[Gpdd] [BEHAVIOR] <Timid Babies>

[Janneke Staaks]

Hi Grace (and Pork Chop, Gussie, Rusty and Babe),
 
I am going to assume that you have your pigs inside your house in a cage. A good friend of mine has pigs who live outside and her pigs also havent bonded with her as much as mine. But her pigs are very happy living outside so she doesnt mind (btw, although they live outside she takes excellent care of them).
 
But anyway, this is how I bond with my pigs. THE most important rule to remember is that a piggies love goes through their stomachs. Another one is routine.
 
I give my pigs veggies twice a day, while i'm doing this, i talk a lot to them. I also spend of lot of time (especially in the beginning) just sitting besides the cage. When i first had Igor, the poor little guy was sooo scared. I put some veggies in the cage and i was sitting next to it with a friend. And in the end he got tired of us yapping away, so he came out and started munching. When he realised that nothing bad happened he tried it more often.
I am not quiet around them and i dont avoid them either. They just have to get used to this noisy slave. And they do. If they learn that all that noise doesnt mean anything (maybe some veggies) they stop caring about it. They live in my living room, and have a lot of contact with me.
I pet them every evening before i go to bed. I first lower my hand into the cage and then i slowly approach their face so that they can see me coming (I also do this when i want to pick them up). I keep talking and usually (in the beginning) combine it with a snack afterwards. Imagine how you would feel if a stranger would grab you from behind and lift you out of your own house.
 
I also have them on my lap, but to be honest, not that often (although yaya twice a day because she gets medicine). Jan the Boar really loved it so i did it more often with him. If you get them on your lap, get something like a blanket or a soft, big sweater (fleece) to make life more comfy. They can also hide in the blanket from you. You can feed them veggies during lap time so that they associate you with comfort and food. Dont do it too long. As long as they like it, its fine, but if they get restless, or start pulling on your sleeves, respect that.
 
What i like to do is sit with them on the floor during floor time. I usually have some veggies and they have to come up to me to get it. When they are shy, i lay out trails of little bits of veggie. In the end, curiosity usually conquers fear.
 
Hope you find something in the above  that will help. Btw, have patience. (although you had a lot, i must admit)
Grtz
Janneke  
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