Struggle with picking up

[3littlepeegs]

Hi,

I know all pigs aren’t going to be keen on being picked up, and I have owned rescue pigs before who were nervy, one was very nervous and jumpy for a while, after a while he was happy for cuddles, would flop out and snuggle, he’d even lay down all cozy out of hideys etc.

These new pigs, the first day I brought them
Home, babies (6 months) were pretty easy to pick up and put in their new enclosure, mum was jumpy and scared.

I’ve been doing it all by the book, hand feeding, sitting on the floor with them etc they’re coming up to me to get veg and exploring etc. I noticed they’re very scratchy so I’m concerned they have mites, they’ve had a nice explore time this evening and we’re squeaking for some veg (after hearing a rustle of course) so I thought this was a good time to pick one up and start checking them over, I went for the most confident baby but she went absolutely nuts! She squeaked scared and tried to run off my lap, I couldn’t calm her and she was so distressed so I let her jump down off my lap. I totally understand it takes time and patience but they may need treatment! I don’t want to scare them but I need to check their skin to find out whether it’s mange mites.

I wonder if I left it too long to pick them up again as I wanted to gain their trust whereas the other ones I rescued I picked them
Up often. I’m really upset that I caused her to be so upset tonight.


Any advice would be appreciated.


She wasn’t squeaking in pain FIY, she was held properly, and apart from
Itchy seems healthy. It was the same squeak I heard on the first week I had them
When she couldn’t get to mum.

 

[3littlepeegs]

Just to add, with my previous pigs I’d do spot on regularly to prevent but I was just trying to let these ones settle in as it’s not very nice for them. The previous owners didn’t do any treatments or know what it was when I messaged to say they’re itchy and to check their other pets.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,

I know all pigs aren’t going to be keen on being picked up, and I have owned rescue pigs before who were nervy, one was very nervous and jumpy for a while, after a while he was happy for cuddles, would flop out and snuggle, he’d even lay down all cozy out of hideys etc.

These new pigs, the first day I brought them
Home, babies (6 months) were pretty easy to pick up and put in their new enclosure, mum was jumpy and scared.

I’ve been doing it all by the book, hand feeding, sitting on the floor with them etc they’re coming up to me to get veg and exploring etc. I noticed they’re very scratchy so I’m concerned they have mites, they’ve had a nice explore time this evening and we’re squeaking for some veg (after hearing a rustle of course) so I thought this was a good time to pick one up and start checking them over, I went for the most confident baby but she went absolutely nuts! She squeaked scared and tried to run off my lap, I couldn’t calm her and she was so distressed so I let her jump down off my lap. I totally understand it takes time and patience but they may need treatment! I don’t want to scare them but I need to check their skin to find out whether it’s mange mites.

I wonder if I left it too long to pick them up again as I wanted to gain their trust whereas the other ones I rescued I picked them
Up often. I’m really upset that I caused her to be so upset tonight.


Any advice would be appreciated.


She wasn’t squeaking in pain FIY, she was held properly, and apart from
Itchy seems healthy. It was the same squeak I heard on the first week I had them
When she couldn’t get to mum.

Hi

Your baby was playing 'uninteresting prey' upon arrival but has now settled in enough to scream the ceiling down, which is actually a step forward and not back as she is no longer frozen with fear.

Please take the time to read these very helpful and practical guide links here. You may find them very interesting as they look at things from a guinea pig perspective and how you can communicate with your piggies in their own social language to convey some critical social concepts instead of waiting for them to work past their prey animal instincts and figure out humans. Piggy whispering can really help to speed up the settling in process.

New Guinea Pigs: How to Best Manage Arrival and Settling In (a very practical guide to what to best to do when in order to manage some conflicting needs after arrival)

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos) (the mainly hands-off version)

Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs? (tips on how to avoid coming across as a hunting predator and help your piggies make sense of their new confusing world)

Sorry, it is quite a lot of reading but it will hopefully all make much more sense to you once you have done so and you can get a foot in the door with your two newbies. It will still take more time than with piggies already used to human interaction and not as traumatised.

 

[3littlepeegs]

Hi

Your baby was playing 'uninteresting prey' upon arrival but has now settled in enough to scream the ceiling down, which is actually a step forward and not back as she is no longer frozen with fear.

Please take the time to read these very helpful and practical guide links here. You may find them very interesting as they look at things from a guinea pig perspective and how you can communicate with your piggies in their own social language to convey some critical social concepts instead of waiting for them to work past their prey animal instincts and figure out humans. Piggy whispering can really help to speed up the settling in process.

New Guinea Pigs: How to Best Manage Arrival and Settling In (a very practical guide to what to best to do when in order to manage some conflicting needs after arrival)

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos) (the mainly hands-off version)

Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs? (tips on how to avoid coming across as a hunting predator and help your piggies make sense of their new confusing world)

Sorry, it is quite a lot of reading but it will hopefully all make much more sense to you once you have done so and you can get a foot in the door with your two newbies. It will still take more time than with piggies already used to human interaction and not as traumatised.

Hi

Thank you for the reassurance, and for the articles. They’re now exploring outside the cage again so that’s a relief, but they are very very jumpy now any time I move

I just don’t know how I’m going to treat them for mites if I can’t pick them up. Their fur all looks ok so just hope it’s hay mites not mange, I will have to keep trying … last resort might be bribing them in to a carry case with veg to go to the vet but I’d rather sort it out at home with less distress.

Thanks again.
Rachael

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

Thank you for the reassurance, and for the articles. They’re now exploring outside the cage again so that’s a relief, but they are very very jumpy now any time I move

I just don’t know how I’m going to treat them for mites if I can’t pick them up. Their fur all looks ok so just hope it’s hay mites not mange, I will have to keep trying … last resort might be bribing them in to a carry case with veg to go to the vet but I’d rather sort it out at home with less distress.

Thanks again.
Rachael

Try to get them into a box with placing food at the back for lifting out and also use the restricted room with a lid for any spot-on treatment.

However, please see a vet if you are not sure of parasites. The experience that your treatment has made them feel better in themselves can become one of the roots that trust needs to make first in order to grow and flourish. Use the piggy whispering techniques and the tone of your voice to reassure them nonstop that they are doing great and picture in your mind just how carefully you are handling them and how precious they are for you. Do not swamp them with your feelings but keep them light and present. And give them a little treat out of their veg or pellets allowance afterwards but still at the back of the box so they learn to associate it with good things just as well - do the box daily so they become familiar with being fed inside it. They will eventually catch on. Just brace for that it is a one step forward and two steps back experience - always restart back in square one but you will find that you move through the levels further and can push forward that little more each time.

Piggies are much better at picking up things. I can send but not receive, much to the despair of any piggy sitting in front of me and staring at me whilst I just don't get it...