I prefer to take things at their pace And not touch them unless they are comfortable with it. I want my animals to learn to trust me in their own time.
Put them into their cage and leave them, only feeding and spot cleaning for the first week.
Then sitting by their cage talking to them and offering food from your hand (which will vary on how long it will twke them to accept food from you). Taking food from you is a sign of trust so once they do that you are winning!
It took six weeks before one of my boys would take food from my hand. It took the other a year and a half. He is the dominant of the pair but the most nervous.
Some will learn to like to be stroked, some will like lap time, others never will.
Four years on, my boys don’t mind a head or chin stroke but they don’t like being picked up (most never will) for cuddles and they would much rather me sit on their shed floor and wander around me. they come to me and up to the bars for attention and treats. They are handled for weekly health checks only as cuddling is just stressful for us all.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
