Feel like taking 1 step forward and 2 back

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DM270921

I feel like Frodo doesn't trust me anymore. I don't know what's the matter... Recently he's just been so spooked whenever I do anything - if I put more hay in the hutch then he'll sprint away, whacking his head onto the side of the hutch in the process.
I try to calm him down but if I stroke him he'll run away.
I've been trying to avoid chasing him around the hutch to pick him up but wherever I go he runs away.
I assume his behaviour has got something to do with moving out of his old candc cage into the hutch, but that was inevitable due to trying to sell the house. (A sturdy, nice looking hutch looks a bit better than a very open candc cage!)
When I open the latch on the door both of the piggies run away, but especially Frodo.

I just feel so hopeless and like I'm losing his trust, but I can't do anything about it. His buddy Samwise is ok, he lets me stroke him and purrs and is generally very friendly with me.
I've always felt like I had more of a bond with Sam but that is felt much more acutely now.

Can anyone offer any advice about how I can make Frodo maybe a little more relaxed with me?
Hopefully he shouldn't be in the hutch for too much longer now, only a few more months at most.

Just want to add that he was much more friendly in the candc and would let me stroke him, wouldn't run away as much etc.
He's fine when he's out of the hutch in my arms and having a yummy piece of lettuce, but it's getting him out that is the problem!

Thanks.
 
I think you are probably right, the change in behaviour is due to the change on their accommodation. I had similar when my pigs had to move from an indoors cage to a hutch in an outbuilding following our house move. It took them a while to be coming to the bars for food when I went into their room. They all still run away when I want to pick them up for weighing etc, but they always did that.
Hopefully Frodo will get used to the change and become more obviously trusting again in due course. I wondered if it's partly due to the fact that they can't see you so well when they are in a hutch, all they see is a big long arm reaching in, and if they are in a single level hutch you are always towering over them too...
 
Do you get down to Frodo's level when you try to pick him up? Have you tried herding him into a hidey before you pick him up? Try the piggy whispering techniques in the guides (sorry can't link in on this device)t lot are in a hutch in the garage and I always speak to them as I approach them as a predator is silent.
 
You say he's fine when he's out of the hutch, so that suggests it's really not you.

I've had my two over 4 years now and they still run away if I go to pick them up. Clover will sometimes stay still, but Silk ALWAYS acts totally panicked, even though she's the one that will snuggle in for an hour or more once she's actually on my lap! I can only put it down to the instinct against "being caught".
 
Thank you for the advice, I have been getting down to their level and talking to them when I'm around the hutch but he's still very wary.
I've tried herding him into his pigloo but his so strong that he pushes the back up and runs away behind, even more terrified than before

Yes, I think the long arm reaching in is probably why he's so freaked out, obviously getting to him is a lot more challenging and he can't see as much.

Thank you Pigwhisperer, he's a very snuggly pig once he's out! It's reassuring to know your pigs act similar. :)
 
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