Help !

[ameliacorbo]

it makes me so sad that my guinea pigs hate me picking them up. They run around me and eat from my hands but they hate being picked up. it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. They used to sit up me without running. But now I've let them run around outside their cage, they only come out to do that. They used to sit on my lap but now they just want to run around on the floor

 

[Jesse's pigs]

They don't hate you and you're doing nothing wrong. My Mo absolutely detests being picked up I suppose it's rather like us not liking flying or heights. It's not natural for them and no matter how good you are at holding them they will still feel unsecure.

 

[DM030819]

Some pigs are happy to sit on your lap, others like to explore.

My Jon isn't scared of me and so doesn't struggle from fear. But he has no interest at all to sit on my lap. Whenever we get them out and sit on the sofa he slides down my laps like a ramp, and then he"s off exploring. We call him Jon Bauer as he's always on the move.

If they don't like being picked up you can use a bed, shoo them towards it and then pick them up.

Sometimes them being easy to pick up can be a sign of fear and now they've more comfortable they're happier to move around.

My Podrick can be so easy to pick up and do things with. I could have him on my lap for hours. He was scared, so his reaction was to stay still. Now that he's happier he'll climb off my lap and go for a wander.

 

[rome_italy]

with my piggies it is not easy to pick them up, I need to go into their cage, block them into some hidey, then I sometimes menage to lift one of them. On the lap then they relax, but Calispo has her own specific need! she sometimes wants to lay down on me but I am not allowed to touch her (she bites!); sometimes she prefers to stay in balance on my arm or my shoulder; and she has her own tastes about programmes TV! (she seems to be fashinated by Dr Nowzaradan's episodes!!! ).
I realised that my piggies hate being on the lap together, although they are on two different laps. The feel the presence of the other and start being nervous. Try to pick up only one of them.
Anyway I do great efforts for seeing them doing some exercise on the floor, it is very good for them. And when they feel insecure they stay hidden all day long! Below there is a pic of my piggies on their first period (weeks!) at home: