How to Hold a Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are fragile little animals. Guinea pigs can break legs or their backs if they're dropped, and there's little you can do once these injuries occur. And they startle easily, making it even more important to know how to hold your guinea pig so you don't accidentally injure them.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Wrap one hand around your guinea pig's chest.

2. Place one finger in front of one of the front legs to prevent the guinea pig from jumping and you dropping it.

3. Support the hind legs of your guinea pig with your other hand.

4. Hold the guinea pig with two hands and support it in your lap to prevent them from falling from your grasp. If possible, hold it while sitting on the floor.

5. Put the guinea pig back in its cage when it's not struggling. Hold it above the floor of the cage until it stops struggling and then put it down. This will prevent it from learning to jump from your hands when you put it back into the cage. Jumps from any height are very bad for guinea pigs.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid letting children hold a guinea pig without supervision. It may be easier for your child if they hold a guinea pig with a towel in their lap.
• Avoid holding pregnant guinea pigs as they spook easier.
• Avoid letting a guinea pig walk on a couch, table or counter, as it could fall and hurt themselves.