In despair... My piggies hate me!

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Romeo Flahoy

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I don't know what else to do. Thought I was making progress but they really hate me. This week I got them an external large run where they can run around in the good weather. When in their new run they both pop corn and both have come out of their shell, however, they really hate me and hide if I come near. They really really hate being caught and handled. They run like mad and wriggle and squeal their heads off. I nearly dropped one today. They don't sit still on my lap and just try to run. they look so stressed. They were happier around me before I was handling them every day. Should I not put them in the outside run anymore. They wont feed from my hand anymore. They don't trust me anymore. This isn't how I thought it would be. What should I do. Is it possible that they will never like being picked up or stroked?
 
dont panic...!
some piggies are naturally skittish... and i really do believe they mellow with age...
i have pigs that will hapily let me pic them up and i have some that sound like I'm slaughtering them when i chase them round trying to catch them...!
can you sit in the run with them...?
if you can... i'd sit in the run with some foody treats and do this every day...
i quiet oftern sit in my herds run... :)
dont worrie... it can take quite a while to tame down the more mental ones...
:))
just keep perservereing...
good luck...
x
 
Yes please keep at it! Are they young?

Alan used to hate being handled and still to this day goes MAD when I try to pick him up but when he's out he lays on me like a docile cat! Ony a few months ago he wouldn't keep still.

They will get used to you handling them and when they do you can feel as though you can get more enjoyment out of cuddling them. In the meantime, as Clare says, just try to spend time with them in the run. They'll soon be jumping over you when you have yummy treats!

Also when Alan and Barry first went in their run they stayed in hidey holes the whole time. They just need time to get used to things. Maybe transport them to the cage in a carrier so you don't worry about dropping them xx
 
Don't worry your not alone! my boys run away from me ! I think its just going to take a lot of time and patience! also don't forget it is their nature to run from anything and anyone! keep positive! I have to too! -c
 
Some of my gp's do the same, the more you handle them the tamer they get:)

I have two peruvians about 4 months old and they hate being picked up they squeal and protest:(

but the mum is fine. It all depends on the piggies personality as well I think, some are braver than others.

Just keep gently handling them everyday and they should come round
 
when i first got my pig, he was a few months old and hadn't been handled at all, he bit the lady who had him before me. when i got him home he was scared to death of me, wouldn't come out of his hidey-hole at all. now he's much better and will come up to me now and is a curious little thing.

i found that moving him in a one of those carriers for cats is better than scaring him every time i need to move him. i'd sit on my bed and put the carrier there. just watch tv or something, not even interacting with him to get him used to you just being around. he's definitely more comfortable with me. after a while he would start coming up to me and explore around me. another thing is to get one of those cuddle sacks, they're really good for handling them without actually handling them. rufus loves to laze around in his. i'd also recommend trying to feed him treats, get him to associate treats with the rustling of a bag, now whenever rufus hears it he pops his head out and tootles over to the edge of the cage.

it will take time, but will be so so rewarding when they do settle a bit more (which will happen) and in a way it's even better to see such a bit change. hope this helps x
 
They are sisters about 3 months old. I've had them just over 4 weeks. I guess I'm impatient. I'm going to get a box with lid to carry them back and forth to run and I'll just continue sitting near them and trying to hand feed. They do seam to be getting more confident by coming out of hidey holes and eating, cleaning in front of me. Would it be the end of the world if they don't ever like cuddles? I enjoy sitting watching them. When they're in a smaller box they let me stroke them a little but that's probably because they can't get away. Thanks for your support. I guess I'm being selfish because it shouldn't be about what I get out of having GP's but about their quality of life. They're happy as long as I don't handle them much or for very long. I'll keep * posted. Thanks again.
 
3 months is very young and I am not surprised they are timid. It can take a long long time for a pig to feel completely at ease with being picked up and some never do - no matter how much work you put in.

I have one like that and I have accepted that she will never enjoy cuddles (she's 3.5). it's her nature and I have to respect that.

But with yours be patient and keep persevering they will come round eventually. try and hand feed them their favourite vegetable so that they associate you with something positive, it will help.

Remember that in the wild guinea pigs are prey and often their only defence is to run and hide. So I am afraid it is an instinct for them and it can take a long time to overcome that.

Please don’t beat yourself up about it though, you are doing
the right things.

L
 
It can take quite a while for your piggies to realise that you're not a threat. At this stage it's a natural reaction for them to run from you - they don't hate you, they are just doing what nature intended for them to do.

