How To Teach a Guinea Pig Tricks?

Guinea pigs are one of the sweetest pets, and they are expressive and lovely. Also, the most beautiful thing about them is their ability and determination to learn something new. If an owner is patient enough and wants to be participative towards their pet, teaching tricks is a great idea.

There are a few tricks that a guinea pig can be taught. But an owner will have to choose the tricks starting from the easiest one. Also, they will have to reward their pets with a treat of some sort after teaching a trick effectively.

Tricks can be a good idea to enrich the lives of guinea pigs. Also, it should serve as entertainment for the animals. Before teaching tricks, the tutor will have to ensure that they can be consistent and patient while teaching.

Things To Keep In Mind

An owner will have to treat the guinea pig after teaching them a new trick. Incentives will help the pets become more proactive and interested in learning a trick.

The pets should only be treated with rewards when it can do the trick right because otherwise, it will not understand what exactly they are being taught.

Yelling and punishing should strictly be avoided. Teaching tricks should be a fun session. If the guinea pig seems reluctant to learn the trick, then it's probably better not to teach them the trick.

Trigger words of any trick should be ideally one or two words at max. The trainer will first have to guide their pet through the whole procedure and break the trick into several portions.

Teaching easier tricks first and moving on to a harder one is a good idea. Also, the owner should know which treat their pets like before commencing the training session.

Teaching Tricks For Communication

Guinea pigs can also be communicated with if they are taught the tricks correctly. The easiest trick to teach them is to stand up.

For this, you will have to hold a treat over their head preferably lettuce or basil, or anything the guinea pig likes.

Stand-Up Trick

Firstly, you will have to hold the treat closer to the mouth of their pet. Then, slowly the treat should be raised, and thus the guinea pig will stand on its feet and gradually learn to stand up.

The moment the pet stands on its back leg, the trainer will have to say stand up and then give the treat to the pet.

Two things to remember here is that the trainers should not make their pets stand up for too long, and should reward them when they actually stand up.

Again, this trick must be repeated a few times with the same command so that in future the pets can stand up without having to give them treats.

Come When Called Trick

In addition to teaching the stand-up trick, an owner may also teach their pet to come towards them when called and it is also an excellent way to establish communication.

For this, the owner will have to have a few treats in their hand and call their guinea pig by name. They will have to make sure that they can see the treats and then it should be repeated to the point that the little cavies start responding to their name without even seeing the owner.

To have a good time with the pets, the cavies maybe taught different tricks. These tricks will create a healthy bond between the pet and the owner. Also, it will allow both of them to have a good time.

Playing with Ball Trick

Playing with a ball can be a good and an easy trick to teach the pets. For that, the owner will have to put a treat on the floor under the ball and when the pet notices the treat, will have to say "Push the Ball".

The trainer or owner will have to say it loud and clear right at the moment when the pet touches the ball. Once the pet gets used to the trick, the owner will be able to play ball with their pet.

Basketball Trick

Another fun trick to teach the pets is to play basketball. For that, a ball can be made of lettuce and it should be something which can be easily picked up by the guinea pig.

The ball should be made of lettuce or any other thing the pet likes and then it should be put on the floor, and the pet may be rewarded when it can lift it.

After that, the owner will have to lay out their hand before the pet drops the ball so that the pet can understand that it needs to land it on the hand.

Once the pet can do that, slowly an owner will have to teach them to put the ball into a basket and from different angles. The pet will have to be provided with treats every time it can do the trick. 

Jumping Through Hoops Trick

To teach this trick, the trainer will have to find a hoop which is smooth and not too big or too small.

The owner will have to hold the hoop in one hand and a treat in the other hand in such a way that the cavy will have to jump through the hoop to get the treat.

This trick should be taught with patience as it is a bit harder. Once the pet starts responding to the trick, the owner will have to say “jump” just right before it jumps through the hoop to reach the other side and gradually, the pet will learn.

Turning in Circles Trick

This is a fun and an easy trick to teach the pets. The Turning in Circles trick should also begin with a treat in the hands of the trainer. He shall move the treat in circles and say the word "Circles" to condition their pet to move in circles.

The pet should be given treats before they reach the point. This trick is easy to teach, but some guinea pigs might not get it at first try. Times like these are when patience and perseverance are very important.

Final Thoughts

Tricks are an excellent way to communicate, bond and teach something useful to the pets. Guinea pigs are adorable creatures and are accepting to anything and almost everything and thus teaching tricks to them should be a fun session for the owners.

The trainers will have to be patient, consistent and enthusiastic while teaching a new trick.