Desperate for hugs!

[SophRuss5]

I have had my two boys for 3 weeks now, they are 13 weeks old and very curious and brave but still don't like me touching them!
I have been slowly hand feeding them and Stroking them using grass as a hand! However if I so even much as think about moving in for hand fur contact they skitter away! They are not shy, will call for their food, approach me when I go near their hutch etc but I'm just unsure of how to take that next step! Last week I had a traumatic experience catching them to move from indoor cage to hutch and felt that it made them less trusting and as I'm on Hols next Friday I will have to catch them again to take to a friends for their piggy holiday!
I saw on a thread about rescue pigs that the fosterers have untamed piggies and are handling them for a few mins every half hour or so, is this the best course of action? I can imagine my two will panic and I hate the fear when they run away, probs stresses me more than them! I am home all next week so am hoping to gain much more of their trust and be able to get my piggy hug fix!
So my basic question, would you advice to keep trying with the lure of food, going as I am, it will take however long it takes? Or pick it up a notch and attempt to catch and handle them frequently?
They are in a two tier hutch with tunnels on the ramps, that's where they go if the see a glint in my eye!

 

[michell240583]

Hi I have just got a little piggie Snoopy 10 weeks old and thats natural them being a bit skitty ,every morning I give all mine cucumber .To get his trust I just place my hand in his cage with the cucumber and wait till he takes it from my hand.They will sort of walk a bit then turn around just be really patient and they will take it from your hand.
Just time and patience.Give it a few months and my Snoopy will be demanding food like the rest do by standing on my feet lol.
Maybe if there really skitty at the moment hold one at a time and then as they get used to you,you can then hold them both.
I find if I have had a stressfull day my guinea pigs can not relax on me.They sense it some how.
I also use there favourite blankets and make a tunnel on my lap with it so they feel safe!
Hope this helps xx

 

[piggyfan]

I know they do not like to be picked up but it is the only way to get them used to it. I would pick them up everyday and hold them for five minutes. You can hold them on your lap under a fleece as they feel safer when hiding. After a week you can start to stroke them. They may not take food from you on your lap but you can always leave it there to tempt them. Once guinea pigs are held the trauma is over so do not feel bad picking them up. Mine all still run from me so it is just their prey instincts taking over.

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Baby pigs are usually very timid and skitsy, ditto was one when i got him and still skitsy as his prior owner hadnt botheres with him at all, now he loves his cuddles sits licking my arm and hands then falls asleep on me :-) so id advise you handle them for five ten minutes every hour, hold them firmly but gently and stroke there backs not there faces and speak to them softly, another trick is to give them a veggy treat when there out on your lap and not in the cage so they relate you to good things. Good luck and be patient its took two years to get ditto so tame but i can assure you it is well worth it when they beg at the cage to be picked up and sit licking and cuddling into you. Its amazing feeling to think he trusts me so much