Taming - thought we were getting somewhere.

[QueeniePig]

Tom seemed tame in the shop on sunday and jerry was terrified, both hid whenever we were in the room for 2 days but Tom was the first to come and say hello and carry on with his day to day business. Now it seems the opposite Tom will run wild to get away from you and when you do pick him up he kicks like mad, Jerry will hide in the corner but once you tickle his back he doesnt seem to mind being picked up and will sit on your lap for a few mins, Tom will get off as soon as you let him go. Both pop corned for me the day before yesterday and were quite happy running around but now both seem to hide when we are in the room. We bought them cuddle sacks today, Tom tries to burrow into the corner and jerry just sits there but looks scared - I'm wondering if jerry is taming or just playing dead - i know Tom is terrified but i dont want to give up and put him back like he wants i want to give him a few mins to see I'm not going to hurt him. Am i on the right path or should i be doing something different? They have had floor time and come and take carrots from us but then scurry off with them but tom seems to be more reluctant to do so now like we've done something to make him weary of us. I know its a long process i just want to know if i should be doing something else - I'm thinking a few sessions a day in their cuddle pouch and floor time with us around? I would like to have them on the sofa with me but I'm scared they will just jump of and hurt themselves so i stay on the floor with them all the time.

 

[wales1000]

i wouldn't worry - i have had some of my guinea pigs for 3 years and they get handled every week, a few times and will come up for food, then run a mile from me, but its just the way they are - i dont worry though, i dont have many out of 13 which will let me pick them up or stroke them without running a mile - once they are on my lap they dont try to run away, so i just stroke them gently.

 

[Wiebke]

Try to persist and be patient. At the beginning, something can easily happen to spook them; but they will get used to you and the routine.

Try to turn everything into a ritual by alwys using the same words in the same tone (piggies listen more to the melody than the words themselves) and be as encouraging as you can. Praise them as much as you can - like you would a tiny dog!

 

[Claire L]

keep trying - I've got 6 girls who are all very friendly and come up to the edge of cage/hutch to see me - it takes different amounts of time with all piggies. My latest two are both rescue piggies and although they were very frightened to begin with they're now really friendly. I found that picking them up a lot but also just stroking them in their cage to start of with so they're used to being touched - even if you can only touch their nose as it's the only bit poking out of a tube!