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Guinea Pig Panicks And Makes Noises If I Put My Hand Around Its Body

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MagnusFarseer

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Today I put my hand around my furry pigs body and it starts panicking trying to run away making squeeky noises, what does that mean? Could it get an injury if I do this? It frantically tries to get away while making noises but I put my hand around it tight so it can't get away. When I did it my other pig runs up to it and starts grinding its teeth, I also did it when the other one was in its hut and after I did it and left it ran out of its hut to check on the furry one.

I suppose I should stop doing this, I am really scaring the furry one and it panics big time if I do this.
 
Hi I'm sure others will help too but are you putting your hand round it to try and pick it up? Guinea pigs are prey animals so it is natural for them to be afraid. Most don't like being picked up.

Please don't hold tightly - you could injure your piggy.

When you want to pick them up (for lap time or floor time) you could try getting them to go into a cosy snuggle sack and then pick that up (supporting it underneath their body) to minimise the fear for them.
 
Hiya!

Guinea pigs are prey animals. It takes a lot of time to make friends with them and get them used to being handled if they have not had much human contact before they are sold.
You may find this thread here helpful. It is tells you how guinea pig instincts work and how you can make friends.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/

It is easier if you can train your guinea pigs to come into a tunnel, cosy or walk into a cardboard box that is filled with a bit of soft hay for lifting out of the cage and for transport. Right now, your guinea pig is telling you that it doesn't like being picked up, but you have made it past the "frozen" stage.
 
As Wiebke said, piggies are prey animals and most of their predators come at them from above, such as birds of prey. When you come to pick up your piggie from above, he thinks he is being attacked. It sounds like your piggie hasn't been handled much - if at all. When you want to pick him up, if you can, approach from the front or the side where he can see you. Offer food so he associates being handled with something good. Be sure to support his chest and rear end when lifting him.
 
I was just doing it to see how he would react, I just put my hand over it and hold it and it tries to run away while making squealing noises. When I do it to the non-furry one it doesn't make noises and just tries to get away. Often when I do it to the furry one, the non-furry one would run out of its hut afterwards to see if his friend is okay.

Anyway, I am gonna stop doing it, was really scaring him.
 
Strongly advise not doing that, it clearly frightens them and theres no need to. Pick them up properly and don't pin them down otherwise they will end up very fearful of you! Have you got any photos of your piggies? What are their names?
 
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