Does My Piggie Hate Me?

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Louspiggs

Louspiggs

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i have 2 baby boars that i got about 3 weeks ago. the more dominant boar lets me stroke him while hes eating, on my lap, out for floor time etc and he is very easy to get a hold of and pick up. to get to this point ive tried every piggie taming tip out there and it's definitely paid off for him. my other piggie is much more submissive and runs like crazy if i so much as go near the cage. he lets me stroke him if hes on my lap or i am holding him against my chest but wont let me go near him while hes eating or standing anywhere where he can get away. i know it hasnt been long and hes only a baby still but my other boar is so much more confident so i dont understand why they arent at least similar in their behaviour towards me. every piggie is different but surely he should be less wary around me? i even upgraded my cc cage bc i heard that more space makes them more confident as they know they can escape and hide if necessary. this helped the more confident boar come out of his shell but not my shy piggie:( any tips? i already tried/trying: hand feeding veggies, talking to them before i approch the cage, letting them smell my hand, putting down worn tshirts for bedding so that they get used to my smell, not picking up with hands (ill pick him up while hes in a tunnel by blocking off either side to move him for floor time incase he simply didnt like being picked up). I'm out of ideas other than taking it slow and letting time help, but the lack of any progress makes me concerned :/
 
Wiebke said:
Hi! Your piggies don't hate you. They have now reached the stage where they are trusting you enough to tell you what they don't like. ;)

You may find these guides here helpful to get you to the next stage. It is a slow and gradual process, as trust is a tender plant, but you can get there!
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up Your Guinea Pig
Click to expand...
after reading the first link you gave I'm not worried that the more 'confident' piggie is just seeing me as a threat and freezing still, but he comes to me when i make tutting noises when I'm by the cage or when I'm on the floor with them so I'm confused about his behaviour now? i think that the piggie i was originally concerned with is displaying the behaviour where he is now more trusting in telling me what he likes and dislikes as it matches up with what i read. I definitely learned some things so thank you!
 
Louspiggs said:
after reading the first link you gave I'm not worried that the more 'confident' piggie is just seeing me as a threat and freezing still, but he comes to me when i make tutting noises when I'm by the cage or when I'm on the floor with them so I'm confused about his behaviour now? i think that the piggie i was originally concerned with is displaying the behaviour where he is now more trusting in telling me what he likes and dislikes as it matches up with what i read. I definitely learned some things so thank you!
Click to expand...

The more confident one has moved on and is actually trusting you and no longer seeing you as a predator, so you are actually doing pretty well for three weeks on! :)
 
Your pig doesn't hate you! They are prey animals and it's natural for them to be on guard for a threat, and he's wary and hasn't decided whether you're a danger or not yet. Some pigs are more confident and others are more cautious, just by nature (I've had both very bold pigs and very cautious pigs over the years.) Three weeks in is still early days and you will see more improvement over time when they settle in. If it's any consolation, both of my present pigs were very, VERY nervous when we brought them home, and although they both have different personalities they are now both very settled with people and very nice pets. The younger dominant pig is actually quite a lap pet and will sleep on us and also constantly mooches food whenever anyone walks by. My other pig is more reserved/cautious and more easily frightened, but she certainly isn't frightened of people anymore!
 
We are at a similar point in our piggie journey as you are.
We have 3 - 2 sows and a boar, and the differences in their friendliness and personalities is huge.
Our smallest sow rushes to the cage front to greet us, will happily lick and nibble our fingers, take food from our hands and be stroked. But try to pick her up and it's a different story.
Our boar on the other hand will take food from our hands, but isn't as 'pushy' for our attention. But he is pretty easy to catch, and happily settles on our lap once picked up.
Our other sow is somewhere in the middle!
So I guess it just takes time, and we also need to make allowances for different piggie personalities.
 
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