Handling

[WhisperingWolf]

I'm just curious...
I know you've to leave your piggie for as long as possible once bringing him home and let him settle. It's been a week now and I've handled him once after cleaning him out on the friday - trying to calm him a little and let him get used to my presence before putting him back.

His cage is on our landing where there is the most space, but that means he can only hear us downstairs or in our bedrooms - he's not forced to come out whilst being in our presence to eat or drink whatever. If I go upstairs or even sit in the hallway for a while he just sits in his hidey hole until he's on his own again (which I understand as it's only been a week).

Just wanted to know...when would you advise me to start properly handling him and getting him used to being handled and in the presence of me/my flatmates? I want to know who did what with their experiences in owning guineas

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

We got our piggies on 3rd Aug and I have to say, they are only just letting us stroke them in their run (they aren't in a cage at the mo, just seperated in two indoor runs next to each other as one has just been castrated). They still run off if we try to catch them.

We have piggy crash pad and we pick them up in that. I have to say Mabelle (our boy) is a lot more friendly since the op. Sasha is still a bit more wary. But I feel we are getting there!

We put the crash pad on the sofa and they climb over us a bit but they don't like actually being picked up from the ground in our hands.

All I've done is talk to them lots and give it a go every day.

p

 

[WhisperingWolf]

Wow that's a long time indeed! Well I might leave him another week...hopefully I'm getting a rescue at either the end of this week or the next to pair with him. So maybe after he's got a mate he should settle a little easier.

But yeh, bringing him down and sitting with him on the couch could work...just let him sit and get used to it - but I'll wait for the new guinea before doing anything like that

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

I've only ever had two at once, but when we found out that Mabelle was a boy, we seperated them and they were down 8... but I would imagine a lone pig would be more scared as doesn't have his pal to back him up.

You will probably find that once your new one arrives, he will be a whole new piggie!

We've now put two indoor runs alongside each other so ours can see and chat but not get to each other, we've got another 5 weeks before we can put them back in together but they are both much happier.

Hope all goes well with the new arrival!

p

 

[Farquhar]

Just keep doing what you are doing. It takes time to build up a trusting bond with a piggie and patience is the key. It sounds as though you are starting to gain the trust of your piggie and you should enjoy every moment of this bonding experience..