When I say training what it essentially comes to is creating a comfy litter environment by strategically placing bathroom zones and it has less to do with real training. Step 3 – Organize a guinea pig toilet area; Once you found where your guinea pig does its business, you can organize the toilet area. You may eventually want your pig to sit quietly to wait for his meals. You should take your guinea pig to the vet within a few weeks of first bringing him home and then take him in for annual check-ups to keep an eye on … Though you will want to train your guinea pig in one day, it takes many days for a guinea pig to fully master a trick and perform it successfully. Guinea Pig Veterinary Care. They also pee a surprising amount. Like, wait what?! This just means that you lie on the floor and wait to see what your guinea pig does. Our guide to taming your guinea pig. Baby guinea pigs have sharp little nails, but this phase doesn’t last long. It’s a good skill to build on in future training. Additionally, play with your guinea pig outside of its cage every day so it doesn't feel lonely or cooped up. It includes postures and gestures, too. Nibbling this way is used as a way for animals to show love or ask for food. If you’ve had your guinea pig since she was a baby, you’ve probably noticed changes in her nails. Once you have recognised which corner your pet uses, place a small litter tray their containing either some care fresh or news paper. How to teach your guinea pig new tricks. Chat quietly to your pet while you… How to Handle Pregnant Guinea Pig If you discover that your guinea pig is pregnant, you will have to take extra measures to ensure her safety and well-being. You can pamper your piggy with toys and other rewards for saving you the expenses of changing beddings now and then. Attempt training outside the cage. You should also continue on with life as usual after the event and not punish your pig by ignoring them or locking them away. Guinea pig should be comfortable to enter the box. Gradually, as your guinea pig adjusts to you and your household, start handling her more so she becomes used to you. So, while the term lice send humans running you can rest assured that you are safe. Bring an item that contains guinea pigs smells (it can be something like hay, pellets, etc. Please share any tips you might have. Guinea pigs can be trained to do simple commands using food. Here you will find tried and tested information on choosing the right home and environment for your guinea pig to live in along with what they like to eat, how to take care of any health issues along with preventing them from getting ill, how they communicate with you and even information on how to train your guinea pig! Step 1 – Establish familiarity with a reward. And no. The advantages of potty training your piggy pal. Those few times your guinea pig uses the litter box, are steps to a journey of successful guinea pig potty-training. Living Conditions. Here you go – a step by step guide to taming your guinea pig! Yes. Intelligence. This is very dangerous because the spine of these tiny creatures is very delicate and can get easily fractured. As you can imagine, litter training your piggy pal has significant advantages. Older guinea pigs’ entire front paws may start to turn in. Your guinea pig’s health is determined by a combination of a nutritious diet and proper care. Guinea pigs poop a lot. If possible, take her on the regular control exams to the veterinarian specialized in exotic animals. You can also supplement its diet with vegetables, like lettuce, kale, carrots, and cucumbers, so it gets all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. To teach sit make sure your pig is on carpet or an area rug so that his feet won’t slip out from under him. You may want to get the guinea pig used to other people and places for various reasons. Does your Guinea Pig like You? Every guinea pig has different tastes, so the first step is to figure out what it likes as a treat. If you want to train your guinea pig to do neat tricks, you’ll want to select one of the more intelligent cavy breeds. 4. A cage for a single guinea pig should have dimensions of at least 30 in x 36 in (76 cm x 91 cm). Sit down with the guinea pig in your lap. Isolate a guinea pig that barbers other guinea pigs. Human lice cannot be passed to your guinea pig and vice versa guinea pig lice cannot be passed to humans. Guinea pig runs are the perfect space for them to do this, and they come attached to the hutch in the Eglu Go Guinea Pig Hutch unit. If however, you have recently adopted a guinea pig and he/she runs away every time you try to caress it: you must change the way you relate to it. Not only will your guinea maintain a cleaner cage and a healthier environment, but it also means less money spent on bedding, and most importantly, less cleaning in general. Again, they are sensitive to harsh weather conditions and thus must be protected from extreme heat and severe cold. Guinea pig communication isn’t just sounds and noises, though. Although it does take some time and practice to teach a guinea pig to fetch accurately instead of just throwing their head around everywhere, the cute puppy-like result of … Alternatively, you can get a litter box which clips to the cage. Similarly, if your guinea pig wants to be put down so it can go to the loo, it may nibble you to tell you this. Although pet stores will sell leashes designed for "small animals" like rabbits, ferrets, and guinea pigs, Guinea Pigs should *never* be put on a leash due to the potential spinal or neck injuries that could occur when it bolts from fright. Introduce your dog to new smells. If your guinea pig nibbles your shoes or toes, by reaching this level of confidence, you can trust that they love you. Set a goal to hold your guinea pig for at least 30 minutes a day. Before you start training your guinea pig, figure out what treat it likes. Make clear rules about the room where guinea piggies are. A twist on this is to give your guinea pig a ride