We've had our 2 male guinea pigs almost a week now and our kids (5 and 7 years) are understandably just dying to get a cuddle! The boys are settling well and are happier to potter around the cage when we are in the room with them. They have also started to take vegtables from our hands but run for their lives if we try to touch them. Am I doing the right thing letting the boys set the pace or at some point do we bite the bullet and lift them? It's all new to us and we want to do things right.
How soon can we handle our boys?
- Thread starter Marnes
- Start date
Tiamolly123
Senior Guinea Pig
Almost a week is not very long I'm afraid, continue hand feeding even now I place a hand into front of their noses so they know who we are then they will let me stroke them. Give them another few days, & get them Into a cuddle cup or fleece tunnel & they should come out then let the children hold but they must keep the noise down, & let them settle, or you can put them into a large run, let them free range & then the children can sit with them.
Welcome to our friendly forum.
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Hello! Welcome to the forum
Eating from your hands is a good sign. Yeah piggies will run when you try and touch them in the cage, some will take fuss in the cage others like my Chickpea will still flee as fast as she can...
I would say give lap time a try in a few days but start slowly, just a few mins at first no sudden movements when on lap and supervise the kids as the piggies are going to be so fast and skittish.
When picking them up try using a conveyance to collect them like in the video below, this takes the stress out of it for them and you.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Eating from your hands is a good sign. Yeah piggies will run when you try and touch them in the cage, some will take fuss in the cage others like my Chickpea will still flee as fast as she can...
I would say give lap time a try in a few days but start slowly, just a few mins at first no sudden movements when on lap and supervise the kids as the piggies are going to be so fast and skittish.
When picking them up try using a conveyance to collect them like in the video below, this takes the stress out of it for them and you.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
BlueBird
Junior Guinea Pig
Well when we got our current pigs we didn't even last a week so I think you're doing really well.
The scariest part for guineas is the picking up part so if you can get a cuddle when they are on their feet rather than picked up and taken away from their friends it does a lot of good to minimise the panic. As prey animals, instinctually getting picked up is just like getting picked up by a hawk to be eaten so
In our house, we've taught our pigs that a "kissy sound" means 'we're going to touch you'. This we use if we're checking their ears to check their temperature to find out if they need help cooling down etc or to give them quick nose stroke or chin scratch. It means now they don't scatter immediately when hands go in the cage or we are leaning over them. It's also gives them the option to respond if they know what's coming. When they hear that sound and they run away we now know they aren't in the mood for fuss.
Have you tried putting a few old socks from the bottom of your wash bin in the cage with them for a bit? It's a non scary item that will help them get used to your smell. Before you start going to pick them. Guineas main sense is smell so I find it's a good hand shake for when you don't have wiser older pigs around to show them that humans aren't so bad.