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How To Bond With Your Guinea Pig

To bond with your guinea pig, spend regular, gentle time with them by offering treats, speaking softly, and engaging in calm petting and play. This builds trust and familiarity, which is crucial for a strong relationship.

Bonding is vital as it simplifies all aspects of guinea pig care, making your pet more relaxed and manageable. 

Follow this guide for effective bonding:

hand feeding a pea flake to an abyssinian guinea pig
A friendly guinea pig being hand-fed a pea flake

How to Pick Up a Guinea Pig

To pick up a guinea pig, place one hand flat under their chest and use the other to support their bottom. Gently draw them towards your chest, then sit down to ensure they feel secure. 

Confidence in picking up your guinea pig is essential for daily care tasks and facilitates bonding activities.

However, picking up a guinea pig for the first time may be challenging, as they will be scared and attempt to run off. It’s common for a nervous guinea pig to squeak loudly when lifted, a sign of fear rather than pain.

How To Pick Up A Guinea Pig
How to pick up a guinea pig

The following tips will help you pick them up safely:

  • Proceed calmly and slowly to prevent startling your guinea pig.
  • Corner them gently in their enclosure to reduce their escape options.
  • Position yourself at their level to bring them close to you, minimising the height from which you lift them to avoid drops.
  • Approach from the side to avoid frightening them; avoid reaching from behind or above.
  • Speak softly to calm both yourself and your guinea pig during the process.
How To Approach A Guinea Pig
Approach your guinea pig from the side when picking up

It takes patience when learning to pick up your guinea pig. With consistent practice, it will become a comfortable and routine part of your interactions.

How to Hold a Guinea Pig Properly

To hold a guinea pig properly, always start by sitting down to minimise the risk of dropping them. Holding your guinea pig is a crucial part of the bonding process, helping to build trust and familiarity between you and your pet. Here are three safe methods for holding your guinea pig:

  1. Cradle them close to your chest, with one hand supporting their bottom and the other over their back. Lean back slightly in a chair to make the position more comfortable for your guinea pig.
  2. With one arm across your chest, let the guinea pig rest along your arm, using your other hand over their back to gently secure them. This position allows them to tuck their face into the crook of your arm, providing comfort and security. This method is ideal if you are standing up.
  3. Place the guinea pig on your lap when seated, ensuring you’ve positioned them safely to prevent falls.
  4. Sit on the floor with your legs outstretched and place the guinea pig on your lap. This position is especially suitable for children, allowing them to hold the guinea pig securely.
Black And White Guinea Pig Being Held On Lap
Holding a guinea pig on your lap gets them used to you

These methods ensure your guinea pig feels secure and comfortable while being held.

You should never place a guinea pig on their back or attempt to try to make them stand on two legs. These positions are unnatural for guinea pigs, causing distress and potential harm.

Do Guinea Pigs Like to Be Held?

Yes, guinea pigs like being held if they feel safe and are used to being around people. Each guinea pig is different; some may enjoy cuddles more than others.

How Long Should You Hold A Guinea Pig?

You should avoid holding guinea pigs for longer than 15 minutes. They have a frequent need to urinate, and while they will try to avoid peeing on you, they can only hold it for a limited time. It is a good idea to have a towel or pee pad on your lap to catch any accidents.

Stroking A Guinea Pig
Stroking a guinea pig helps the bonding process

When Can You Handle Baby Guinea Pigs?

You can start handling baby guinea pigs right after they are born. Rescue centres often do this to check their gender and look for any health issues. Handling them from a young age helps them get used to the human touch and can create a stronger bond between you. This early interaction will make them tamer and easier to handle as adult guinea pigs.

How to Pet a Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs generally enjoy gentle strokes behind their ears and under their chins, and many like being stroked down their backs, although some may not. They typically do not like belly rubs or being touched near their bottom. A purring sound during back strokes often indicates they are enjoying the attention.

Petting A Guinea Pig behind her ears
Most guinea pigs love being stroked behind their ears

If a guinea pig flicks their head upwards or jumps when you touch them, it clearly indicates they want you to stop. When a guinea pig licks you, while they might enjoy the salty taste of your skin, this action could also indicate they need to pee, signalling for you to put them back. A gentle nibble often carries the same message.

Regular petting strengthens the bond and trust between you and your guinea pig. If your enclosure allows, gently reach in to offer a head rub. While some guinea pigs may initially run away, others will welcome the affection, growing more comfortable over time.

Guinea Pig being petted with a chin rub
Many guinea pigs love their chins being stroked

How to Tame a Guinea Pig

To tame a guinea pig, and get them to like you, spend time with them daily, talking softly and offering food by hand. Providing plenty of lap time and gentle affection helps build trust and can significantly enhance the bonding process. 

