Am I going to have to take this into my own hands?

[Sarah-sore]

Lillith is my mom's guinea pig and Rusty is mine, theyre in the same cage. I've noticed my mom doest snuggle Lillith like she used to, she hasn't held for her for probably 2-3 days! :O :O :O
Lillith and my mom have a connection that I cant explain. Lillth bites everyone but her, Lillith will squeak and squeal at me when I try and snuggle her but with my mom she calms right down. Am I going to have to develop a relationship and take over? Cause I know if my wants to hold Lillith, Lillith will be confused?malletheadmalletheadgrrrr

 

[twiams]

I'm sure after a little while Lillith would get more used to you, it's just a case of regularly doing it and getting into a habbit, of doing something or making a noise or something like that before you take her out, just so she isn't surprised and can get used to it.

 

[Amanda1801]

I don't handle my pigs daily...they're generally left to be pigs - they get handled to go to the vets, at clean out time and to go into the run. My pigs have little interest in sitting on laps and would rather just be left to do their own thing.

As long as she's fed, watered and clean, I wouldn't worry!

 

[Sodapops]

I'm the same as amanda - mine dont get picked up or have lap time daily - i interact with them a lot in their own environment, i spend most of my day talking to them.

They get checked regularly, weighed weekly, bathed very 4-6wks, and have nails trimmed every 2-4wks.

Ive got a couple of pigs that will happily lie down for lap time - but generally they are happy being with each other and doing what piggies do best - sleeping and eating

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Ditto is the complete opposite, he loves having cuddles and falls asleep on my chest.. He seems to become depressed and moody if i dont get him out as soon as i walk to cage he squeeks at me and pop corns and trys to climb out himself :-) ... Id have a word with your mum about your concerns and if she has lost interest explain that you will take over her pigs care and be responsible for it and ask her in order to prevent confusion to keep away from the piggy until she has bonded eith yourself. Hope this helps x

 

[Sarah-sore]

Oh! I thought lap time was a must! I'm glad to know now that its not, thank you

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Oh! I thought lap time was a must! I'm glad to know now that its not, thank you

i think it is a must personally it forms a bond between you and youe pet and half an hour a day isnt stopping them being guineapigs as other posters have said. My ditto enjoys the attention

 

[Sarah-sore]

i think it is a must personally it forms a bond between you and youe pet and half an hour a day isnt stopping them being guineapigs as other posters have said. My ditto enjoys the attention

Id be okay with hold Lillith the only problem is she really enjoys biting me. Both my piggies were abused and Rusty has just barley come around, she's still pretty skittish of me. It took about 4 months for Rusty to come this far.:{

 

[BossHogg]

Lola and Angel will let you pick them up, but they're not too fused at being stroked. Rebel is completely different. as we've had him since birth, he's used to being picked up and will sit calmly to get a stroke under the chin. He'll even hold your finger with his front paws whilst you stroke him. x)

 

[Sodapops]

Oh! I thought lap time was a must! I'm glad to know now that its not, thank you

No it's not a must... when my pigs were younger we made a concious effort to handle them daily only because it was important for them to get used to being handled - grooming, nail trimming, health checks, baths etc are tasks that are necessary and so it helps if you have a pig that is used to being handled.

Bonding wise - my pigs have each other, yes they will come and greet me and enjoy chin tickles/cuddles from time to time - but as long as they live in a clean cage and have all the food/water they need, they rarely bother if I'm there or not....

Pigs like to have all 4 paws on the floor and so lap time doesn't mean they are any more/less loved - my guinea pigs much prefer the comfort of their own cage/run.

Lone pigs are a different matter though - my first boy was a lone guinea pig and he only had us for company, therefore he craved attention all the time - well he didn't have any friends of his own so we were all he had - of course he's going to be happy to see us if we'd just woken up or come back from shopping etc as he'd had to sit by himself and had 0 interation with anyone!

Pigs that have friends dont crave that kind of one on one attention...they are free to act like guinea pigs