Best way to get guineas used to handling?

[machuandpicchumummy]

My 2 male 8 week olds Machu and Picchu are quite difficult to catch because they're so fast and have so many hideaways. They love coming up to the bars and being touched through them but trying to catch them for cage moves and cleaning out can be time consuming. Any tips for getting GPs used to handling so I can catch them easily for health checks and cleaning out?

 

[Janey]

Piggies are prey animals so it’s part of their nature to run from us when we want to catch them. I use a fleece hidey with mine and they have come to know my routine and that this particular hidey means pick up time! I think the hidey is less threatening than hands in their cage, so they feel safer. It’s best to try and avoid chasing them around the cage when trying to catch them if you can.

 

[Piggies&buns]

As above, as prey animals, being picked up scares them. I put a carrier down in their cage and herd them into it - they both now actually voluntarily walk into it because they’ve done it for so long And know what the carrier is for

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