Reduce Distractions

Minimising loud noises and sudden movements around your guinea pig is important. They are skittish pets, and such actions can scare them, making them nervous and less likely to trust you.

Guinea Pig Care Sheets - Printable PDF Download - Checklists, Logs and Information Sheets

Hand Feeding

Training your guinea pig to take food from your hand while in their cage is a great first step in the taming process. Begin with a large lettuce leaf, placing your hand inside the cage and holding it still. This allows the guinea pig to approach you on their terms. 

Hand Feeding a Guinea Pig a Pea Flake in their enclosure
Feeding pea flakes to guinea pigs in their enclosure helps tame them

Stay still and quiet to encourage their curiosity. Repeat this process over several days with progressively smaller pieces of food, until they confidently take a pea flake (a favourite treat!) directly from your fingers. This helps them associate you with the positive experience of eating.

Stroking

Once your guinea pig is comfortable taking food from you, introduce gentle physical contact by stroking their nose or tickling behind the ears as they eat. At first, they might shy away, but this approach helps them get used to your touch as the food distracts them.

Taming A Guinea Pig
As guinea pigs become tamer they may let you stroke them without running away

Closer Interaction

Once your guinea pig is comfortable taking food from your hand inside their cage, you can train them for even closer contact. Set up a secure area on the floor and sit with them, using food to encourage them to approach you. With time, they may become bold enough to climb onto your lap for treats.

Hand feeding guinea pigs a lettuce leaf
Hand feeding a large lettuce leaf helps guinea pigs become braver

How Long Does It Take to Tame A Guinea Pig?

Taming a guinea pig can take a few weeks to several months. Developing trust takes time, but with daily effort, you’ll start to see progress sooner.

Video explaining how to tame your guinea pig

How to Play With Guinea Pigs

Playing with your guinea pigs by introducing enjoyable games is an excellent way to bond. Enjoying their company, whether actively playing with them or watching them play among themselves, is rewarding.

Ensure a safe play environment on the floor by setting up a 3-sided C&C grid enclosure, leaving the 4th side open for you to interact and play with them from one end. If you want them to play the games without interacting yourself, create a 4th side. The games recommended below use safe equipment to ensure their well-being.

5 Games for Guinea Pigs

  1. Food Treasure Hunt: Hide pieces of your guinea pigs’ favourite fresh vegetables or small bits of fruit around the play area. Arrange the setting with hideouts, bridges, and tunnels to make the hunt more engaging and challenging.
  2. Treat Ball Roll Around: Create an engaging layout with tunnels and hideouts, and place a few pea flakes inside a Haypigs Treat Ball. Shake the ball to signal the start of the game. Watch as your guinea pigs push and roll the ball around, navigating the obstacles. As the ball rolls, it dispenses the treats with the ball getting stuck in corners and tunnels, adding an extra layer of challenge and fun. My guinea pigs love this game the most.
  3. Tunnels Obstacle Course: Guinea pigs love dashing through tunnels. Create an obstacle course with various tunnels and bridges. Incorporating dried forage and hay adds an extra element of exploration and reward.
  4. Tug Of War: Engage in a gentle tug of war with your guinea pig by holding a piece of their favourite food, like parsley or lettuce, and letting them tug it away. This interaction is playful and rewarding for them.
  5. Pea Flake Dare: With a pea flake in hand, sit on the floor and stretch out your arm offering it to your guinea pig. Gradually draw your hand back as they approach. Challenge them to come closer, ensuring they receive the treat eventually.
hand feeding a pea flake to a guinea pig
Some guinea pigs will eventually come on to your lap for treats

Guinea pigs need time to familiarise themselves with these games and understand how to win their treats. Regular play encourages excitement and anticipation for the games and rewards.

How to Make a Guinea Pig Happy

To make a guinea pig happy, create an environment where they feel safe, loved, and stimulated. A content guinea pig is more receptive to bonding because you have met their essential needs. And it’s incredibly rewarding to feel a guinea pig’s affection in return, knowing they love you just as much as you love them.

Ensure your guinea pig’s happiness by providing:

  • A Comfortable Living Space: Spacious, clean, and secure with areas to explore and hide.
  • A Proper, Balanced Diet: Essential for their health and well-being.
  • Plenty of Exercise: Through playtime and exploration to keep them active and engaged.
  • Daily Interaction: Spend quality time each day to strengthen your bond.
  • Regular Health Checks: Monitor their health and address any issues promptly.

Meeting these needs significantly enhances your guinea pig’s happiness and quality of life, and aids the bonding process between you and your guinea pig.

A video about how to get your guinea pig to trust you

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