. I needed to be able to catch him to transport him to his run etc, and as he had a semi long coat I knew he'd need brushing and trimming etc. I nail clip myself when it's needed so I had to get him to sit still for that, and as your vet mentioned he needed to be hand-a-label in case he needed to see a vet.

So I worked on him in short sessions. Every day he was caught and carried out to the run whilst I talked quietly to him. I practiced grooming etc. Eventually we got used to each other. I realised that he din't like being 'confined' or caught, so I respected this whilst obviously being very careful about how I did it. In the end he'd step onto my hand and arm to be picked up in the morning. I was careful when he did this not to enclose his rump with my spare hand - but kept him securely against my body with my spare arm along his side rather than over him. He was more relaxed like this, and I had the spare hand ready to steady him down to ground level or in case anything spooked him.

Grooming was similar. He'd step onto my hand and arm. I'd place him on a flat surface and brush away and he'd leave his front legs on my arm and tolerate it. Nail trimming was similar. He'd sit on my lap and let me have one leg at a time to work on.

All this took a lot of time to achieve - but it was worth it. Bribery whilst insisting on lap sessions worked (parsley and cucumber in his case) and he was happy to sit as long as he wasn't being 'fussed'.

I also have a call/special noise I use with all my pigs when I've got a special treat for them. I make this noise and give them their treat. I never, ever use it if I'm going to catch them. If I need to pick them up after I called them over with that noise I'll go away somewhere for a few mins and then come back again so that the noise is never associated with them being caught. I feel it's important for me and the trust the boys have in me - it also means that the ones who don't like being handled can associate their humans with something good rather than just the 'hands' coming for them all the time, especially in the early 'getting to know you' days.

Keep trying and you'll get there.

Thank you for giving us this delightful summary. I especially like the fact that you use a special noise for treats.