Am I bad piggy owner?

[piggy5]

I have had issues with being a bit clumsy whilst with my guinea pigs in the past. One of my boys was a bit grumpy one day and whilst I was carrying him around he kicked off my chest and jumped quite far and from quite a height. He landed on his feet and this happened a few months ago, he is absolutely fine and has been eating and wasn't injured! However today, the same one, I had put down in my garden for one second to help my other boy in the hutch, he managed to run away into a bush in literally a second. I was crying because I was struggling to get him out, he wouldn't get in a tunnel, there were lots of twigs and stuff around and he was just being very stubborn. I'm quite young and was home alone so naturally I was very scared and my hands were shaking so I couldn't even pick him up. I managed to get him out and had cuddles with him afterwards, he ate a strawberry top and is still being the dominant piggy back in the hutch. I can't stop thinking about how I let that happen. Does all this make me a bad owner?

 

[Tangle]

Oh that sounds like you're very hard on yourself - I wouldn't say it makes you a bad owner, but it does sound like you're maybe not very confident? And, for me, loosing a pig outside is one of my worst piggy nightmares - I'm not surprised your hands were shaking!

I'd maybe look at the way you handle your piggies to try and make you feel more secure (which will then make them more secure and so less likely to wriggle and cause problems). For instance, do you have a snuggle sack type thing that you could carry them in, which would make them easier to hold? Also, it sounds like you were carrying your two pigs to the hutch at the same time and then had to put one down (been there, done that, but have just wound up cuddling them until someone could come and help me...) - maybe try and make sure you only carry one pig, and nothing else, at a time so that you know you'll not have to put them down until you're ready.

It might take a bit of mental work to change the way you're used to doing things, but longer term I think there's lots of really small modifications you could make that would make you all happier and more secure .

 

[piggy5]

Oh that sounds like you're very hard on yourself - I wouldn't say it makes you a bad owner, but it does sound like you're maybe not very confident? And, for me, loosing a pig outside is one of my worst piggy nightmares - I'm not surprised your hands were shaking!

I'd maybe look at the way you handle your piggies to try and make you feel more secure (which will then make them more secure and so less likely to wriggle and cause problems). For instance, do you have a snuggle sack type thing that you could carry them in, which would make them easier to hold? Also, it sounds like you were carrying your two pigs to the hutch at the same time and then had to put one down (been there, done that, but have just wound up cuddling them until someone could come and help me...) - maybe try and make sure you only carry one pig, and nothing else, at a time so that you know you'll not have to put them down until you're ready.

It might take a bit of mental work to change the way you're used to doing things, but longer term I think there's lots of really small modifications you could make that would make you all happier and more secure .

Thank you! Yeah my two piggies are my first ever pets so I am still quite anxious sometimes despite having them for almost 2 years now. I will definitely take your advice though! I sometimes sort of coddle them in this fleece like a baby so that they don't get wet or cold when the weather is bad but usually I just hold them against my chest but they can get a bit wriggly. I just get a bit nervous holding them because I don't want to have too firm of a grip on them but also don't want them to not be secure but I'll look at better ways to carry them so that they're more comfortable and that I'm more confident for sure!

 

[Piggies&buns]

When I’m moving my boys from their shed to the lawn run, I use a pet carrier. That way, they cant jump or fall, they are both together (I never allow them to be separated), and if I need to put them down, then they remain secure in the carrier.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Hi and welcome to the forum. The fact you are seeking help and tips means you are not a bad owner but I think you have learnt some very important lessons the hard way. I'm strongly of the opinion that children should not be handling pets without their parents supervision but as you are over 16 obviously you are just learning. We have some tips on handling, picking up and carrying piggies. I will dig out the link

 

[Betsy]

I was going to suggest something like a pet carrier too. You could line a washing basket or a box with an old towel and pop them both in there. Just make sure that it's deep enough for them not to climb out of.

 

[Lady Kelly]

How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely

 

[Bill & Ted]

Don’t be so hard on yourself x Piggies can be jumpy, and having to deal with more than one at a time is often difficult. My boys are very tame but I find it easier and quicker to put them both into my pink trug to carry them outside to their run and carry them back inside to their cage. It’s nice and big and a good height too, makes my life so much easier and the piggies safer too x

 

[Lorcan]

Back when Comet had his "incident" at the vet, I mentally asked myself the same question. He was getting an antibiotic injection, but this was only decided at the appointment so there was no chance of doing the burrito method to keep him in one place and he wasn't having any of this malarkey. Between screaming in the way only guinea pigs can and running vertically up two different people he was clearly terrified and I couldn't blame him.
In the end I had him on my chest and I had to hold him in a very firm grip to keep him there...and there's a very, very fine line between a firm grip and squeezing. Squeezing him wasn't my plan and I definitely didn't want to hurt him, but he needed that injection and in the end I had to do the best I could. I've had a few guineas over the years and I like to think I've got the firm grip part right, but there's always that nagging doubt because you don't want to hurt them, you just want them to be safe and healthy.
It's natural to be honest, but worrying won't help you. I agree with the others, if you're going to be carrying both at once something like a trug might help, but if they're going outdoors I think you'd be better off with something you can cover. A small laundry basket with a lid, or an animal carrier. If you're carrying them one by one I find it's easier to keep a hand on them when you're moving, I used to pick them up from sitting on the floor and then I'd have to stand up with them, so they'd get a bit of extra stability via my hand when I moved.

