Traumatised girls

[aly13]

I got two new girls who had lived for the last several months in a nursery/playschool. They didnt have time to look after them anymore. They are around a year old apparently.

I treated for parasites first day but they seemed clear anyway, no obvious issues. Apart from not being given any hay, the owner at the nursery thought straw was hay and gave them straw in a hay feeder.. so I'm getting their back teeth checked at a vet this week.

They have clearly beent traumatised by mishandling and being chased around by both adults and children there. One is more ok in general but just freaks out when she is held under her tummy/handled properly, I'm hoping thats behaviourally related not health issues meaning shes uncomfortable.

The other one is beyond terrified. She desperately tries to avoid being picked up and then goes into freeze mode once she is. Handled her properly for the first time today and she is so scared she just shook with fear the whole time. Goodness knows what experiences they have had..

Should i continue to gently handle her and have lap time? Its how I tamed my other pigs (although they werent traumatized like this) and generally believe in in terms of taming instead of taking years for one to even take food from my hand voluntarily. Do you think she will eventually relax a bit as she learns being handled here isnt like it was in her previous home and its ok? I feel like if i try not to handle her unless necessary then she will definitely remain terrified forever..

Anyone have experience with previously traumatised/mishandled piggies?

 

[rp1993]

I don’t have any experience with pigs who have been in such a bad situation but just wanted to say thank you for rescuing them from what much have been a horrible situation

 

[aly13]

I don’t have any experience with pigs who have been in such a bad situation but just wanted to say thank you for rescuing them from what much have been a horrible situation

They had a decent sized c&c cage which was about the only positive in their situation. I just hope eventually i can break through to them that all humans arent bad and going to mishandle them

 

[Ruth1]

When did you get them - maybe leave them alone and just feed for a couple of weeks and let them get used to you and your voice…?

 

[4boipigs]

I have a boy like this! He was abandoned with his friend in a house, and then he had a falling out with his friend. When I got him, he would yawn at me (like pigs due to others to display dominance) and chatter his teeth. He still chatters his teeth when I come near him and runs. He is also very flighty and dislikes various noises and will chatter his teeth when he hears them. He's unlike any pig I've had. I gave him time to settle in and gave him space like I always do. Give them time and go slow! It may take months for them to relax. If you just got them, give them time to adjust to you and the new home before trying to handle them.

 

[Betsy]

When I adopted Lexi and Thea last year they were terrified especially Lexi. I just left them alone for a fortnight to settle and didn't touch them. I spoke to them when I went near the hutch to feed them as a predator is always silent. Lexi was the fastest guinea pig ever, would startle and run away from everything and anything. When I needed to clean them out, I had to put the carrier into the hutch and herd them into it.

After 2 weeks I hand fed them their veggies every night. I did this for 6 months so they would learn that my hands were "friendly". To begin with I also herded them into their carrier to pop them in the run every day slowly moving to over to a hidey.

At cuddle time which was for a very short time to begin with, I'd pick them up separately a hidey and just put the hidey with a piggie in it on my knee slowly progressing to them either hiding in a blanket or in my nice sloppy cardy.

Fast forward a year and the are both happy confident girls who I've trained to go in the Snugglesack Express to move them from hutch to run and run to hutch. They still don't like being picked up with my bare hands and I don't think they ever will but I can live with that.

Hope this helps you. It's a long process and a lot of patience is needed. Take it at their pace and you will be rewarded. The best thing is when a traumatised prey animal starts to trust you.