Piggy help

[Emiley]

Ok, so I got my 2 7 week old boars on Friday. They are both used to being handled by their breeder, so now just need to get used to my smell, voice etc. I have them in an outdoor hutch right now, they both let me stroke them (one more so than the other).

I'm having a little trouble with one of them, my tri coloured boar. If I go near the hutch, as in walk past he will dart into the tube and stay there for hours. I've made a little progress with him though, he ate a little veg from my fingers while he was in the tube earlier.

Any tips on how to make him more calm around me?
Also, these are my first 2 pigs so any tips on how to pick them up etc?

 

[Sarah from Chucklebunnies]

You're totally right, they need to get used to your voice and smell. So keep right on talking to them.

Picking up out of the cage can be made less stressful for everyone concerned with a box/home that they can go inside and just be lifted out in. Make getting them out and cuddling them a routine - same words, same tone of voice (calm and reassuring), same small treat, lasts for ten minutes only and same time of day. That way they will learn that it is harmless and actually fun and will come to look forwards to interacting with you.

It takes time to build a relationship, persevere and enjoy their developing personalities.

As for the tri coloured one becoming calmer, time and perseverance from you will cause that to happen. They are prey animals and we are predators - but the relationship will build and his confidence will gradually increase until he comes to you, demands food, demands attention, demands grass time, demands strokes....demand demand.... He will blossom with care and patience and it is wonderful when they wheek and popcorn at you!

 

[threelittlepigs]

Try feeding a tasty treat from your hand eg. cucumber. Most piggies will take this as it is very smelly and they hunt around for it.

Ushering them into a box to lift them is also a good idea. You can also use a cavy cozy for this and use the cavy cozy to carry the piggy and pet it while it is on your lap. It makes it much less stressful for the piggy.

 

[Pepperdog]

I have had my three girls for two weeks now and they were quite skittish to begin with but they are starting to come round slowly. I did post a thread asking how long it takes as a help to anyone who is starting out with nervous or new piggies as it can take differing amounts of time. You are luckier than me as yours let you stroke them, I can only stroke them if I have hold of them - which is much better than last week when I could just about hold them, now they are getting used to it.

Minty is my most nervous of the three and I have found using the cuddle sack I made better for her to cope with as she runs into it and doesnt get so scared by a hand over her, fudge and crystal once I catch them dont get so scared by me lifting them out.

 

[Wiebke]

Time, patience and persistence - go past the hutch and talk gently to them whenever you come near. Eventually, your shy boy will realise that nothing happens.

The same with picking up; many piggies don't like it since it cuts very closely to their prey animal instincts - a piggy that is picked up by a predator is usually a dead animal. Turn the picking up into a ritual withthe same words in the same tone, lots of praise and a little treat. Avoid long chases; if you can, herd him gently into a corner where he can be picked up more easily.

PS: Please be aware that tonight is a cold night and that they need extra protection.

 

[Emiley]

Time, patience and persistence - go past the hutch and talk gently to them whenever you come near. Eventually, your shy boy will realise that nothing happens.

The same with picking up; many piggies don't like it since it cuts very closely to their prey animal instincts - a piggy that is picked up by a predator is usually a dead animal. Turn the picking up into a ritual withthe same words in the same tone, lots of praise and a little treat. Avoid long chases; if you can, herd him gently into a corner where he can be picked up more easily.

PS: Please be aware that tonight is a cold night and that they need extra protection.

Thanks .
I've already had a 'snuggle' cover put on the hutch, put 2 little fleece blankets in there and modified the mesh part with a little cover which I can roll up and down to stop wind/rain getting in.