Right this is what we are going to do:
* "wear" a tissue (one each when Will is home) for several hours every day then tear it up and add it to their coconut nest.
* move the cage downstairs during the day so that, if they wake up as they usually do several times in the day, I can talk to them and they will smell me near them and get more used to me/us.
While Will is way I'm going to:
* get them out by getting them to hop into their exercise balls, then put them into a dry bath and get in with them. I'm not going to pick them up with my hands for a few days (as that's the only time they bite) but just let them climb on me and walk on me as they wish (they do this already but this is like going back to basics).
* give them a little treat in the cage each time I put them back - only when they haven't nipped. I've just discovered that they love yogurt drops so I'll break one into tiny pieces and give them a couple each.
* once I feel more confident and when Will is back we'll try picking them up and letting them walk on our hands again. If they nip we won't put them back immediately and we'll blow on their faces and say "no" plus not give the treat.
Does this sound ok? Am I missing anything?
I really want to try and discourage them from biting a) because I don't like it and b) because I'd like to enter them at Brockholes and wouldn't feel comfortable doing that now they've started biting.
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