Elsie

[*kate*]

We have now had Elsie for 2 weeks. She was bought at a market and handed into rescue. She is terrified of Humans, whether through ill treatment or not being handled we don't know.

We have left her to settle in for the 2 weeks and, although still very scared, she is wheeking when we open the pantry door ( we keep the foraged grass in there!) and will now come from under cover to eat food.

Today we decided we should handle her to start getting her used to it and also to check her nails and her whole self in general.

As soon as we go into their enclosure she bolts, very quickly. We managed to pick up the tunnel she was in and get her out from there. When you hold her it has to be very firmly as she tries her best to jump out of your arms.

We managed to trim her nails and give her some calm stroking.

My question is, is there any other way of picking her up without it being so stressful for her? I don't want to make her more scared by having to corner her but if I try coaxing her out she just races away.

 

[Merab]

It can take a long time for a scared piggy to calm down.
When my Phoebe was new the only way I could hold her was in her snuggle sack.
6 months on she hates being caught or held but will quite happily sit in her cage and be petted.
The fact that Elsie comes out to eat and wheeks for food is positive.
Is she a lone piggy or do you have a companion for her?

 

[*kate*]

It can take a long time for a scared piggy to calm down.
When my Phoebe was new the only way I could hold her was in her snuggle sack.
6 months on she hates being caught or held but will quite happily sit in her cage and be petted.
The fact that Elsie comes out to eat and wheeks for food is positive.
Is she a lone piggy or do you have a companion for her?

A snuggle sack is a good idea! I've never had a skittish piggie before!

She has Betty as a friend , she adores her and Betty is extremely laid back so I hope Elsie will learn from her!

 

[Pigwhisperer]

She will definitely learn from her friend. It is a slow process though! Picking her up in the tunnel is ideal for now. I still do that sometimes.

I have had mine 2 and 1/2 years and one of them (Silk) will still go to the furthest possible corner of the cage when she knows I am coming to pick her up, even though I can tell she's not scared and really does want a cuddle - if I back off she will peer out at me as if to say "what's up?" She has always hated having her nails done, so one day I did Clover's in front of her - Clover is really calm, doesn't mind in the slightest - and Silk was much calmer about having hers done straight after.

They are a lot more intelligent than we sometimes think.

 

[*kate*]

She will definitely learn from her friend. It is a slow process though! Picking her up in the tunnel is ideal for now. I still do that sometimes.

I have had mine 2 and 1/2 years and one of them (Silk) will still go to the furthest possible corner of the cage when she knows I am coming to pick her up, even though I can tell she's not scared and really does want a cuddle - if I back off she will peer out at me as if to say "what's up?" She has always hated having her nails done, so one day I did Clover's in front of her - Clover is really calm, doesn't mind in the slightest - and Silk was much calmer about having hers done straight after.

They are a lot more intelligent than we sometimes think.

Thank you. Funnily enough, since handling her earlier, she has been coming out into the open frequently!