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Guinea pigs are very sensitive animals with very delicate bones. Most piggies have a tendency to jump off your lap when you try to put them in their cage. These jumps can lead to serious bone injuries and sometimes even the pig's death.
For this reason, PeritoAnimal prepared this article explaining how get my guinea pig correctly. Discover step by step how to do it without risk of hurting your pet!
Steps to follow: 1First of all, you must get the guinea pig used to being handled and petted from a puppy. The sooner the pig gets used to human presence and being touched, the less nervous and fearful it will be each time you pick it up. As a result, it will also be safer and he won't try escape from your hands, which is usually the main reason for accidents.
Does my guinea pig like to be held?
Most of these animals don't like to be caught, especially if they're not used to it, so they get scared and jump. You must take the piglet so that the his back is supported in your hand. So, the ideal is to hold him by placing his pelvic area resting in your hand.
2 Use your other hand to support his chest area, thus supporting his front paws.
If your little pig is really nervous, put one of your fingers on your front paws of him, so as to prevent him from trying to boost to jump forward.
A good tip for guinea pigs that are very nervous and struggle to be released when they are put back in the cage is to hold them tight when putting them back in the cage. Don't let go of it right away: hold it firmly a few inches from the cage floor and don't put him down while he squirms. When he calms down, then yes, let him go. This method will avoid typical jump injuries, which can be dangerous even if only a few inches off the ground.
This other article about guinea pig toys might interest you.
3 Never grab your pig by the neck or armpits! As we have already mentioned, taking your guinea pig the wrong way can cause serious physical injuries in him.
In the video below you will discover the signs that your guinea pig loves you:
4Very young children should not hold the guinea pig on their lap, as it is too risky. When children are older, with hand and arm sizes large enough to support the guinea pig correctly, they should be taught by an adult to do it properly and without risk. It is important that you watch the interaction of the child and the piglet, to ensure that everything runs smoothly and lessen the chances of injury.
5 Guinea pigs learn to enjoy receiving caresses on the back and in the direction of the fur. You should avoid petting against the fur and should avoid the nose and eyes area, as most pigs don't like to be petted in these areas. Anyway, all piggies are different and you should try to get to know the pet and see what it likes and dislikes.
6 You must be very careful when placing your guinea pig on any furniture or sofa. A small distraction can prevent you from taking the time to stop a fall. As we've already said, falls are one of the most common accidents with piggies and their fragile bones make most falls have very serious consequences.
Not all piggies like to be picked up. If your pig doesn't like it, it's best to respect it and pet it directly in the cage or on the floor when it's free. Some piggies accept petting for hours, while others start complaining after a few minutes. Invest the time to get to know your piggy's personality. If you respect his likes and wishes, you will increase the bond between you, improving the relationship.
Now that the doubt about how to catch my guinea pig has been resolved, and you want to know more about this animal poir just adopted it, check out our guinea pig names article.