on a blanket, but this only works if your guinea pig will sit still as you slowly pull the blanket across the floor. Start by approaching your guinea pig’s cage or enclosure a few times each day. Seniors often have crooked and thicker nails. Be patient. The main concern many vets and owners have with walking guinea pig on a leash is that when wearing a collar guinea pigs are pulled like dogs. Like all domesticated animals, the key to training a guinea pig is to reward him or her when your pet behaves the way you want him or her to. They aren’t that … Guinea pigs are very stubborn animals when it comes to litter boxes because sometimes they'll use the litter box and sometimes they won't use the litter box. Got her maybe a monthish ago, she'll eat out of my hands, explore when I start rustling around getting food and taking out poop, but she won't for the life of her stay on my lap or in my arms, once I actually manage to get her out, which is a process in and of itself. When you put your guinea pig back, carefully watch it to see if it just needed to satisfy a particular bodily need. To care for your guinea pig, make sure it has access to fresh hay and water at all times. Watching your guinea pig’s body language can tell you tons about what they are thinking and feeling, and you’ll start to recognize how they combine all kinds of vocalizations and body language to get their point across. Little Miss Guinea Pig I Would Like You to Meet Mr. Litter Box. Fetch is one of my top favorite guinea pig tricks. Food can be used to train a guinea pig to do nearly anything. Other potential reasons for biting are to do with how your guinea pig … You can teach your small pet to come when called by saying his name and then giving him a treat or some guinea pig food.Do this repeatedly until you notice your guinea pig looks at you when you say his name before you give a treat. Before you do anything you have to decide what tricks you want to teach it. As a general rule, young guinea pigs are more receptive to handling and training than older ones are. Find a food it can eat without feeling bad, that you can break up into small bits. During the first few days, talk to your guinea pig and keep handling to a minimum. Guinea pigs cannot be trained to walk on a leash like a cat or dog. If you teach your guinea pig tricks and want to show other people what your piggy can do, you will definitely want him/her to be socialized a bit with other people. In this case, give your pet a treat when he or she urinates in the litter box. If your guinea pig is nervous, try talking to it with a soft voice or even mimic the noises they like to make! Guinea pigs aren’t as easy to train as other rodents, but with patience you may be able to teach your guinea pig to run in a circle, to stand on a pedestal or to respond to his name. If you’re new to guinea pigs, the whole ‘litter box’ thing might have caught your eye. How to Litter Box Train a Guinea Pig. I can potty train my guinea pig?! If you’ve got a traditional wooden hutch, then it’s a good idea to purchase a guinea pig run, and to move your guinea pigs between the hutch and the run each morning and evening when the weather is fine. Remove the barbering guinea pig and place it in a different cage. Be a bit 'touchy feely' with you guinea pig - … Part of handling your guinea pig is settling them down once you have picked them up. Curiosity Test: A floor game to try is piggie explorer. Teaching your pig to sit may be slightly more challenging, but can also be taught quickly. You can’t actually teach your guinea pig to walk on a leash. It's a super fun (and incredibly adorable) trick to teach your piggy. If there is a lot of competition and aggression between two guinea pigs, it may make sense to place the barbering guinea pig’s cage in a separate room. To potty train your guinea pig, firstly you need to recognise which corner your guinea pigs use as a toilet. After several days of this, your guinea pig should learn to go in the litter box every time. How to get your guinea pig to like you? If you are totally unsure if your guinea pig likes you or not, or maybe you love your guinea pig but you don't know if it loves you back? Lice and mites are species-specific. Young adult guinea pigs will have straight nails. A guinea pig's world revolves around food. A guinea pig would learn to skateboard if it meant a treat. )Encourage dog to have a sniff by keeping distance. Continue With the Process Until the Behaviour Stops – If your pig still has not learned by the time you’re counting to 15 seconds, it’s important to escalate punishment. “Training a pig is very similar to training a dog,” says exotic animal specialist Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM.“They’re so smart that if you give them the time, they can really learn just about anything.” Left to their own devices, though, pigs can be challenging and destructive to … Otherwise, your guinea pig will be unlikely to perform any tricks with someone watching. 1) Find out if you and your guinea pig have formed a special bond ever since you got your guinea pig! Once you succeed with potty training, you can elevate your piggy to another different training. Handle your pet as little as possible late in the pregnancy. Treats. Like every other hog or pig, the American Guinea hogs have a hard time cooling off because of their inability to sweat. A guinea pig can be infected with lice and not be bothered at all about it. This is more like a re-training as you stimulate your piggy Fun. Because of this, they should be placed in an area that can keep them cool. The box should be made of the heavy material, so it doesn’t tip over. But if you are an experienced keeper, who understands how to make a skittish guinea pig feel comfortable, you may want to consider one of the shyer breeds. Guinea pigs are very clean creatures so will usually only use one or two spots to go to the loo in. If you want to litter train your guinea pig you have to realize that they're not like rabbits, ferrets, or cats.