How can I bond more with my guinea pigs? (Especially handling and petting)

FiaFlora

FiaFlora

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I’ve had my two girls for about 6 months now. As of now they always squeak whenever I walk by their cage to ask for more food. They never hide from me when I come near unless I do a sudden movement that scares them. They will take food from my hand (because I almost exclusively hand feed them) and they will sit next to me while they eat. They will come up and stiff/nibble at me hoping for food. Here is what they won’t let me do. They won’t let me pick them up (which I know is totally normal for guinea pigs) but they won’t even let me touch them. I have tried to do that guinea pig whispering thing but I can’t because they always run away and get mad whenever I try to touch them. Every once and a while they will let me pet them but not very often. How can I make picking them up easier and how can I get them to let me pet them? Also does it seem like I have a decent bond with them already? Sorry that this was a lot, thanks in advance!
 
My opinion is that you cannot make them. As you say it is normal guinea pig behaviour to run from being picked up and touched. Guinea pigs aren’t always the cuddly creatures that is often thought. It sounds like you have a great relationship with them in the fact that they will take food from you, sit with you, come to you etc and, for me, that would be enough. They are comfortable with you in those terms so I wouldn’t push it.
However, things such as picking them up when they are in a cuddle pouch can help them to feel more secure
You are doing better than me actual fact. Only one of mine will take food and come to me. He occasionally left me touch him, and by that I mean about a two second stroke on his ears, but that is all, I certainly can’t pick him up. The other one barely comes out if I’m near. It’s their nature and they are doing what is comfortable for them, so I personally don’t want to make them do anything more than that.
 
FiaFlora said:
I’ve had my two girls for about 6 months now. As of now they always squeak whenever I walk by their cage to ask for more food. They never hide from me when I come near unless I do a sudden movement that scares them. They will take food from my hand (because I almost exclusively hand feed them) and they will sit next to me while they eat. They will come up and stiff/nibble at me hoping for food. Here is what they won’t let me do. They won’t let me pick them up (which I know is totally normal for guinea pigs) but they won’t even let me touch them. I have tried to do that guinea pig whispering thing but I can’t because they always run away and get mad whenever I try to touch them. Every once and a while they will let me pet them but not very often. How can I make picking them up easier and how can I get them to let me pet them? Also does it seem like I have a decent bond with them already? Sorry that this was a lot, thanks in advance!
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Hi!

You have a good and very normal bond for piggies. The majority will never like being picked up or sit and be petted; that is an unrealistic expectation raised by online videos promoting a distorted vision of what is essentially a domesticated prey animal but not a living toy.
If you have a cuddler, treasure them but do not expect your piggies to be like that, not even those piggies that have been handled daily since they were born and that know only love.

Picking up is cutting too close to their prey animal instinct to be ever enjoyed by most piggies; an animal that is being picked up by a large predator is a dead animal. The best way to avoid that is by using a walk-in conveyance.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The ones begging to be picked up are in my own experience mostly single piggies desperate for company (or too many treats) or piggies on long term medication/support that know that their meds are making them feel better and that see them as a daily or twice daily treat.
 
I have 8 piggies and they all run and hide when I try to pick them up. Once I get them they are all different. Some are content to sit on my lap and be petted, some only want to be fed for lap time, others will crawl all over me and sniff and lick me, and some I can tell would prefer me not to hold or pet them much at all. I just kind of let them take the lead and whatever seems to make them happy I do. I enjoy all of their unique personalities!
 
My 2 are definitely not scared of us, they both take food from our hands and will eat out in the open!

BUT, they are both happiest when just allowed to be Piggies doing Piggy things together so I don't force the sitting on our laps being petted thing! We can easily pick them up when necessary for nail trims and health checks but generally we just leave them to their own devices!
 
I have 3 sows, none of them like being picked up and petted.
They are ok with being stroked in the cage - especially if there’s food.
If they’re out and I sit on the floor with a bowl of veggies they will come and eat.
My long haired girl allows grooming but only until her bribe has been eaten.

It sounds as if you have a lovely relationship with your piggies.
Treasure it
 
My boys are very friendly and enjoy lap time twice a day for about 10 minutes. I put this down to having them from 4 weeks old and encouraging them to walk into a snuggle sack to be picked up. Now Bill stands still to be picked up and Ted always walks to the same corner of the cage to be picked up (no idea why?) they only run and hide when they are outside in their run, and love to hide in their long bunny tunnel which adjoins run and hutch, so I can’t bring them inside!

I would try to encourage them into a snuggle sack/tunnel and get them used to been out on your lap as you need to trim their nails and check bums, ears, eyes and teeth occasionally, also visits to the vet. Always cover them with a blanket when on your lap and make them feel cosy and secure x
 
I had my two sows, Mistletoe and Jingle since babies and gently held them every day, letting them walk into fleece houses to be picked up.
They never took to lap time and still dislike being caught. They soon realised that a fleece house equalled lap time and wouldnt get in!

I only handle mylot occasionally and none of them seem to enjoy it sadly. The boar is the most placid.
 
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