Who Else's Pigs Have Figured Out The Petting Trick?

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Rochester Piggy

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What I mean is when I need to pick up my piggy, I'll pet her and then slide my hand under her slowly and then pick her up! But she has figured out as soon as my hand gets to "the spot" or she feels the smallest amount of pressure at her sides, she bolts! Has anyone else tried this? Have your pigs figured it out?
 
Oh yes! I now stroke up and down the nose gently with the other hand poised close and then scoop! It does seem to stop a stampede
 
One of mine will wait till I think i've got her secure with my hand under her belly area and then jump out of my hand before I can scoop my hand under her bum to pick her up.
 
Mine are happiest to be picked up by lying down my forearm, my palm is under their bottom and my left hand holds them on their back, so they're secure on my forearm. When they want to go back into the cage they will happily climb up.
 
My two hate being picked up in general, but if I can get them inside a tunnel it's much easier to pick Comet up that way, he just sits in the tunnel. Can't pick up Blitzen that way, he decides "nope" halfway through and tries to leave - not really helpful when he's midair. Easier to get him when he's inside one of the carrot cottages to be honest, scoop him out with one hand and get the other hand under his bum as soon as you start lifting him...but not before, because that's when he scarpers.

I try to leave the lifting to as rarely as possible because I know they both dislike it, but occasionally needs must!
 
I've never really put any effort into trying to train any of my pigs but there's one thing that they've all picked up, even Podrick who struggles getting all four feet in the same place at the best of times.

That's the two foot trick. When they're out of the cage, they'll put their front two feet on me, and that means that they want to go home.
 
Training them is great fun! I don't have as much time these days but my oldest 2 know a ton of tricks, some were learned accidentally too! Bella is the star of the show though, she would do anything for me because she's clingy to her mummy :)) No problem picking her up! Sometimes she climbs up my arm to come to ME!

No such luck with Tonks who eyes me with caution and just bolts at any sudden movement :))
 
Heh. Comet always liked to put his head under your chin and just lie there, which was cool by me. But he apparently decided this was a "safe place", so while I didn't train him to do it, if he's outside of the cage and feels in any danger/scared/upset etc, he'll run at you and climb up you til he's under your chin. He's apparently realised you can't actually do anything to him while he's there (he did it to a vet nurse as well, so it's not just me) and since he's safe there, where else would he go?
Which is cute. Annoying as hell when you actually need him to not be there, but cute.
 
I've tried lots of different techniques. I started with the chin rub, but when they see the other hand move in, they're gone! I've tried bribery with some red pepper, but soon realise and shoot off! :)) the best way I find is if they are in a snuggle sack or on a cuddle cup, you can pick them up quite easily. They soon realise that they aren't getting murdered when I'm settled down with them on my lap with their favourite veggies or a handful of fresh grass :D
Zebedee (rip) was the only one who would happily climb on my hand and be carried around, very confident piggy he was x
 
When Dennis feels like there is any danger (like the vets!) he runs up to my shoulder and does his parrot trick. Out of all 5 of them Betsy is the easiest to catch. Now 3 of them have discovered how to go down the ramp to the playpen in the hutch it is quite fun trying to pick them up. Their favourite corner is just where the ramp goes down (a particular favourite of Meg's) and when she wanted to be picked up she would always go to this corner. Now she has figured out that this also leads to the playpen we have a game of guinea pig and human (aka cat and mouse)!
 
Mine have figured out all my tricks lol. They are okay once they are out of the cage but they don't like the initial pick up. I use a blanket but as soon as they see it now they bolt so I have to remove all hideys first so I can get them. Piggies aren't as daft as they would have us believe haha :)
 
Jingle and Mistletoe will go into their strawberry hide if I put it down for them. I lift it to get them into their floor time pen. They are happy to go into it at cage o'clock too.

I was unsure if they would go in when floor time is over but, although their cage is quite small compared to their pen they seem to like cage time.

Hope you find a way to pick yours up!

Ps mine still squeak like fury when I have to get them out of the hidey to do nails or hair cuts ...
 
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