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Post by sugarspice on Jul 2, 2020 9:20:01 GMT -8
From day 1, Spice has been nippy when I;ve been handling her and she doesn't appear to be realising that nipping me won't make me put her back in her cage (I always hold her a few seconds after the nip then put her back in the cage so hopefully she associates NOT nipping with going back in the cage, she seems to like escaping on her terms (not since new cage though)
Am I teaching her not to nip the right way or is there another way I can teach her not to nip?
Thanks for all advice
(poorly girl Sugar licks when she's being handled, which I don't see as a problem)
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Post by betty on Jul 3, 2020 16:02:02 GMT -8
This is always the advice given for nippers - but also there are things you can do before the nip to help too - like washing your hands not only in soap and water directly before handling - but also 'washing' your hands in their used bedding too so that you smell totally of them.
Also, try to handle them more not specifically in your hands - so get them out of the enclosure in a jar and have most of the outside time on you rather than held by you. Also, if you start to feel that you are getting a bit sweaty - stop to wash your hands before you start to appeal too much for a nip!
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Post by Thelodar on Jul 5, 2020 16:06:38 GMT -8
How soon after being picked up does she nip? If it takes a little bit I'd start by picking up for VERY short periods, just a couple of seconds, and then putting back. That way she won't view being held as this super restrictive action that she must act to stop. It's quick and painless and will end without her intervention. How you hold her can also be a factor. If you are trying to make her stay still she's likely to fight you, but if you let her walk from hand to hand she won't feel as restrained. I also wholeheartedly agree with everything Betty said. Wash off and cover up (with her bedding) any scents that might encourage nipping, like food smells or scents of other pets, and reduce holding in favor of letting her walk on you freely, so she can learn to trust your hands.
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Post by sugarspice on Jul 6, 2020 1:15:29 GMT -8
How soon after being picked up does she nip? If it takes a little bit I'd start by picking up for VERY short periods, just a couple of seconds, and then putting back. That way she won't view being held as this super restrictive action that she must act to stop. It's quick and painless and will end without her intervention. How you hold her can also be a factor. If you are trying to make her stay still she's likely to fight you, but if you let her walk from hand to hand she won't feel as restrained. I also wholeheartedly agree with everything Betty said. Wash off and cover up (with her bedding) any scents that might encourage nipping, like food smells or scents of other pets, and reduce holding in favor of letting her walk on you freely, so she can learn to trust your hands. She nips sometimes when I put my hands in the cage to gently catch her, before she's even left the cage. I let her run around on my hands, so I'm not restraining her (only time I stop her from going in one direction is if she's thinking about jumping off my hands onto the floor when I'm stood up with her, I don't want her breaking any bones making that jump)
I don't restrain Spice (she does not need to be restrained) but at the moment I do have to restrain Sugar sometimes when I'm holding her (to give her the antibiotics she is on, which she's started fighting me about taking)
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