 

[Jamston]

Don’t be hard on yourself these are just accidents and are important lessons. Lots of good advice to be had on this forum about handling your precious little ones.

 

[Wiebke]

I have had issues with being a bit clumsy whilst with my guinea pigs in the past. One of my boys was a bit grumpy one day and whilst I was carrying him around he kicked off my chest and jumped quite far and from quite a height. He landed on his feet and this happened a few months ago, he is absolutely fine and has been eating and wasn't injured! However today, the same one, I had put down in my garden for one second to help my other boy in the hutch, he managed to run away into a bush in literally a second. I was crying because I was struggling to get him out, he wouldn't get in a tunnel, there were lots of twigs and stuff around and he was just being very stubborn. I'm quite young and was home alone so naturally I was very scared and my hands were shaking so I couldn't even pick him up. I managed to get him out and had cuddles with him afterwards, he ate a strawberry top and is still being the dominant piggy back in the hutch. I can't stop thinking about how I let that happen. Does all this make me a bad owner?

Hi and welcome!

You are a very loving owner! Unforeseen accidents can always happen.

Pet keeping is a life long learning curve; it has nothing to do with how good and caring an owner you are. You always start with zero and never stop finding out new things or ways to improve what you are doing for your pets.
Please don't set your expectations on yourself so high that you can only fail; life is not about being perfect but about how you deal with the mistakes you will inevitably make along the way. You often gain a deeper understanding from doing something wrong than by skimming along the surface smoothly and you also become a much more mature person by learning to deal with the consequences of any messes of your creation than by never setting a foot wrong. As long as you don't repeat the same mistakes all the time, you are doing well!
The big secret of adulthood is not being perfect but how you pick yourself up after a stumble or fall and how you turn a bad experience into a constructive one that makes you a better human being and helps yourself and others.

You may find our video and picture guide helpful to prevent another freak jump in the future. they are unfortunately not at all uncommon: How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely

If you find the link helpful, then you may also want to have a look at our new owners guide collection, which specifically addresses all the area we get the most questions and wobbles about, so you don't have to find all the potential problem areas the hard way all on your own! Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
It’s full of people with different levels of experience but all of us are still learning.
There’s some great advice and suggestions made to help you.
I use a snuggle pouch to pick up my piggies and a pet carrier if I have to transport them outside the house.
I hope you enjoy the forum, learn lots and have fun here.
We also love pictures of piggies.

 

[Fantasimo]

Please don’t be hard on yourself! Everyone makes mistakes and not just with piggies, but with all pets, children and just about everything in between. Close shaves are horrible and get your heart pounding, but think of it this way...everything worked out okay in the end. It could have been worse but wasn’t and now you have learned from each of those things. Chalk them up to life experience and just think how confident you will be in a month, in a year, in ten years you sound like a lovely, very caring owner.

 

[PigglePuggle]

Don’t be so hard on yourself x Piggies can be jumpy, and having to deal with more than one at a time is often difficult. My boys are very tame but I find it easier and quicker to put them both into my pink trug to carry them outside to their run and carry them back inside to their cage. It’s nice and big and a good height too, makes my life so much easier and the piggies safer too x
View attachment 123309

We have a purple one of those as our bath bucket lol I've never thought of using it as a carrier but that's a great idea!

 

[piggy5]

Please don’t be hard on yourself! Everyone makes mistakes and not just with piggies, but with all pets, children and just about everything in between. Close shaves are horrible and get your heart pounding, but think of it this way...everything worked out okay in the end. It could have been worse but wasn’t and now you have learned from each of those things. Chalk them up to life experience and just think how confident you will be in a month, in a year, in ten years you sound like a lovely, very caring owner.

Thank you!

 

[piggy5]

Welcome to the forum.
It’s full of people with different levels of experience but all of us are still learning.
There’s some great advice and suggestions made to help you.
I use a snuggle pouch to pick up my piggies and a pet carrier if I have to transport them outside the house.
I hope you enjoy the forum, learn lots and have fun here.
We also love pictures of piggies.

Thank you! I will look into one of those for sure.

 

[piggy5]

Hi and welcome!

You are a very loving owner! Unforeseen accidents can always happen.

Pet keeping is a life long learning curve; it has nothing to do with how good and caring an owner you are. You always start with zero and never stop finding out new things or ways to improve what you are doing for your pets.
Please don't set your expectations on yourself so high that you can only fail; life is not about being perfect but about how you deal with the mistakes you will inevitably make along the way. You often gain a deeper understanding from doing something wrong than by skimming along the surface smoothly and you also become a much more mature person by learning to deal with the consequences of any messes of your creation than by never setting a foot wrong. As long as you don't repeat the same mistakes all the time, you are doing well!
The big secret of adulthood is not being perfect but how you pick yourself up after all fall and how you turn a bad experience into a constructive one that makes you a better human being and helps yourself and others.

You may find our video and picture guide helpful to prevent another freak jump in the future. they are unfortunately not at all uncommon: How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely

If you find the link helpful, then you may also want to have a look at our new owners guide collection, which specifically addresses all the area we get the most questions and wobbles about, so you don't have to find all the potential problem areas the hard way all on your own! Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Thank you so much! I will watch definitely watch the video.

 

[Reenie]

I think we've all had the odd accident with our piggies. I tripped when I was carrying Chicco, and wrecked the cage. (I was using a run rather than a c&c at the time, and it was a bit high to step out of). I did myself a bit of damage, but fortunately all of the piggies were fine. Don't worry, but take care. Every accident is a learning curve. E. G. I've now got c&c.