New piggies

[Catrionabirdy]

Hi!
I’ve got 2 boar piggies whom we’ve had for around 2/3 months. I’ve always had pigs growing up! However both my piggies don’t tend to settle on my lap at all and don’t squeak whilst I’m stroking them. From what I remember my piggies growing up would. Are they scared or is this normal? Thanks

 

[sport_billy]

Hello, welcome to the forum. Beautiful piggy in that photo!

Piggies are prey animals and lap time can take a while to get them used to

Start lap time off for a short time at first and build up, use food as well to make them associate it with good things.

At first expect piggies to freeze in fear on laps, after a while they will get more confident and it goes one of two ways - either the piggy will settle and stay at lap time for a while or they may start nibbling you to tell you they don't like it or in the case of our tamest pig she will just walk off -she is very tame and will let us stroke her and pick her up but lap time bores her... so i respect her wishes and we interact in other ways

If the piggies are nervous at laptimes it can help having them in cosies on there.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!
I’ve got 2 boar piggies whom we’ve had for around 2/3 months. I’ve always had pigs growing up! However both my piggies don’t tend to settle on my lap at all and don’t squeak whilst I’m stroking them. From what I remember my piggies growing up would. Are they scared or is this normal? Thanks

Hi and welcome

Have a read through this guide here. They may still be running on prey animal instincts. The current commercial mass breeding by shop providers and for-sale backyard breeders means that piggies have virtually no friendly human interaction and that their mothers can be very stressed, which can transmit to the babies and become their default setting.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
I have a 7 month old who came from a home with loud young children and so was very shy and nervous.
I still need to use a pouch for lap time even although she’s getting much more confident otherwise

 

[Flutterby]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

[Livia Rabideau]

I have had mine for less than a year, but they still don't care for lap time. They tolerate it because I give them veggies. They are way better than they used to be. Just keep trying. My girls like it though.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’ve had my boys since the end of June. It has taken until now for one of them to even let me stroke him on his head. The other one won’t even stay out when I feed then, he still runs off as soon as I go to them.