My 6 month old piggies dislike me:(

[Jasminejay21]

Hello,

I have two piggies : Frankenstein a white crested male, and Beethoven a American male, I love the lads so much but the thing is; I don’t think the lads love me…
I have had them for two months, I have tried my best to introduce and interact as much as I can especially since I got them at 4 months old and I know little piggies need loads of enrichment time it seems like the only time we interact is when I have to get them out to clean their cage,( got them a 2x6 C&C cage a month ago thinking more space would help them to flourish) and when they see I have food they don’t mind eating from my hand. 6 months old now and they absolutely hate me trying to pick them up, they run from me. I have tried watching videos to see what I might be doing wrong, making sure when I pick them up I’m near enough to their level and they can see me so that they don’t think I’m a predator but still, all I get it piggies running away from me, I really love them and I’m not going to give up but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, it’s not about my feelings I just want them to be able to feel safe enough to be out of their cage and roam free and not be scared of me, that’s the least they deserve

 

[Eriathwen]

Rest assured, it's nothing you're doing wrong, some piggies can live in a home for years and still run. It's instinct, I always liken it to when you're leaning back on a chair, even if there's a wall there to stop you falling, if you feel yourself over balance or lean back too far you will more often than not jerk forward or try to catch yourself. You know its safe, but your brains safety switch clicks on anyway!
Same for them, they know you're a friend, but their brain tells them to run a lot of the time. It takes a large amount of work and conditioning to over ride that instinct.

Rest assured, repeated gentle interactions will help in time, as will having them walk into a tunnel, bed or snuggle sack and lifting them out the cage that way. But mostly I find it just takes time and persistence!

 

[4boipigs]

I'm sure your pigs don't hate you. It can take them time to warm up and allow you to handle them. I've had 9 guinea pigs and not one tolerates being picked up, no matter how long I've had them. They always run away from my hands unless I have food. It's just how pigs are. They are still young - give them more time to come around and be patient.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

I have two piggies : Frankenstein a white crested male, and Beethoven a American male, I love the lads so much but the thing is; I don’t think the lads love me…
I have had them for two months, I have tried my best to introduce and interact as much as I can especially since I got them at 4 months old and I know little piggies need loads of enrichment time it seems like the only time we interact is when I have to get them out to clean their cage,( got them a 2x6 C&C cage a month ago thinking more space would help them to flourish) and when they see I have food they don’t mind eating from my hand. 6 months old now and they absolutely hate me trying to pick them up, they run from me. I have tried watching videos to see what I might be doing wrong, making sure when I pick them up I’m near enough to their level and they can see me so that they don’t think I’m a predator but still, all I get it piggies running away from me, I really love them and I’m not going to give up but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, it’s not about my feelings I just want them to be able to feel safe enough to be out of their cage and roam free and not be scared of me, that’s the least they deserve

Hi and welcome
You are not doing anything wrong apart from being unaware that the videos you are watching do not reflect the reality and are entirely driven by human selection. Who wants to post and watch videos of the majority of piggies legging it at pick up time after all?

Picking up is cutting very, very close to their prey animal instincts. A piggy caught by a predator is a piggy in acute danger of life. Unless your new piggies are already frozen with fear or used to handling from a previous loving home, then it will take you much longer than you expect to bring them round.
The best way is to chivvy them into a tunnel, cosy or box you can pick them up in without a chase and with having to catch them. Creating a corner where there are only one or two ways out can also make your job easier.

You may find these guide links here helpful:
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

It is part of our very practical and helpful advice and information collection for New Owners, in which we are addressing all the little and larger things that tend to trip up new owners most regularly.
Here is the link, which you might like to bookmark: Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners

 

[VickiA]

You’re doing nothing wrong, and your piggies don’t hate you. Please be assured of that. I’ve kept my own piggies for over 25 years and fostered many others for a rescue. None of them have volunteered to ever be picked up. The only time I’ve been able to pick some of them up without a chase is when they’ve been acutely ill. The key is to recognise and respect that their natural instinct is to flee. Talk gently to them and herd them gently into a corner or a house or tunnel or cosy and lift them out from there. Even better, lift them out inside their cosy so that they feel safer. Patience and persistence is the key, they may never volunteer to be picked up but they will eventually become more tolerant of being picked up and handled. Don’t lose heart. Just be realistic about what you can expect to achieve over a short period time.

 

[Free Ranger]

An oldie but a goodie. This is Flora: when she first joined us she was very nervous but with food bribery she realised she was actually a very brave girl!

A year on and she still doesn't like being picked up (obvs) but if I sit down near the cages she'll always come over and have a sniff to see what's on offer
You could try something like a cuddle sack (we have this one) which allows them to feel safe and hidden while they're on your lap and getting used to you. If you have nervy ones be aware that they will blindly jump from great heights if they get a chance... and they don't land well. Stay low!

 

[Cheekypigs]

It's just instinct to run away. It's not personal. It's a very rare guinea pig that can overcome that instinct, a bit like it's a very rare human that can go cave diving or fire walking without freaking out.

I second the cuddle sack suggestion. One of ours has spontaneously fallen in love with a miniature cat bed we have, and if you put it in the cage and suggest he get in it, he does, and then you can just lift the bed out with him in it. No problem catching him at all. Maybe try something similar? Put something in the cage that you can lift them out in, and start training them with treats to get into it?