Handling

[molzify]

Having a bit of a crisis right now, I got my pigs on Saturday and obviously have had a hands off approach, because I'm trying to get them to bond with me and trust me before I even attempt to stroke them let alone pick them up. However, I've been informed that the longer I leave it the harder it will be to handle them.

Bit of background: I bought my girls from my work place and have handled them almost daily where possible at work but obviously haven't since Saturday due to them being stressed about the new place and all new sounds and smells.

Basically I am doing the right thing by delaying handling?

 

[Wiebke]

Having a bit of a crisis right now, I got my pigs on Saturday and obviously have had a hands off approach, because I'm trying to get them to bond with me and trust me before I even attempt to stroke them let alone pick them up. However, I've been informed that the longer I leave it the harder it will be to handle them.

Bit of background: I bought my girls from my work place and have handled them almost daily where possible at work but obviously haven't since Saturday due to them being stressed about the new place and all new sounds and smells.

Basically I am doing the right thing by delaying handling?

Hi! If you have handled them before, then continue to handle them. We generally recommend to handle new piggies once they are taking food from your hands and are comfortable with your presence. However your piggies have had previous contact with you, so the situation is different.
Three days are VERY short time for prey animals like guinea pigs when it comes to settling in and getting their bearings in a completely new environment full of new smells and noises and depending on the quality of care they have received in their previous home.
If necessary place a blanket or sheet over the top of the cage to give them more of a feeling of protection and to encourage them to come out and move around more.

Here are our tips on how you can make friends in ways that they will instinctively understand. Invite them to join the group you are leading and make them feel welcome; that goes a long way to reassuring them. Avoid any predatory behaviours and situations where prey animals can be triggered.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?

Here is the link to our full new owners' guide collection, which you will hopefully find both helpful and interesting. We are addressing specifically all the areas we get the most questions and concerns about.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

You can access our full guide collection on a wide range of topics via the shortcut on the top bar.

 

[sport_billy]

Hello

Good advice above from Wiebke

I'd start off by trying to hand feed them in the cage, this is always a great way of building up their trust and they associate you with the thing most important to their tiny food obsessed minds - Vegetables!

When it comes to laptimes start off slowly and build up, use a technique to pick them up like in this video it will take stress out for them and you

 

[MomoMura]

The video link above is really helpful!

If you need to absolutely grab them right away (especially in an emergency), the best way is to get them into a hidey and just pick up the hidey, as shown in the video.

If you just want to handle them for laptime or anything else, try to keep the chasing as minimal as possible. Don't just dive your hand in and try to reach for them. Always move veeerrrryyy slowly. Predators move very quickly, so show them you're not a predator with patience and slow movements Reach in with your hand palm up and try to scoop them up. It's best if you can corner them a bit.

At the beginning my pigs did not enjoy being handled and would get pretty scared. Put practice and patience makes perfect. Try to associate being picked up with a treat. Give them some lettuce or a bit of green pepper as a treat after picking them up. It may take some time, but now my pigs are fully accustomed to being picked up and will usually just let me handle them unless they're really not in the mood.

good luck