Am I Not Handling Them Enough?

[Celine298]

I was just wondering, is there such a thing as not handling your piggys enough?

Sunny and Lola live in a 2x10 cage situated in our dining room, which is adjoining our sitting room (where we spend most of our time). They have multiple hidies, a loft, loads of nibble sticks, a hay box and a minimum of two toilet rolls stuffed with hay in their cage at all times. I clean their cage twice a day, morning and night, and that's when they get fresh food/hay and veggies. While I'm doing that I will sit and chat to them, as well as stopping to talk to them in their cage during the day.

But aside from taking them out to check skin/hair/nails/ears, I don't handle them too much. Yes I give them cuddles and lap time but I know they're not a 'petty' animal, like a dog or a cat.

They get along perfectly together, and seem very happy (lots of popcorning and zoomies every day), so should I continue as I am or maybe engage with them more?

Ps. aside from the usual 'run and hide' routine when I go to catch them, they seem quite content to be handled when I do their little health checks.

 

[helloitsbecca]

It sounds like you are doing an amazing job

 

[Celine298]

It sounds like you are doing an amazing job

Thanks I like to hope they're happy with my service ahaha!

 

[Jesse's pigs]

I agree with the above sounds like you're being the perfect piggy slave my piggy Mo hates being picked up and put back but he'll sit quite content on my lap. I pick him up a bit more then just for checks because at the moment he is a single piggy (had a friend coming but the piggy sadly passed away a couple of weeks before he was due to come home with me).I talk to him a lot though and always go in his cage for a stroke where he'll roll over and let me tickle his belly.

 

[Celine298]

I agree with the above sounds like you're being the perfect piggy slave my piggy Mo hates being picked up and put back but he'll sit quite content on my lap. I pick him up a bit more then just for checks because at the moment he is a single piggy (had a friend coming but the piggy sadly passed away a couple of weeks before he was due to come home with me).I talk to him a lot though and always go in his cage for a stroke where he'll roll over and let me tickle his belly.

I'm very sorry to hear about the piggy that passed
But, you're allowed tickle the sacred belly area? :O You must be special!

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Haha he's a strange piggy he'll stretch out and roll so I can tickle his belly and then twitch his back leg like a dog. He soon let's me know when to stop though- he'll just shoot up and spin round.

 

[Celine298]

Sunny hates when I turn him over and expose his belly, but it's something he'll have to put up with because he was neutered before Christmas and I'm still on abcess patrol

 

[Redribbon]

My boys would prefer not to be handled but I do it briefly once a day. I let them decide when they've had enough. Your pigs sound very content.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Awwww I'm glad to hear he's ok at the moment though must've been a scary time. I'm terrified of neutering my boar incase anything goes wrong.

 

[flowerfairy]

My two hate being handled. I was doing lap time every day but they so clearly dont enjoy it. Its now a couple of times a week.

Your set up sounds amazing. Lucky guinea pigs.

 

[Celine298]

Awwww I'm glad to hear he's ok at the moment though must've been a scary time. I'm terrified of neutering my boar incase anything goes wrong.

So was I, and it's pretty hard to get vets who specialise in small/exotic pets in Ireland. But Sunny flew through it. I think when considering neutering it's best to just study the aftercare procedures and stay away from the horror stories. My vet assured me that neutering carries the same risks no matter the animal, and we've had a long history of successfully neutered pets. That reassured me a lot

 

[Celine298]

My two hate being handled. I was doing lap time every day but they so clearly dont enjoy it. Its now a couple of times a week.

Your set up sounds amazing. Lucky guinea pigs.

Thank you

 

[Celine298]

My boys would prefer not to be handled but I do it briefly once a day. I let them decide when they've had enough. Your pigs sound very content.

I try my best to make sure they're happy and stimulated

 

[Freela]

It sounds like you're doing fine... how much handling they want really depends on the guinea pig in question. I've had some that didn't really like being handled and were happy with a quick pet and then would get restless, and I have had some that were happy to snooze on my lap for hours and would stay there as long as I would let them. Right now I seem to have two who can't get enough of lap time, but that has not always been the case! I would follow their lead... if they like being handled and you have the time and inclination to hold them for longer, that's great... if they get restless or you're busy and don't have extended time to sit there with them, it sounds like they are very happy in the setup they have now.

 

[Alycat]

It sounds fine to me.
One thing I've started doing is having them on the sofa next to me. That way they're not directly being petted, but they're close and can come up and sniff me if brave enough. They have slowly been getting closer so I think it helps.

 

[Celine298]

It sounds fine to me.
One thing I've started doing is having them on the sofa next to me. That way they're not directly being petted, but they're close and can come up and sniff me if brave enough. They have slowly been getting closer so I think it helps.

I do that as well, I wrap them up in a big fluffy blanket and leave them snuggled there beside me or on my belly