How to bond with my piggies

[LuLu431]

I own two piggies, coco and pineapple, they are the cutest things I’ve ever seen but I’ve had problems bonding with them. Every time I walk into the room they squeak like they are excited (probably for the food ) but they run as fast as they can to their tunnel/hide. I own a cat and a dog; are the scents from them on me scaring them? I have had them for 2+ months and a feel I have made no progress. Is there anything else I can be doing? I sit right outside their cage when I feed them and I try to talk to them and do all my work up their but they still won’t let me get close to them or when I’m sitting outside their cage feeding them any movement I make sends them frantically running around trying to find a place to hide. I’m at a complete loss and I just don’t know what to do. Any help is appreciated

 

[Piggies&buns]

You are doing the right things - moving slowly, sitting next to their cage talking to them, offering food from your hand.
They will gain trust in time but a lot of patience is needed and for some piggies, two months just isnt long enough.
Ensure you dont stand over them - this can be scary for them. Also make sure you announce yourself as you enter - predators are silent so if you are also silent, then that scares them.
What happens after a little while if you hold some food in your hand and offer it to them? Do they hide the entire time you are in the room or do they come out eventually and take food from you if you sit with them gently talking to them?

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

You need to be weighing them weekly so the tips in the guide will also help so you can get their weight checks done a bit more easily

How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely

Dexter was taking food from me and stopped running away from me after six weeks but Popcorn was still terrified. I could see over time that Pops become interested in me but he would run off and hide when I went to their shed, wouldnt come out, wouldnt take food from me. I continued with the piggy whispering tips, continued doing the same things and had to be very patient but all the time knowing that it may never happen with him - he may spend his whole life scared of me as he is of a more nervous character. A year and a half after they came to me, one morning I offered food to Popcorn by hand as I always tried but this time he took it from me. I couldn't believe it! Offered him another piece and he also took that. I think he had been watching Dexter do it for so long and nothing bad had happened to him that he realised he was safe! Suddenly a year and a half's work and patience had paid off. It's now been three years and still while neither of them like being held, they both come running to the front of the cage to see me when I enter their shed, they both take food from my hand, they both excitedly run around my feet as I get in with them. Also, if they are in the right mood, they will let me stroke them on the head or scratch under the chin - it doesnt happen a lot mind but they will allow it on occasion!

 

[LuLu431]

What happens after a little while if you hold some food in your hand and offer it to them? Do they hide the entire time you are in the room or do they come out eventually and take food from you if you sit with them gently talking to them?

The minute I walk into the room they run to a tunnel/hide and then start to squeak excitedly. I put the food in the cage then I sit right outside the cage. I sit there for I long time (1-2 hours) after a while pineapple will come out but she won’t get any where close to me and is very on edge the entire time and again if I move she run to her hide. After a while I put the rest of the food in there cage and go to my desk witch is right across the room. They still won’t come near me and I have to leave the room for them to even come to the food. I talk to them softly the time I am sitting in front of the cage and when I’m at my desk I play some soft music. I read over the two links you gave me and I found them all helpful but I haven’t been able to weigh them as I can’t get them to even get close to me. I live with my parents (until I can get my own home) and they are always trying to hold them and they say that they will get used to it at some point and when I try to explain that you can’t do that and you have to go slow as they are prey animals they just roll their eyes and say that they will never get close to me.

 

[Siikibam]

Perhaps shoo them into a hide, box or carrier and pick them up that way. Weighing weekly is really important so you need to find a way to get them out the cage. A few members on here (@Piggies&buns included) have gotten their piggies used to walking into a carrier etc. It’s easier for them if you don’t pick them up by hand.

As already mentioned, two months is a short time in the grand scheme of things. I’ve had my girls for three years and they generally don’t like being stroked. I can only do so when they are eating. One of them broke the rules and let me stroke her the other day. It made my day BUT I know it likely won’t happen again. Take it at their pace and just be patient. That’s all you can do

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. I have two piggies Percy and Pepper. I have had them since last August and November. Percy is brave and will let me stroke him in the hutch and Pepper is the more timid one. Pepper will come to me for veggies but won’t let me touch him in the hutch. What I do is let them run into a pigloo (photo attached) and then transfer them into my bathroom to play with them. I have lots of hides and tunnels and hay cakes for them to play with. Pepper is so much braver in the bathroom. He will let me really tickle and stroke him. I sit on the floor with them and they are so happy. I also weigh them in their pigloos. And then I weigh the pigloo and take the weight off. I would say only let one piggy in a pigloo at one time as it’s too small for two and they might fight when in it. I hope that makes sense. Good luck.