Guinea Pig Jumping?

P

Pepsipuff

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Dec 13, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
33
Points
125
How likely is it that a guinea pig will jump when carrying them? I'm wanting to pick them up and walk over to the sofa with them for some laptime but I'm so scared they jump as I'm walking or jump of my legs when I'm sitting on the sofa :( just now I'm bringing the whole cage down right next to their run and I literally pick them up for about 10 seconds before they start squirming so I put them back down! Really wanting to get them used to being handled but I'm worried they jump and run away (how would I even catch them again) also will they bite (scared of being properly bitten if they dont want cuddles)
 
Pigs won’t jump so often if they are used to it. I suggest getting somewhat close to the cage, offering a treat for them to munch on, and once they’re finished you can grab them carefully but firmly and hug them to your chest so you can travel safely to the place you’d like to host the lap time. There, you should give the pig tiny bits of treat throughout the session. (This is what I do, anyway, and my pigs seem to enjoy it).
 
Hold one hand (in this case, your left hand) as if you were trying to cup your own breast/peck, with palm UP and hand open flat, fingers straight or imagine you were try to karate chop your own sternum, and hold entire arm/hand against your chest, as if creating a shelf they'll rest on. Have the gp's rump/bum over your palm/wrist area and their mouth over your finger tips (if the gp constantly nibbles at your finger tips, reverse direction and have the mouth over your wrist instead; LICKING is OK, biting is not at they'll learn very quickly to bite when wanting something, like being placed back in the cage, and I personally hate it as they can get encouraged to bite more often). With right hand (in this case), have palm facing DOWN and wrist area over their face, or center the hand over their head, gently touching them. That should prevent jumping. Any loud or sudden sounds, they'll feel safer with the other hand on top. Once familiar with this holding pattern, they should never get the urge to jump, but in case one might want to, the upper hand (literally in this case and right obviously) will make them feel safer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top