How To Tame A Guinea Pig? Beginners Guide

Are you fascinated by the idea of having a pet but scared of the obligations that it ensues? If that is the case, guinea pigs might be your type of pet. Even though the name can be confusing, it does not belong to the family of pigs and is not originated from the country Guinea or Papua New Guinea.

It has been considered a mainstream pet in the western world because of its easy and portable nature. Apart from being domestic animal guinea pigs are used as food in the Andes Mountains and test subjects in biological experimentation.

Guinea pigs can be easily nurtured with minimal care. Their life span is 4 to 6 years on average (8 years at best). This is higher than that of other small pets such as hamsters, rodents and mice.

They have varieties of physical features which makes each one unique from the other. Guinea pigs are known to bond very easily with the owners by recognizing and responding to them in a small amount of time. These characteristics make guinea pig an ideal pet.

Now, if you are excited to have a guinea pig as your pet, the following discussion will help you with the process of making them comfortable.

Eight Steps To Tame A Guinea Pig:

The first thing you do after getting yourself any pet is to tame it. Every pet has a different way to be tamed. The following steps will help you to tame a guinea pig:

1. Find a suitable cage for your guinea pig. Because of its size guinea pigs are prone to be preyed by birds. Thus, the cage for your guinea pig should have something like a roof to make them feel protected.

2. Try to spend time with your guinea pig maintaining a distance. Sit outside the cage and try patting it. Verbally communicate with it. It will help the guinea pig familiarize with your body odor and sound. Do not try to pick them up from above. It will frighten them.

3. Feed it. There is a saying that the way to the heart goes through the stomach. I think this is very applicable in cases of guinea pigs. These little animals are eternally hungry and will never say no to food.

4. They can distinguish the person who feeds them and can also memorize their footstep, voice and body odor. Do not try to impose yourself on it. It might take you as a threat.

5. Do not chase it. It does not matter how great your intention is: to tidy it up or to measure its weight. Chasing it out of nowhere is threatening to them.

6. You can try to be more physical with your guinea pig by frequently hand feeding them.

7. Let them come to you. I understand you just love to pat them now and then, but it will scare them away. Even if it comes to you, do not make them sit on your lap or pat on its nose.

8. Understand its mentality. Just like human beings, guinea pigs are different from each other. Some are introverts, and some are extroverts. You should be able to find its nature over time.

What Should The Cage Be Like?

For the guinea pigs, the cage is a very important factor as it is going to spend most of its time there. If the hutch is not appropriate or convenient, the guinea pig might take time to cope with living in it. Some characteristics that should be present in the house:

The flooring of the cage should be at least eight square feet
The pen should be made of wood
There should be separate places for the guinea pig to roam around, sleep, and play

Should I Keep The Guinea Pig Isolated?

No! Guinea pigs are a friendly animal. They like to be kept with their friends. You should not keep your guinea pig isolated. It will make them more introverted and will take more time for you to tame them.

What Kind Of Environment Should Be Provided To A Guinea pig?

A guinea pig is pretty sensitive towards sound. It is suggested to keep them away from extreme sound. If you do not want to frighten your guinea pig, you should maintain a quiet place for their comfort.

Some Creative Ideas To Bond With Your Guinea Pig:

Play hide and seek using food with your guinea pig. You can take the food in your hand and hide it. Then show it and feed it. Again, hide the food. This time let the guinea pig find the food.
Give your little pet time and place to play outdoor and indoor. Find any room in your house which has a hole, pipe with both ends open. Then let the guinea pig play with it.
Try teaching your guinea pig some games of jumping over the box and running through something.
Talk to your guinea pig. It is a great way to bond with them.

How To Notice If The Guinea Pig Is Not Comfortable?

You need to understand if your guinea pig is not comfortable with you. It might show the following symptoms:

It will scratch you. This is one of the basic self-defense mechanisms. Even if an animal is very cool, it might scratch you if you seem threating to it.
It might create a purring noise if it feels shy. It is a signal for you to back off.
It will run away from you. If this happens, don't try to pick it. It will make the situation worse.

Conclusion

Every guinea pig is different from the other. It doesn’t matter how many guinea pigs you’ve dealt with or tamed; every guinea pig has their individuality just like humans. Therefore, you’ll have to patient and aware every time you adopt a new guinea pig. But mostly, they are a gentle and friendly animal.