Topaz is 8 weeks old in a couple of days and we have had him for one week.
We have been handling him, for a few minutes at a time, daily, since we got him, as that's what we were advised to do, to get him used to being handled, and he has generally been very calm about it all, but just difficult to catch in the cage, as you would expect. Today though, when we got him out of the cage and I held him gently to my chest, stroking him, as I always do, he was trembling (quite a lot!) almost the whole time. :(
Sometimes he will tremble a little bit when we hold him, but then stop after a couple of minutes, but today he just wouldn't stop and it was quite upsetting. He also struggled a bit to get away and then also, back into the cage, when I went to put him back, which he normally doesn't do either.
So now I just feel a bit worried that we have maybe pushed him too far and he may now take longer to become comfortable with us.
Would anybody else handle daily like this when you first get a new piggy, especially a baby one, or do you normally leave it a week or so?? We appreciate he is still very young and so we are always very gentle with him and try not to scare him too much, but obviously something did today, or is just normal behaviour for a baby who hasn't been with you for very long. Maybe it was something in the way we caught him today that we did differently, or maybe it was because I actually gave him little kisses today and he thought I was going to eat him or something??!!!
How often to Handle New Baby Guinea Pigs and Trembling...
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Lynx
- Resist!!!
There are some tips on this page that may help you now and/or in the future:
https://www.guinealynx.info/handling.html
Being picked up is always scary. Have a tasty treat ready while you hold him.
https://www.guinealynx.info/handling.html
Being picked up is always scary. Have a tasty treat ready while you hold him.
He doesn't seem to have any real favourite foods yet.....
Yes I have noted the less threatening ways of picking him up, thing is he usually evades the cozy cup/tunnel because he is so quick, he rushes back out again before we can scoop him up, not always though and this technique does work quite a lot!
Our Bramble, who is 3 in June, is still the most difficult pig to pick up though, although we've had him since he was a baby too, but I don't think we handled him and his brother (RIP) much when they were small because they didn't seem to like it, so we only really got them out when it was their weekly health checks, or cage cleaning (we can't give them floor time here unfortunately). He's fine when he's out, but very, very hard to catch!!!
So, we don't want Topaz to be like that!!
Yes I have noted the less threatening ways of picking him up, thing is he usually evades the cozy cup/tunnel because he is so quick, he rushes back out again before we can scoop him up, not always though and this technique does work quite a lot!
Our Bramble, who is 3 in June, is still the most difficult pig to pick up though, although we've had him since he was a baby too, but I don't think we handled him and his brother (RIP) much when they were small because they didn't seem to like it, so we only really got them out when it was their weekly health checks, or cage cleaning (we can't give them floor time here unfortunately). He's fine when he's out, but very, very hard to catch!!!
So, we don't want Topaz to be like that!!
You have to earn their trust. Once you do, everything will be OK. They'll let you pick them up, they'll be calm when you hold them and maybe even want you to do it. The biggest thing is they'll take food from you. As with all living things, it depends on the guinea pig how easy or hard it is to earn their trust enough for that. I can attest to the fact that earning that kind of trust is one of, if not the most rewarding things about being a guinea pig parent. Stick with it. You'll get there and you won't regret it.
Thank you, he's actually already getting better! :)
He is taking food from me in the cage and doesn't run away as much when I go near. I think he'll be ok, he seems like quite a clever little pig, he's learnt how to play with a pea flake treat ball very quickly, quicker than Leo and Rusty did as adults!!
Here's a pic of him days before we got him, I have tonnes I've taken since, but my phone isn't the newest kind and I'm having difficulties uploading them to the computer! It's an Apple Iphone (xs) and it keeps saying it can't find the device, even though it's showing up that's it's plugged in!!
NEW BABY PIGGY 2 by OceanDays, on Flickr
And with his 'old' family:
NEW BABY LUNKARYA PIGGY 3 by OceanDays, on Flickr
Bramble:
Bramble by OceanDays, on Flickr
SALLY 632 by OceanDays, on Flickr
Leo & Rusty
Leo and Rusty by OceanDays, on Flickr
He is taking food from me in the cage and doesn't run away as much when I go near. I think he'll be ok, he seems like quite a clever little pig, he's learnt how to play with a pea flake treat ball very quickly, quicker than Leo and Rusty did as adults!!
Here's a pic of him days before we got him, I have tonnes I've taken since, but my phone isn't the newest kind and I'm having difficulties uploading them to the computer! It's an Apple Iphone (xs) and it keeps saying it can't find the device, even though it's showing up that's it's plugged in!!
NEW BABY PIGGY 2 by OceanDays, on FlickrAnd with his 'old' family:
NEW BABY LUNKARYA PIGGY 3 by OceanDays, on FlickrBramble:
Bramble by OceanDays, on FlickrSALLY 632 by OceanDays, on FlickrLeo & Rusty
Leo and Rusty by OceanDays, on FlickrThank you!!! :)
Yes it certainly sounds like Renonvsparky knows what he's talking about!
I very much appreciate the advice both of you have given.
Yes it certainly sounds like Renonvsparky knows what he's talking about!
I very much appreciate the advice both of you have given.
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