Getting your Guinea Pig’s attention
It may be challenging to get your guinea pig’s attention, particularly if the animal is young or if it has recently been introduced to its new environment.
This suggests that the response your guinea pig will have to your activities will be very different from the one your dog or cat had when you were a youngster and called them.
Your guinea pig will choose to disobey you on purpose until it has adjusted to its new environment and feels comfortable there.
Visual attention
- Guinea pigs have remarkable vision for their size. The eyesight of guinea pigs is already set to detect movement, and their visual range encompasses about 360 degrees.
The guinea pigs might learn a lot from the visual cues you give them, including how to react when they see you and how to follow nonverbal instructions.
A guinea pig’s attention can be successfully captured by using both verbal and visual cues in conjunction with one another.
It is not necessary for optical cues to take the form of a command like they do in the techniques; nonetheless, this is the most common format. It is possible to communicate in a general sense when using it.
The owners of guinea pigs have a number of options available to them for communicating with their pets. The ability to communicate with one another via the use of body language is shared by domestic and wild guinea pigs alike. This is an opportunity for the owner to further their interests.
As you go close to your guinea pig, make sure to keep a calm and relaxed demeanor. In their presence, you should strive to adopt moves that are straightforward and predictable.
Your guinea pig will see from this that you are not a danger to them or a potential prey animal if you do this. On the other hand, jerky or quick movements could give the impression that you are a danger to others. The following is how your guinea pig may elucidate this point for you:
You’re the predator, and you’re getting ready to strike.
- You’ve identified a threat that’s close by.
Choose three distinct visual instructions and employ them in the same manner every time you want to catch the attention of your guinea pig.
When you are attempting to get the attention of your guinea pig, you should first ensure that it can see you. This causes them to focus their attention on you and brings their attention to yourself at the same time.
Giving a Command
Any person who owns a pet, and especially those who have guinea pigs, should be familiar with how to provide spoken orders. You may use it nearly anyplace, with the exception of situations in which the guinea pig in question has a hearing impairment.
Not only are verbal commands an excellent method of communication but they also serve the purpose of attracting the attention of the guinea pig.
Your guinea pig will learn your name and be able to recall it thanks to its training. They will also become accustomed to recognizing the tone you use when calling out their name.
Your guinea pig is able to understand a variety of vocal inflections, like “you’re in danger,” “dinner’s ready,” and “come here.” Each of these phrases has a distinct tone of voice.
There are certain tones that are more likely to pique the interest of your guinea pig than others.
You should experiment with different tones to see which ones your guinea pig reacts to the most, then modify the settings appropriately.
It would be very helpful if you could observe yourself in situations in which you are excessively agitated, loud, high-pitched, or gentle.
Although the higher-pitched orders have the potential to initially grab the attention of your guinea pig, they also have the potential to stress them out, which might lead to a negative bonding experience in the future.
Foods and Treats
Once your guinea pig hears the cracking sound of a treat packet, it will immediately run towards you and concentrate its attention on whatever goodies you might have in your hands at the time.
Your guinea pig will pay the greatest attention to you if you use treats as your method of attention-getting. But, you shouldn’t make a habit of giving your guinea pig food on a daily basis.
Consuming excessive amounts of treats can contribute to obesity as well as a diet that is not well balanced. There is also the risk that the only time your guinea pig will engage with you will be in response to the treats it receives.
The tasty treats may first be used to pique the guinea pig’s attention, and then they can be put to use as a reward for the animal’s excellent behavior and training. By employing rewards, you may be able to develop a relationship with your new or young guinea pig.
If you don’t want your guinea pigs to put on extra weight, be sure to only give them treats in moderation and offer veggies or regular pellets in their place when you want to reward them for good behavior.
My Guinea Pig is Ignoring me
Sometimes your guinea pig may choose to ignore you, which might be because of an accident or because it is doing so on purpose. The following are a few examples of their conduct, which may assist you in better understanding their reasons for acting the way they do.
Your Guinea Pig see you as a threat
It’s possible that your guinea pig isn’t paying attention to you because they haven’t decided what your status will be just yet. They haven’t made a final decision, but they haven’t fully ruled out the potential that you are a predator.
