Guinea pigs are pretty smart rodents. They can often be found in the homes of our compatriots. Therefore, some owners wonder: “Is it possible to train a guinea pig?” Yes, of course you can. We will talk about this in detail in our article below.
You can teach a guinea pig different tricks and simple commands. During the training process, remember that each rodent has individual characteristics that must be considered. Some animals may take longer to train than others. Be patient while training guinea pigs. In this case, methods of positive encouragement are used. Start teaching simple at first, and then move on to more complex teams.
Come to the call
So, we found out that you can train a guinea pig. But how to teach her to come to your call? In this case, everything is done in the same way as with many other pets. As a motivator, treats are used. In the process, often call the name of the animal, refer to it by name.
Training Stages:
- Before practicing the execution of commands, remove the rodent from the cage, place it at a distance of about 1 m from you. Give the animal a treat and call him by name.
- The rodent will smell the goodies. This will be an additional incentive to run up to you. When the animal completes the command, give the treat as a reward. Repeat this command once a day and more often. Over time, the animal itself will begin to come to you at the call.
"Serve"
Continuing to understand how to train guinea pigs, we will tell you how to train the Serve team. This trick can be taught to the rodent using a treat. How to do it? Keep the treat above the head of the animal so that it needs to reach for it. Then say the command "Serve". As soon as the pig is on its hind legs, immediately give her a treat.
Repeating exercises is daily, once a day. After a while, the guinea pig itself will stand on its hind limbs on command, even without a treat.
Circular U-turn
Continuing to talk about how to train a guinea pig at home, we describe the methodology for training an animal in a circular turn. This skill can be taught both in the cell and in the open.
Stages:
- Initially, take a treat, let the animal come closer to you.
- When the pig appears in front of you, outline with your hand, in which the treat is a circle, at the same time say the command “U-Turn”.
- The rodent should repeat a circular motion. Training is carried out every day until the animal independently begins to perform a U-turn on command without additional stimulation by the treat.
Ball rolling
We have already figured out how to train a guinea pig, teach it simple tricks. Now is the time to move on to the next step. Now we will tell you how to teach a pig to roll a ball. First you need to prepare a little. Need to find not too heavy and not too big ball. For example, it may be tennis. With such a ball, a guinea pig will cope without difficulty. In addition, a flat and long treat is required. For these purposes, a strip of carrots is suitable.
So, now we pass directly to training. Put a strip of carrots on the floor, then put a ball on it. After that, encourage the rodent to push the ball away so that it can get to the treat. Say the push ball command at the same time. Repeat these steps regularly. Over time, it will be possible to remove a treat from the learning process. A rodent will be able to roll the ball without it.
Team “In the Ring”
Now we will talk about how to teach your pet to jump through the ring. But first you need a ring. You can buy the finished one. Its diameter should be about twenty centimeters. You can also make this element yourself from wire. Make sure that there are no sharp edges, notches. Otherwise, during the jump, the animal can catch and inadvertently damage its foot.
So, teaching a rodent such a team, proceed according to this plan:
- First position the ring so that it touches the floor.
- Treat on one side of the ring. You can ask someone to hold the ring.
- Next, call the guinea pig by name and make it see that there is something delicious behind the ring. Next, issue the command "In the ring." If the animal itself does not think that it is necessary to jump into the ring, carefully push it. Over time, the guinea pig will be motivated enough and jump on its own to get a treat.
- When the pet executes the specified command, give him a treat. Repeat the trick daily until the guinea pig performs it without the stimulus as a treat.
Trained to the tray
The following command will be very useful, because many accustom their pets to toilet trays. So how to train a guinea pig in this case? How can she explain that she needs to go to the tray? First install the latter in the corner of the cage. Place a little hay and a couple of peas in the tray. As soon as you see that the pet is going to the toilet in the tray, praise him immediately and give him a treat. Over time, he will understand how to use this element of the cell, and without goodies.
Conclusion
Now you know how to train a guinea pig. In the article, we examined both simple and complex tricks. Starting training, of course, is better with lighter teams. After that it will be possible to move on to complex ones. Good luck in training!