Tips to Bringing Your Guinea Pigs Home
The First Few Days
The first 3-4 days you bring your guinea pig home, it can be very tempting to pick them up and cuddle with them. However, they're in a new area - and very scary area - and they need time to get used to that.
Let the first few days they are home to be for exploring their cage in a quiet environment free from stress or loud noises, both of which will scare the guinea pig.
Important Note:
You need to ensure that when you bring one or more guinea pigs into the house that they have a good area to hide - each guinea pig needs his or her own place, too, or a fight could break out!
Don't Hover!
Notice everyone in the family hovering around the cage? Watching the guinea pigs every move? Although cute and interesting, doing this is definitely going to scare the little guys!
This makes your pet think that an eagle is swooping down to attack, and causes him to be very scared. Instead, when you want to observe your pet, kneel down to eye level with the cage. This will allow him to see you as more of a friend, and less of a foe.
Bribing Your Guinea Pig
One of the most effective ways of getting a guinea pig to trust you is with bribery. How is it possible to bribe an animal like a guinea pig you ask? With food of course!
Bribing a guinea pig, who usually have great appetites, with treats is ideal for showing them that you are there to help and not harm them.
How to Bribe Your Guinea Pig
It isn't hard to bribe your guinea pig with treats so they'll trust you.
To start, show you guinea pig what you have for them and leave it at the open door of their cage. Wait near the cage quietly with your hands sitting in your lap.
If, after a few minutes, the guinea pig hasn't taken the bait, slowly take the treat, shut the door to the cage and leave the room. By doing this several times a day they will eventually get the idea that they're supposed to come and take the treat.
Each and every time he or she comes closer to the treat, you too should move closer to the cage, allowing them enough time to get used to you being there.
Before long, your pet will eventually take the treat from you, but probably with plenty of trepidation in the beginning. However, with even more patience on your part your guinea pig will be nibbling treats right from you hand without any fear at all and even become happy and excited when they see you.
How to Pick Up a Guinea Pig
Forget using treats to pick up your guinea pig as you won't want to damage the bond of trust you've taken so long to build.
Start by slowly and gently petting and stroking the guinea pig, letting them see you aren't a predator but instead their friend and new family member.
Holding Your Guinea Pig
Always use great care when holding a guinea pig! Their bodies are delicately shaped and lung damage is a possibility if they are held too tightly.
Gently cup the torso of your guinea pig, and support the rear as you lift up. Don't hold them too hard, and instead carry them gently, ensuring that you're supporting their entire body well.
Remember to carry them with care, and small children should always hold their guinea pigs with great supervision - because of their small bone structure, they can be easily injured if dropped.
Keeping Your Guinea Pig Relaxed
Don't you just love the idea of sitting on your couch, petting your guinea pig in your lap, and reading the paper or watching the news? It's a great idea, but in practice, it takes a while.
Using a treat while sitting in a quiet room, handle your guinea pig gently, petting their fur and talking very softly to them and see if they'll sit nicely in your lap while nibbling their treat.
If you're patient, he will, and eventually he's going to love being handled by you, and actually request it by squealing when he sees you coming near.
The first 3-4 days you bring your guinea pig home, it can be very tempting to pick them up and cuddle with them. However, they're in a new area - and very scary area - and they need time to get used to that.
Let the first few days they are home to be for exploring their cage in a quiet environment free from stress or loud noises, both of which will scare the guinea pig.
Important Note:
You need to ensure that when you bring one or more guinea pigs into the house that they have a good area to hide - each guinea pig needs his or her own place, too, or a fight could break out!
Don't Hover!
Notice everyone in the family hovering around the cage? Watching the guinea pigs every move? Although cute and interesting, doing this is definitely going to scare the little guys!
This makes your pet think that an eagle is swooping down to attack, and causes him to be very scared. Instead, when you want to observe your pet, kneel down to eye level with the cage. This will allow him to see you as more of a friend, and less of a foe.
Bribing Your Guinea Pig
One of the most effective ways of getting a guinea pig to trust you is with bribery. How is it possible to bribe an animal like a guinea pig you ask? With food of course!
Bribing a guinea pig, who usually have great appetites, with treats is ideal for showing them that you are there to help and not harm them.
How to Bribe Your Guinea Pig
It isn't hard to bribe your guinea pig with treats so they'll trust you.
To start, show you guinea pig what you have for them and leave it at the open door of their cage. Wait near the cage quietly with your hands sitting in your lap.
If, after a few minutes, the guinea pig hasn't taken the bait, slowly take the treat, shut the door to the cage and leave the room. By doing this several times a day they will eventually get the idea that they're supposed to come and take the treat.
Each and every time he or she comes closer to the treat, you too should move closer to the cage, allowing them enough time to get used to you being there.
Before long, your pet will eventually take the treat from you, but probably with plenty of trepidation in the beginning. However, with even more patience on your part your guinea pig will be nibbling treats right from you hand without any fear at all and even become happy and excited when they see you.
How to Pick Up a Guinea Pig
Forget using treats to pick up your guinea pig as you won't want to damage the bond of trust you've taken so long to build.
Start by slowly and gently petting and stroking the guinea pig, letting them see you aren't a predator but instead their friend and new family member.
Holding Your Guinea Pig
Always use great care when holding a guinea pig! Their bodies are delicately shaped and lung damage is a possibility if they are held too tightly.
Gently cup the torso of your guinea pig, and support the rear as you lift up. Don't hold them too hard, and instead carry them gently, ensuring that you're supporting their entire body well.
Remember to carry them with care, and small children should always hold their guinea pigs with great supervision - because of their small bone structure, they can be easily injured if dropped.
Keeping Your Guinea Pig Relaxed
Don't you just love the idea of sitting on your couch, petting your guinea pig in your lap, and reading the paper or watching the news? It's a great idea, but in practice, it takes a while.
Using a treat while sitting in a quiet room, handle your guinea pig gently, petting their fur and talking very softly to them and see if they'll sit nicely in your lap while nibbling their treat.
If you're patient, he will, and eventually he's going to love being handled by you, and actually request it by squealing when he sees you coming near.
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