Guinea pigs have an innate need to avoid attracting unwanted attention to themselves. As a result, even if they are aware of your presence in their environment, they may give the impression that they are not paying attention to you because of this drive.
People will eventually begin to view you as a friend rather than an opponent if you are patient with them and allow enough time to pass.
Your Guinea Pigs don’t have a good bond with you
It’s also possible that your guinea pig will opt to ignore you if they’re making a conscious effort to steer clear of you. This issue could arise as a result of improper handling practices.
The fact that they are cute and little, however, does not mean that they are pleased to be held or carried around by their caretakers. In fact, they may not even like it. Wild guinea pigs are subjected to attacks quite similar to these from various predators.
Holding or picking up your guinea pig will most likely make it uncomfortable, particularly if you have not yet developed an emotional bond to him or her.
Give your guinea pig the freedom to approach you at their own speed in order to be petted and cuddled, and make sure that you see the interaction from the guinea pig’s point of view rather than your own.
When you have earned the confidence of your guinea pig, it will be easier for the guinea pig to tuck itself into your legs and take a sleep there after they realize they can trust you.
A guinea pig that has total faith in you will likely find it extremely pleasant to be carried; however, this is not necessarily the case with the majority of guinea pigs.
Your Guinea Pig is ill
In the event that your guinea pig is suffering from either vision loss or hearing loss, respectively, you may find that it is ignoring you.
Is your guinea pig suffering from an infection of the ears or eyes, which might potentially result in damage that cannot be repaired?
Or is the guinea pig you’re using an elderly person who is starting to display the effects of their advancing years? In order to establish whether or not your guinea pig is experiencing any health issues, you need to inspect it very closely.
My Guinea Pig won’t come near me
It is natural to feel upset and bewildered when your guinea pig refuses to get near to you, particularly if they had responded enthusiastically earlier in the session. But, it is important to try to remain calm and remain focused on the task at hand.
In a few days, your new guinea pig will feel secure enough to approach you, despite the fact that it may be skittish at first, which is normal behavior for guinea pigs.
It will take your guinea pig a few weeks before they grow accustomed to hearing their name and will respond when they are called.
On the other hand, it is very necessary in either of these scenarios to figure out the reason why your guinea pig is being so uncooperative.
Guinea Pig suddenly stopped coming near me
Guinea pigs are highly sociable animals, and when given the opportunity, the majority of domesticated guinea pigs may become very affectionate with their owners. As a consequence of this, you want to look into any abrupt shifts in behavior exhibited by your guinea pig as quickly as you possibly can.
Is your guinea pig experiencing any health issues at the present that you are aware of? Has this individual been frightened, or have they damaged themselves in any way? Have you shouted at them or been in close proximity to them while raising your volume level?
Because of all that’s going on, it’s conceivable that your guinea pig is trying to avoid interaction with you. They won’t even make an attempt to approach you if they’re terrified of you; instead, they’ll start ignoring you on purpose once they realize you’re there.
It is important to keep a close eye on the conduct of your guinea pig, as well as that of your other family members and of yourself.
It is important for you to be ready for the possibility that your guinea pig will think they are the head of the household.
It is not usually a cause for concern if your guinea pig views themselves as the dominant animal in the relationship between the two of them. Nonetheless, this indicates that they will not answer to your calls for them to come when you want them to.
Your guinea pig will normally bite and nip at you as well, but this is the one and only time that it will do so.
It is not necessary to speak louder than normal in order to convey to your guinea pig the message that they are not in command of the situation.
When they bite you, the sound of your voice might be highly powerful in repelling them. You may also make a statement of dominance over your pet pig by pressing the head of your guinea pig to the floor for a few seconds at a time.
New Guinea Pig not coming towards me
Guinea pigs are sociable animals, but after they have been exposed to a new person, it may take them quite some time to become comfortable with them. When your guinea pig is initially introduced to their name, it will take some repetition for them to grow accustomed to hearing it.
If you want to prevent upsetting someone or making them feel uncomfortable, you should always use a friendly voice and tone while you are saying their name. After sufficient exposure and repetition, your guinea pig will finally be able to recognize its own name.
It is conceivable that a new guinea pig will not be able to feel comfortable in their environment or in your company. This might be because of either or both of these factors.
