Training Your Guinea Pig. Gerry Bucsis
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Coming on command
Fact or fiction?
Make life interesting
Leash walking a guinea pig?
Getting your cavy accustomed to the harness
The stay-at-home guinea pig
Ongoing interaction
Introduction
Are you already a proud guinea pig owner? Or are you thinking of making guinea pigs part of your family? Congratulations! These friendly little animals make wonderful family pets that develop a strong bond with their owners.
Guinea pigs—also known as cavies because of their scientific name Cavia porcellus—are ideal pets for today’s busy lifestyles. They take short naps throughout the day and night, so matching your schedule with theirs shouldn’t be a problem. Unlike hamsters that sleep all day and can get sick or aggressive if disturbed, cavies are ready to play when you are.
As an added bonus, guinea pigs are a lot easier on the pocketbook than most other pets. For starters, they don’t cost much. And, if you have any do-it-yourself skills, their housing won’t cost much either. You can build a first-rate, super-sized cage with materials that are readily available at local stores or on the Internet. Upkeep costs are very reasonable, too. Food, fresh water, and unlimited hay won’t break the bank, and bedding costs can be minimal, depending on what you choose.
If you haven’t owned a guinea pig before, here’s something to think about. Cavies are much more vocal than other small pets; they have an extensive vocabulary of wheeks, squeals, purrs, coos, gurgles, and chirps. Although many people find these sounds endearing, other people find them annoying. Even if you enjoy the wheeking during the day, it could keep you awake at night, unless you’re very careful about cage placement.
A pro or a con, depending on how you look at it, is that guinea pigs live approximately two or three times longer than other small rodents such as hamsters, gerbils, or rats. A cavy is likely to be with you for five to eight years, and maybe even longer. It is important to keep this in mind when considering a cavy as a pet.
Once you’ve made guinea pigs part of your life, you’ll soon realize that they’re quite intelligent and easy to train. But why would you even want to train a guinea pig? First, when you’re teaching new skills to a cavy, you’re challenging it physically and mentally. What a great way to improve your pet’s quality