Catching and stressing out young guinea pigs

[HopsPopsAl]

Hi all.
I've got 2 four month old sows and trying to get hold of them is a nightmare. I've watched many videos (including on this forum) and they all talk to getting them used to you and not being scared, and using tubes or cuddle sacks until they allow more direct approaches. Problem being is that I think the peegies have figured out that the cuddle sacks and tubes are traps. When we go to herd them, they avoid all hideys. They will run around and go under, over or around the tubes or hideys. I swear I hear them saying "not this time sucker". Picking up directly is harder than wrestling an alligator. Maybe it's cause I lack the confidence and worry about hurting them but they really will do anything not to be picked up. On a taming front, they will eat out my hand and even come up to me when I'm doing anything in the cage..... but the second my hand moves to anything like I might pick them up, they dart. I obviously don't want to stress them out but also want them to get used to being handled and have lap time. I assume that this is something that will calm down as they get older and more used to me but I also read that to tame them well, you should encourage interaction and lap/cuddle sack time.
Would it be better for me to just leave them or continue to try get them used to being handled?
Thanks
Alan

 

[Piggies&buns]

Most piggies will hate being directly picked up by hand. It equates to a predator eating them.

Herding into a carrier is the best way to pick them up. Try to get them to associate that with a treat and they may learn to accept a carrier. When my two boys were younger, they learnt to associate their carrier with going out in the run and they got to the point where they would just walk into it.

The fact they are happy to be around you and take food from your hand is brilliant, it shows they trust you.

I do not do lap time, they don’t like it and never have learnt to like it in the past four years. I interact with them by sitting on their shed floor and they can then choose come to me If they want to (and usually they do because something yummy is involved). It is much more relaxed as they aren’t being picked up and choose to come to me. They will tolerate handling for health checks though. It was a lot of patience and taking things at their pace.

 

[HopsPopsAl]

Thanks for the reply. Also just saw the replies in the "Airbrushing and nail cutting for the first time" post (didn't look there initially as thought not to do with picking up).
I will just be more patient and see what they like

 

[Wiebke]

This link here has videos and pictures of how to pick up piggies hands-off and how to weigh them safely: How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)

Like the other links in our post, they are all part of our really helpful New Owners starter bundle.
Here is the link again. Bookmark and have a browse tonight, read and re-read at need; you can find lots of the practical little tips in there that we cannot repeat in every post or we would never be able to answer them all:
Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners

Just give them more time to settle in. You are a bit early but I have just written a big practical article about what to do when and how soon for newly arrived piggies for the Christmas issue of Guinea Pig Magazine, which will come out in early November.

 

[HopsPopsAl]

Thanks.
I have watched about a thousand YouTube videos and none have acted like mine. They make it look so easy getting them in the cuddle sacks.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks.
I have watched about a thousand YouTube videos and none have acted like mine. They make it look so easy getting them in the cuddle sacks.

No, it isn't easy at all in reality - because those piggies in the videos are already trained and used to being around humans.

Best use a tunnel facing into a corner (less escape routes) or lure them into a cardboard box with a treat at the far end. Again, a corner helps to narrow down escape routes. You can see videos and pictures in our guide. Tap them gently on the bum (piggy language for 'move on') if needed.

The rest is practice, trial and error and learning your piggies' individual tricks and quirks so you can anticipate. The good news is that they become less agile and easier to get hold of as they grow.