Picking up!

[Graham452]

Hey!

I’m just wondering what’s the best course of action with our piggies. We’ve had them a week now, and they are still very very skittish. They spend most of the day, when we’re home at least, in their house hiding away. I’ve tried feeding through the bars and they don’t move.

I’m just wondering if I need to start picking them up regardless? So far my tactic has been to leave them alone as I don’t want them to think of me as the big thing that grabs them!

Should I start picking them up regardless, or give them more time?

 

[Piggies&buns]

When my boys were new, I gave them time. I didn’t want to rush in and scare them and break any chance of them trusting me. It was a long process - around 8 weeks actually, but it paid off. One of my two is much more nervous and he doesn’t tend to hang around too long when I’m there but this is his character. the other one is so much more friendly now. I can pick him up (on his terms), he calls for his food, he stays around me when I’m doing things in their hutch/playpen, he’ll run in and around my legs. I firmly believe it is because I built up his trust and didn’t force him into being held when he didn’t want to.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Use a snuggle sack or cozy to coax them into, which will make it easier to pick them up, transport and keep on your lap. They generally feel more secure in a sack/cozy or blanket as they are prey animals which in the wild would be picked off by birds of prey among other animals. Once on your lap, hand feed favourite treats, they soon learn lap time is treat time. Small steps a little at a time, it just takes a bit of patience and treats and calm if at all possible. Most piggies will try and get away when you go to pick them up, even very tame ones because of their prey animal instinct kicking in. Once picked up they are usually fine.

 

[Graham452]

Thanks for the advice both. I’m still not sure what to do. I’ve been home all day, and apart from running away from me when I changed their fleeces this morning, they haven’t been out. I’ve got some fleece hideys coming, so i’ll Probably leave them to it for now, and try when the hideys arrive.