What have I done wrong?

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Toby&Patchy

I got my guinea's last year and whenever I hold Toby he's fine.
But Patchy goes metal! I've started holding him less now because he always scratches me when I hold him and goes crazy.

Have I done anything wrong? Am I a bad owner?

Please, Advice needed!
 
Some pigs just don't like being held or touched. Twinkle is the same, he loves people and loves me talking to him but when I go to stroke him he runs away. So we handle him less as to not stress him and talk to him lots and he is so happy popcorning everywhere.

Twinkle is very tame too doesn't mind me filling his bowls up, will just sit there and watch but its only upon touching him does he get scared.

I would handle less and try and build up trust, but you may find he never likes being handled, they are all different. :)
 
They certainly are all different!
My Alice absoultely loves being held, she'll happily fall asleep on any warm lap and keeps licking you if you stop stroking her! :smitten:
On the other hand Sean, one of my newer piggies loathes being picked up and will only sit still for about 2 minutes at the most, and thats only if wendy (his wife) is nowhere near him and you sit down with him! ;D :smitten:
Dermot is generally not very trusting but we are getting thre slowly with him. He squeals when you pick him up, regardless of how slow and gentle we are and bites if we touch his left side, i think he's ticklish! :smitten:
Good luck with Patchy with time and patience he may come round but as s&t says they all have different personalities and some just do not like being cuddled.
 
I have 2 girls and they couldn't be any different. Blossom will lie still for me to pick her up and she never wriggles - Daisy on the other hand absolutely hates being picked up and runs about the cage to get away from me. Once she's up she's fine and will cuddle into my neck. When floortime is finished she goes into one of the cardboard tubes and I take her back to the cage that way to stop her stressing out.
 
when you hold patchy, try giving him some treats maybe he will get use to being handled. but like most have said some piggies just don't like being held. try talking to patchy, offering food bits, try to make it a pleasant experience for him. good luck. hugs and cuddles to you and your fur babies. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Garry is my huggy pig, Benjamin is middleish (but is still getting used to it). Minty, on the other hand....well, you haven't got a hope! He was checked for skin conditions and nothing was found so he's either just got very sensitive skin or just doesn't like being touched! He's the biter and lets you know if he doesn't like anything you're doing to him. But, out of the three, he's the most confident (closely followed by baby Benjamin!). He lays in the cage and just watches you, stands and waits for his hay to come in and comes up to the cage bars expecting a treat everytime I get near! The vet said to try and handle him more, but it stresses him out so much I don't want to. He gets lots of conversation and I can put my hand near him and sometimes get to stroke him on his head, but that's about it. Even so, he gives me piggy kisses....sweet! :smitten:
 
lol i totally freak out about hurting my boys when picking them up so when they run in to the tube they get picked up that way...but darcy will lay still and let me slip my hand under his belly to pick him up and bing will run away! xavier used to run away too but i know why!

just different piggies i suppose!
 
my three wise men are all nervous being picked up even thou i cuddle them when i do even to put them in carriers
its just nerves take your time when you are with him and eventually he'll calm
Ron
 
I'm sooo glad I read this. As a first time piggy owner, my two girls are almost 10 weeks old. They squeek away happily, have a lovely big cage. They get really excited if food or hay is brought to them. I can even sit in the piggy run with them and they will walk around me, even investigating my hand if it is flat and motionless.......BUT, if your hand begins to creep over to them as soon as it goes above their head for a stroke or to be picked up....they absolutely leg it. It makes picking them up difficult and pus them in a stressful position. I prefer not to do that to them unless I have to. I'm trying to be mega patient and hope they will get used to me. I understand though, you are caught between forcing them to be picked up so they get used to humans, or letting them come to you and not stressing them out. 8)
 
its cuz they are prey animals...with my boys if i approach them from behind they are more ok-ish about being picked up but if i sweep down on them they go hide...its instinct i suppose...

"ahh big huge animal trying to pick me up...its going to eat me run and hide."

lol i even make myself laugh sometimes with the things i think the boys could say!
 
Try introducing your hand from the front, as Nutty Lou says, they are prey animals and programmed to run if they see something coming at them from above! It will take time though, months even, our Scruffy was a tearaway until recently - we got him last summer - he now snuggles into my lap and makes cute little noises when I stroke him, but it is a really gradual process. I remember the first time he let me stroke his head withouth pegging it - small steps!
 
katiep said:
Try introducing your hand from the front, as Nutty Lou says, they are prey animals and programmed to run if they see something coming at them from above! It will take time though, months even, our Scruffy was a tearaway until recently - we got him last summer - he now snuggles into my lap and makes cute little noises when I stroke him, but it is a really gradual process. I remember the first time he let me stroke his head withouth pegging it - small steps!
Click to expand...

Ditto to this post, our Pepe was squeezed and mishandled before we got him and was not happy with hands near him, used to go beserk. But with lots of time and patience, it's the most rewarding thing when you persevere and it just one day finally happens. It doesn't suddenly get better, even a year on, Pepe is still skittish occasionally, perhaps if we go in too quick, or if he's just not prepared - but we found the hand placed slowly in front and the other hand at the rear so you kind of gently scoop him up works wonders. He even now loves him nose tickled whilst in his C&C - he just stands there and looks all woozy with is eyes half closed :smitten:
 
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