My guinea-pig won't let me pick him up?

[stephhh05x]

Hi, my male guinea pig, Marley, lets me stroke him, and I always speak to him, but when i go to pick him up he doesn't let me pick him up. When i do try to pick him up he shakes side to side quickly. what should i do?

 

[piggyfan]

Guinea pigs are prey animals and do not like to be picked up. You just have to pick him up everyday. He will start to like being held by you but may never be happy to be picked up. I have had Peronel for three years and she runs away like crazy when I try to pick her up. Just talk to him in a soft voice. You can have him on you lap under a fleece as guinea pigs feel safer when they are hidden.

May I ask why you just have the one guinea pig?

 

[Cavy.girl]

Guinea pigs need to spend lots of time with their owners before they can fully trust and even then they can be very timid and cautious. Some piggies are more confident and so easier to handle where as others can take a long time to gain trust.

When you handle your piggy often you find your natural way of picking them up and they get to understand how to allow you to pick them up. I pick all mine up in various ways, it's whatever suits them! Some will climb up into my hands, others I will pick up by scooping one hand into the bottom and the other they will kind of put their feet on. It's all a learning curve.

 

[Glynis]

Well said Cavy Girl


If you're having problems picking up Marley you could try having a small towel that you can put in his house then move him on to this and then pick him up with the towel

 

[Piggylet]

Use a towel. I struggled loads with my girls, but since I've used a towel its been much easier. They still wriggle and try to avoid capture, but they're much better, I think it helps them feel safer.

 

[Beebs]

I have the same still with Darcy, he does let me stroke him now and talk to him and he doesnt hide, he is ok once I do hold him but he is nervous, I managed to clip his claws last week and he was as good as gold and even purred.

They had floor time last night and I was sitting on the floor with them, he came up to my foot and headbutted it lol

I use their tunnel to pick them up with, cover both ends with my hands and then put them on my lap or in their cosy's and then Darcy will snuggle into my neck.

Lacey is just over confident lol she comes running up to me when I do their veg morning and night, she tends to like hiding down my top but trying to pick her up is more like a game to her, running, hiding, running up to me then all over again lol

 

[lauraboara]

Like others have suggested, my piggies much prefer being picked up in fabric rather than with scary hands! So a towel or a cosy sack or even a card board box helps a lot. If you gently herd them into the towel or sack and then pick that up it seems a much calmer experience and then you can stroke them on the towel / sack. Good luck and hope you find a trick that works for your piggy

 

[sport_billy]

Putt is over 5 and still hates being picked up, she loves lap time but hates being picked up for it. We use a cardboard chube and herd her into it then pick this up and tilt her out. She is so used to it now that she just goes into it of her own accord.