Picking your guinea pig up is something you will have to do as their owner. Not only will you need to take them to vet appointments at some point, but handling and spending time with your guinea is a great way to bond with them. It is also a great chance to check them over for any health issues on a regular basis.
Guinea pigs are social animals and need interaction from both fellow cavies and their humans for their wellbeing.
But how do you pick up a guinea pig? What’s the best way to hold them? And what should you do if your piggy doesn’t like to be held?
We’ve got all the answers for you here. Keeping read on to find out more about how to pick up and handle your guinea.
How To Pick Up and Hold Your Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs have delicate spines so you’ll need to be careful when picking them up.
Use two hands when picking up your guinea pig: place one hand under their chest and abdomen, and the other around their hind legs to support their weight.
Guinea pigs like to feel like they have four feet on the ground, so you can place them up against your chest for security. Hold them tight enough so they won’t be able to jump down onto the ground and hurt their back, but ensure you aren’t squeezing too tight!
Your guinea will let you know when they want to be put down. They might lick or nip at you, or wriggle a bit! Gently place them back in their cage, using two hands again.
Wriggling Guinea Pigs
If your guinea pig wriggles when you first pick them up, make sure you are holding them firmly and securely (without squeezing them) so they don’t hurt themselves. You can then gently place them back in their cage. Over time, they will get used to you picking them up.
However, if your piggy is wriggling after 10 to 20 minutes of being held, this is a sign they want to be put back in their cage. They might need the toilet!
Young Children And Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs make excellent pets for young children and are often kept as first pets. However, it can be better for children to sit with your guinea pig, feed them treats and stroking them, instead of picking the guinea up and holding them.
Children can sometimes be unintentionally rough with small animals, which could lead to your guinea pig getting scared. Piggies are also known to wriggle, and young children might accidentally drop them and hurt them.
Ask your child to sit in a secure area where your guinea pigs can run free around them. Then they can stroke the guinea pigs and feed them treats.
Do’s and Don’t’s of Guinea Pig Handling
Do:
- Get down to ground level. Most guinea pig predators are a lot bigger than they are, so getting down to their level to pick them up makes them less intimidated.
- Be slow and gentle. Don’t make any sudden movements as this could scare your guinea pig.
- Talk to your guinea pigs. This will help your guinea pigs get used to your voice and help with the bonding process.
- Be patient. It can take time for your guinea pig to trust you to pick them up.
Don’t:
- Sneak up on your guinea pig from behind. This can scare your guinea pig, which can even lead to death. Make sure they can see you when you’re picking them up.
- Swoop down on your guinea pig. This is exactly what predators do in the wild and this will scare your guinea pig.
- Be too loud. Loud noises are scary for these little animals so make sure you talk quietly around them.
Why Won’t My Guinea Pig Let Me Pick Them Up?
Guinea pigs are prey animals, and in the wild are preyed on by many other animals. This means that their natural instinct is to run away from danger. This could be one of the main reasons why your piggy is running away from you or doesn’t like to be held.
Even though you are not dangerous, your guinea pig needs time to understand this and build a bond with you. Fortunately, guinea pigs can build great bonds with their owners, and picking them up and holding them is recommended for their social wellbeing.
To learn more about how to bond with your guinea pig, read our tips here.
How Often Should I Hold My Guinea Pig?
Many owners recommend picking up your guinea pigs at least once a day, to give them the social interaction they require from you. However, just as long as you’re doing it multiple times a week, this should suffice.
Regularly picking up your guinea pig will also allow you to check for any health issues.
Your guinea will grow more and more used to you picking them up over time, and it is great to spend time with them as often as you can.
However, as much as your guinea pig will love spending time with you, they will let you know when they’ve had enough. Guinea pigs generally don’t like to be held for long periods of time, and after about 15 to 20 minutes they’ll let you know they want to go down.
They might start licking your hands or gently nibbling you, so just lower them carefully back into their cage. As you spend more time with them, you’ll learn to understand common guinea pig behavior.
Can I Pick Up A Pregnant Guinea Pig?
You may want to pick up your pregnant guinea pig, but we advise against this unless it is an emergency.
You should try to refrain from picking them up one month before they are due to give birth, and right after they have given birth.
Can I Hold A Baby Guinea Pig?
Baby piggies are super cute, but don’t try to pick them up straight away! Wait until they are about a week old to pick them up.
When picking them up for the first few times, be gentle and patient with them. You are completely new to them and they will take some time to get used to you!
