Settling in new arrivals

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cookiewoos

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Hello,
We are getting 2 sows tomorrow. I haven't had piggies for 10 years so need a bit of advice. They are half sisters who have been livin together (14 and 18months) and owners couldn't keep any more.
What advice would you give to help them settle in with us? How can we get them happy to be handled and confident?
All help welcomed.... don't want to upset them more than necessary.
Thanks
 
i would suggest to let them settle in first then try and offer some food to see if they will come to you. talk to them and in time they will come round to you. be gentle and patient, and welcome back to the glorious world of piggies! good for you! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Welcome to the forum! I think there was a similar post about new pigs recently. As Choloe said, let them settle in for a day or two before handling too much. They may seem scared at first but they will soon settle in. Try to keep them on the food they're used to and make any changes to their diet gradually - e.g if they haven't had much in the way of veg, don't give them too much or too many different kinds to start with. Find out what dry food they are on and if you want to change it, change it over a period of time by mixing it with the new food.

And ... post some pictures here please once they arrive!

Good luck with your new pigs

:)
 
Yeah I basically agree with all the above and talk to them as much as possible (it doesn't usually matter what you say!)
 
Hiya
I'm brand new to the forum so hi to everyone. We bought a couple of piggies 2 weeks ago. One is 9 weeks old and the other is 8 weeks old. We were told they were handled everyday from birth. However, despite allowing them a couple of days to settle in, we are finding it impossible to catch them. They are really nervous! Some sites say let them come to you once they have trust and don't chase them around the cage cause it frightens them. And others say make sure you pick them up everyday so that they bond! So which s it, because they seem to contradict. Please help Piggy community! You're our only hope. :-\
 
i am no expert-far from it, but you normally leave piggies alone for 2-3 days when you get them to settle in, just feed them and talk to them. but i would talk to them everyday, i would before feeding them stick your hand in with a bit of their favourite foods and just keep talking to them. i have to admit we are still chasing our jessie at times, but you shouldn't chase them as they will think you are a predator! when we do chase jessie and have caught her we cuddle her and talk to her and offer her her favourite food in the hope that she will associate us picking her up is a good experience for her as well as us. so if you have to chase your piggies then chase them, once caught, cuddle them, talk to them and offer them their favourite food, hopefully in time they will learn that being handled is enjoyable. hoping this is the right advice hopefully someone can correct me if i am wrong. it is starting to work for jessie . you all take care and hugs and kisses to you both and your fur babies. :smitten: :smitten:
 
I've had two of my piggies for three months exactly and they are now 6 months old. I've had the other one just over 10 days and he's 11 weeks old. Of the first two, one of them is now confident enough to lie out in the open area in his cage and just watch me, he takes food from me and will come over when he sees me. He's a sensitive piggy and hates being touched although he will sometimes allow you to stroke his head! The other one is still nervous and will run away if you come into the room. He will come out of his pigloo while you are standing there, but does it gingerly. Funnily enough, he's the one who likes to be handled and the best time to get hold of him is just after I've cleaned them all out so I can get hold of him while there's nothing else in the cage. The new addition is gaining in confidence and I think gets excited when I'm around as he darts from one part of the cage to another. He's learning from his cage mates! He's started taking food from my hand, but is still a nightmare to get hold of and is such a wriggly pig when you do!

It's definitely down to each piggy's personality, but give them some time and they will come round!
 
Welcome to being a piggie owner :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
LOL i still have to chase our 6yr old to pickup, mind you as soon as i get him he just snuggles in, it's just him ;) ;D ;D
Talk softly and quietly to them and when you've had them a couple of days and you get them out for a play time sit on the ground with them and have treats for them so they know that you are the food person and can be trusted O0
Everyone has given you great advice which i agree with O0
When you pick up your piggie make sure you lift carefully around their middle and then with the other hand under their back legs so they're not dangling, they get upset if you do that... i usually have a towel ready to pop our boy on straight away and then wrap him in the towel to carry him to where i'm going to feed him or give him play time. When popping your piggie down make sure you have them close to the ground before letting go, they tend to be leapers ::) and they can bump their noses or toofies if they do this.
All the best you're going to have a wonderful time with your little girls. Once you have we'd love to see piccies and know their names :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks for all of your great advice.
I guess we just keep doing what we're doing. I sat for an hour in their piggy pen last night. They are fine with running around me and...once caught they settle straight down to being cuddled.They get very excited when we bring yum yums in or some hay. Basically they do everything you'd hope they do except when hands go near them. I might try surgically replacing my fingers with carrots...I bet they'd love to be picked up then! 8)
 
Benjamin thinks my fingers are carrots! Minty likes to give me piggy kisses when I clean them out in the morning. Once clean, I normally spend time leaning in the cage base without the bars (if you could see it, you'd understand!). Minty kisses my fingers, Garry likes to stand on my arm to get up higher and Benjamin normally thinks I'm food and has a curious nibble! Apart from one day last week when he just wouldn't let go! >:D 98) :smitten:
 
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