How to tame a guinea pig to your hands, how to stroke and hold it correctly

The guinea pig is a friendly and trusting animal. Taming is usually easy if the owner does not make blunders. How long it takes for the animal to get used to the owner depends on the nature of the pet, the time devoted to it and the actions of the owner.

On average, within 3-7 days, the guinea pig gets used to the presence of a person. This is noticeable in behavior: the animal stops running and hiding. From a week to a month, it will take the pet to begin to show interest and initiative in communication. In difficult cases, domestication can take 5-6 months.

Adaptation to a new place

Hand training a guinea pig is impossible until it feels secure. Therefore, it is important to give the animal time to get used to the new place. You can help settle down by providing your pet with comfort and peace of mind.

Principles of adaptation to the house:

• noise is unacceptable near the cage;
• the drinker and feeder must be filled;
• you need to organize a shelter: a pile of hay behind which the animal can hide;
• the new inhabitant of the house should be protected from other pets;
• it is advisable for people to refrain from trying to stroke and hold the animal in their arms.

At first, the guinea pig will avoid contact. In the presence of a stranger, she may even refuse to eat. In order not to embarrass the little animal, you can cover the cage with a thin cloth, hiding several sides of the structure with it.

Guinea pigs have sensitive hearing. Loud and harsh sounds can greatly frighten her and cause stress. The cage should not be installed near sound sources. In silence, the animal will quickly get used to the new environment.

Adaptation of a guinea pig after purchase requires delicacy from the owner, even if the pet does not show signs of anxiety. During this period, it is better not to touch the animal unnecessarily. When cleaning the cage and filling the feeder, it is advisable to avoid sudden movements. During this period, it is better not to touch the mumps unnecessarily.

Do not let her walk on the floor of the apartment. It is easier to explore a large space gradually. The pet may not guess to return to the cage on its own and will be frightened when they start catching it.

Taming Methods

If the pet is not given attention, he will get used to the presence of a person and become less shy, but he will not learn to interact with the owner. To tame a guinea pig, you need to wait until it is fully accustomed to the apartment. You should focus on the behavior of the animal, and not the time frame.

Step by step guide:

1. You should start with accustoming to the owner. The owner needs to periodically talk to the animal, using affectionate and soothing intonations. You can reinforce positive associations if you accompany it with leftover goodies.
2. When the pet behaves calmly in the presence of the owner, you can begin to accustom him to the hands of a person. To do this, through the open door of the cage, you need to offer the pig a treat. You need to let the animal smell your hands. Smells play an important role in the animal world.
3. From the moment when the pig accepts delicacies from the hands without fear, you can begin to gently stroke it. Avoid touching the back of the body. The animal may perceive this as an attack.
4. Later, the interaction can already be continued without reinforcement with a tasty gift. You can gradually stroke your pet more confidently, note for yourself what he likes and what he doesn’t.
5. When the animal gets used to stroking, you can try to hold it in your arms.

To make friends with a guinea pig, at first it is worth avoiding situations that are uncomfortable for her. It is unacceptable for a person’s actions to cause pain. It is correct to hold and stroke the guinea pig so that the animal likes it.

An animal that hears its name when receiving a treat gets used to it. In the future, in order to call the pig to yourself, it will be enough to sit down, stretch out your hand as if there is something in it and say the name quietly.

What to do if the pig is afraid

It is easier to make friends with a young individual than with a mature animal. A pet that was acquired by an adult can get used to the owner for a long time. The animal from the store is often unsociable, as not all visitors show tact in dealing with animals.

So that the grown-up guinea pig is not afraid, you can try to treat treats only from your hands. It is useful to talk to your pet while stroking it on your lap. It is worth temporarily moving the cage closer to the owner’s favorite place. Spending more time close, the pet will understand that nothing threatens him.

It should be understood that a guinea pig is not given into hands not only because of fear. The reason may be an independent character, or the animal has other plans.

Not every pet wants to sit on their laps. If the animal pulls the owner by the clothes, or by the skin with his teeth, then he wants to free himself.

It happens that a guinea pig does not walk for a long time because of the house installed in the cage. Behind solid walls, she feels protected from people, and outside the company of the owner she does not get the experience of interacting with him.

Most often, guinea pigs are afraid of eccentric people with a loud voice and lively gestures. The animal sees this behavior as a threat. To fix this, you need to accustom yourself to move smoothly near the pet and not make noise.

When the animal is afraid of the owner, he tries to hide. Burrow in hay, or climb into the farthest corner of the cage. Touch can cause a desperate, sharp squeak. The fact that a guinea pig is fluffed up is more often caused not by fear, but by poor health. If such a habit is noticed in the behavior, it is worth consulting with a veterinarian.

Favorite treats for a guinea pig

Stroking a guinea pig in a way that is pleasant to her is easy to learn if you focus on the reaction of the pet. Many animals like stroking the bridge of the nose, scratching near the ears.

If the pig pushes his hand with his head, then she is not comfortable.

It happens that the fingers simply close the view of the animal and he pushes them away, as he would do with branches.

Some guinea pigs like to be petted on their sides like cats. It should be understood that this gesture can only be allowed by the animal to whom it trusts completely. It is not suitable for the first stage of dating.

Almost all guinea pigs love to be petted and scratched around the neck. In this zone, the animal has a high sensitivity and you need to act carefully. If the pet raises its head while being stroked, then it likes it and it exposes its neck.

How to hold a pig

It is correct to take the guinea pig in your arms so that it can lean on the owner.

With a small size, the animal is quite heavy, the position on weight can cause pain.

One palm behind the front paws and covers the chest, the second gently holds the back. It is correct to hold the guinea pig firmly, but without squeezing. The physique of this species is not adapted to falls. A blow, even from a low height, can cause serious injury.

Only after a connection has been established between the owner and the pet, you can proceed to the next steps: learning commands and playing together.

Video: how to tame a guinea pig