kfeusse Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 We have had them for nearly a week. Since they were previously owned (although not overly loved) I was hoping they would be more willing to be held than they are. Is there anything we can do to assure them that we love them? We have been very gentle with them...putting our hands in slowly and carefully...trying not to scare them...sometimes they let us pet them...sometimes not...and what is really weird, the one that we were told is the tamest is the least likely to let us pet him. What is the best way to pick them up....if they ever let us do that...which I am so hoping will be the case....my kids are dying to cuddle with their new pets. If you have any tips, I am all ears!! thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g1234 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Been lurking for some time, but my questions always seem to be answered by searching previous posts, so I haven't yet posted. But I had to reply, since we've owned guinea pigs for many years now. In our experience, they will always run when you first catch them. I think that's genetically programmed, since they are originally plains animals whose main predators came from above (birds), just like your hands do. But once you catch them, they will probably be very cuddly. Put your hands in and slowly corral them against a wall or a corner. Put one hand in front and one behind, gently restraining them from escaping. Then lift them out and hold them snug against your chest or in your lap. All the guinea pigs we've known will at this point be snuggly and happy to stay where they are. With most, you don't even have to prevent them from running off your lap. They feel safe, and won't want to leave. Now you can pet them (they love to have their faces stroked), feed them lettuce leaves, or just sit back and watch them. Hope that helps. Enjoy your piggies. We think they are the ideal pet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Been lurking for some time, but my questions always seem to be answered by searching previous posts, so I haven't yet posted. But I had to reply, since we've owned guinea pigs for many years now. In our experience, they will always run when you first catch them. I think that's genetically programmed, since they are originally plains animals whose main predators came from above (birds), just like your hands do. But once you catch them, they will probably be very cuddly. Put your hands in and slowly corral them against a wall or a corner. Put one hand in front and one behind, gently restraining them from escaping. Then lift them out and hold them snug against your chest or in your lap. All the guinea pigs we've known will at this point be snuggly and happy to stay where they are. With most, you don't even have to prevent them from running off your lap. They feel safe, and won't want to leave. Now you can pet them (they love to have their faces stroked), feed them lettuce leaves, or just sit back and watch them. Hope that helps. Enjoy your piggies. We think they are the ideal pet! Yep, exactly this. They love to be snuggled close because that feels so much more secure than just holding them away from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Try offering them some treats before you pet them. Talk softly to them. It could take awhile to build trust with them. With my boys, only 1 of them liked to be held so you might find that they just don't like it or will eventually come around to it. Definitely snuggle them when you do get to pick them up and be prepared to um, have some accidents on you. :) My one piggy (the one that didn't like to be held) would just "go" on me. I think to prove his point. LOL The other one, gave me warnings by starting to squirm. I'd put him in his cage and he'd do his business. The one that liked to be held loved it when I had my bathrobe on and when I sat down he'd crawl into my sleeve and hang out in there. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Guinea pigs are also afraid of shadows. I've noticed that if I can work out the lighting over their cage so that I don't cast any shadows on them when I am trying to pick them up, they are less likely to run away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfeusse Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 thank you. We have held them a couple times...each tiime they sit still for a few minutes (usually try to feed them something which I think is helpful), but they later will try to squirma away...maybe we just have to give it more time. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Guinea pigs will almost always run when you go to pick them up. They calm down once you hold them. Our guinea pig likes to be held best on a small, fleece, no-sew blanket my daughter made for her. She can burrow around in it on our laps and it has the dual duty of catching any pee or poop that inevitably happens. I just pop it in the wash after we hold her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffanyace Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Prey animals don't typically like being grabbed from above or have a predator lurking over them. They are naturally wired that way; some to a lesser degree than others.. Have you tried coming from the sides or using one hand to corral them on to the other hand? If you are interested in training them, look up clicker training. You could use clicker training to teach them to be touched, picked up, etc. You can teach them to put their nose on the eraser of a pencil (or some other target). Then gradually work towards having the target over your hand for them to learn to be picked up. If the sound of a clicker is too startling, you can use a different sound or even a verbal cue such as a light. You could train them to go through a hoop, go to a little pedestal, etc. The possibilities are endless . . . :) I bet there are some trained guinea pigs on YouTube to get some ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I agree with everyone else that they will always run when you try to pick them up. One way to make it easier is to put an open paper lunch sack in their cage. They'll 'burrow' in the sack and you can pick up the sack and slide them out onto your lap (we always have a towel on our lap for the accidents) or rip the sack open. We discovered this by accident but found it very useful when they were out in the run and we'd have to chase them around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfeusse Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 My piggies will settle down for a short time, even when we hold them close...will that lengthen with time? The kids are just so excited to hold and cuddle them. Is it best to have all of us take turns holding them at one time...or just one person per time? How long per time...or let the piggies dictact that? In order to catch them, I find myself chsing them all over the cage...is that ok? I don't want to over scare them...thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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