I got a couple of little rex sows quite a few months ago now and really only recently do they seem to enjoy being handled. They wouldn't even sit on my lap and eat veggies to begin with. Now they will just about come over to the hutch door and take a treat from my hands but they're still a bit flightly. If I move too quickly when near them they're off like a shot.

I think it partly comes down to personality because a couple of my boars are completely softies. Peanut is so in love with people it's untrue. As soon as he hears the back door open he's right over to see what you might have for him. But then I think I've had him for 6+ years. Eddy I've had for a matter of weeks, he's fully grown and has obviously been handled in the past but he just doesn't bother moving or running when you go to pick him up. I do sometimes wonder about him but he just seems very, very chilled.

You are definitely doing the right thing, trying to handle your piggies, giving them treats, putting them out in the run etc. Just keep trying and don't get too dishearted about the situation. Eventually the patience will pay off!
 
Guinea pigs love play time, and often don't like the idea of play time coming to an end when they're really enjoying themselves, so will make life a bit harder any way, my girls love their time out, and will grumble when catching time starts:))
Is there a plastic house (igloo) in the run? (I sometimes turn it upside down and carry my girls back to the cage in that:)) Give them a treat once there back in, they'll soon cotton on to being caught:(|)
 
I've had my girls almost 2 years and Freya is still skittish, some pigs are, but they do get better. Sitting in the run is a very good idea if you can. I hope they do get used to you, but it definitely does take time. Good like and keep it up :).
 
Thanks everyone. I was a bit upset yesterday and it got to me. I've bought them both an igloo today so intend on picking them up in that to transfer to run. I realise they need more time. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and in time hopefully they'll learn to trust me. Thanks again x
 
Romeo Flahoy said:
They are sisters about 3 months old. I've had them just over 4 weeks. I guess I'm impatient. I'm going to get a box with lid to carry them back and forth to run and I'll just continue sitting near them and trying to hand feed. They do seam to be getting more confident by coming out of hidey holes and eating, cleaning in front of me. Would it be the end of the world if they don't ever like cuddles? I enjoy sitting watching them. When they're in a smaller box they let me stroke them a little but that's probably because they can't get away. Thanks for your support. I guess I'm being selfish because it shouldn't be about what I get out of having GP's but about their quality of life. They're happy as long as I don't handle them much or for very long. I'll keep * posted. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Dont feel down about...
3 months is a young piggie... and they really do mellow with age... i have a baby about 7 weeks old who if i go near... walk past the run... try and pick up... and eventually pick up it sounds like I'm slaughtering her... lots of noise... and she scratchs and nips me... she even teeth chatters at me... she runs away and hides from me... i think it will take quite a while to get her to a point where i can handle her well...
but i have oliver who will quite happily stand in the way of your feet and will walk up to me for a chin scratch hes about 3 years old...
so give the girlies some time... and in about 6 months time you should be able to handle them really well... but it should only take about a month to get them to "tollerate" the big pink hands...!... :))
just give them constant positive re-enforcement...
foody treats and when theyva had enough of being held let them scoot off... that way they wont think your trapping them... and become fearful...
they will come round... its just hard work at the start... but so rewarding to work your butt off for 6 months to then have years of fun and loves with them... :)
keep us posted...
x
 
BonBon2010 said:
Guinea pigs love play time, and often don't like the idea of play time coming to an end when they're really enjoying themselves, so will make life a bit harder any way, my girls love their time out, and will grumble when catching time starts:))
Is there a plastic house (igloo) in the run? (I sometimes turn it upside down and carry my girls back to the cage in that:)) Give them a treat once there back in, they'll soon cotton on to being caught:(|)
Click to expand...

i do this...!
:))
x
 
My fist piggie's were 3 sister's and one love' being cuddled another is ok with it too but don't like being picked up tho will tolerate it, the third has only purred twice through stroking and they are just over a year old,

after getting them i got two more who are around 8months and one is very friendly and one really not , i have a 4/5month old too and she is still very scared and then i got two from a rescue that was closing down and one of them has escaped twice from the run in the last 6 weeks or so and ran into the prickly hedge in my garden which now has massive holes lopped out where we had to get her back from and neither of the last two like any attention and squeal when you pick them up it really does sound like your killing them, don't worry about how they are now it can take many month's sometime's but i believe they are lazy and in the end they know your not a threat and won't be bothered to move:))
 
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