It is very natural for a guinea pig to require some adjustment time in their new environment. This is to be expected.
It is also possible for a guinea pig to refuse to approach you if they are confined to their enclosure and unable to escape for whatever reason.
My Guinea Pig won’t come out of his house
Your guinea pig is hiding within their cage because they are uncomfortable for a number of different reasons, including fear of you, discomfort in their habitat, or discomfort caused by the pain they are now suffering.
If you want to be able to read your guinea pig’s mood, the first thing you need to do is learn the guinea pigs’ language. This will minimize the amount of reasons why they might need to hide from you.
Getting adjusted to new environment
A guinea pig that is timid or is still getting used to its surroundings would naturally not want to leave its confinement.
If you give your new guinea pig the opportunity to investigate everything at their own pace, they will normally become accustomed to their surroundings and become more comfortable in them.
Relaxing in the appropriate space will make this process go more smoothly:
- It would be best if you sat on the ground, but not too close to the enclosure.
- Also, you can give them treats to persuade them to come out.
- Allow your guinea pig to become familiarized with your presence.
- Offer some hideouts throughout the home, for example, cardboard boxes and pet igloos.
When introducing a guinea pig to a new environment, it is sometimes easiest to do so by first placing it in the same room in which it will remain contained.
Once it has accustomed to its new environment, you may slowly let your guinea pig roam free around the entire house.
When you have moved into your new house, you can then expose your newly acquired guinea pig to his or her new environment. This method can also be utilized for guinea pigs that have recently been adopted.
Pain and illness
- Guinea pigs are more inclined to suppress their instincts and feelings when they are in discomfort or when they are not feeling well.
Maintain a close watch on your guinea pig without making them feel uneasy in the process. Do they try to walk away because they don’t like it when you touch them or do they just ignore you?
Are their ears pressed against their backs in a flat position, or do they have a bowed appearance with their ears bowed? Do any of the following symptoms appear in their behavior:
Lethargy
- They are clenching their teeth.
- Swelling in the area surrounding the eyes
- Appetite sluggishness
- Pupils that have grown in size
If they do, you must take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Scared and Stressed
Your guinea pig’s reluctance to venture out of its enclosure may also be attributable to its environment, since this might be a contributing factor. An anxious guinea pig’s level of comfort can be significantly influenced by a variety of factors in a variety of ways.
These elements are as follows:
- Using essential oil diffusers or air fresheners, for example, can make the guinea pig feel uneasy due to the fragrance, which is uncommon.
- Another animal has put stress on the guinea pig.
- Noises or music that is too loud
Your guinea pig may get uncomfortable and stressed as a result of any of these factors.
How do you get a Guinea Pig to come to you?
You have two options available to you when it comes to capturing the interest of a guinea pig in order to coax it to approach you in order to interact with you.
The vast majority of them need you to ensure that you and your guinea pig form a strong relationship and that you apply the appropriate training signals.
Building a strong Bond
- Putting them through their paces
- Providing them with food
- Taking good care of them
- Having a good time with them
Grooming is one of the most effective methods of developing a bond with your guinea pig.
You must ensure that you have regular grooming sessions and petting sessions with your pets in order to create and reinforce the ties.
The same result may be achieved by providing them with a large number of toys and ample floor time, as well as by engaging in frequent physical exercise with them.
Delivering treats and food to your guinea pig will always encourage them to come up to you and interact with you.
It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that their guinea pig does not receive excessive goodies.
Training your Guinea Pigs
The training commands for guinea pigs are the same as the training commands for dogs. These commands encompass a wide variety of actions and tricks, such as “sit,” “come,” and “stay.”
These training sessions are vital for retaining control over a guinea pig’s attention, in addition to offering a significant amount of enrichment for the guinea pig.
These extraordinarily sophisticated animals are only a few molecules in size. In addition to learning their own name, an adult guinea pig may be trained to respond to a number of other orders.
It is possible that giving vocal commands and addressing the guinea pig by its name is the way that is most successful in capturing their attention.
This will not only let the guinea pig know that you are there, but it will also direct its attention to both you and the area around you. It won’t be difficult for your guinea pig to recognize you as its owner if it is relaxed around you and has developed a strong relationship with you.
