Socializing Your Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are naturally shy creatures, but can be socialized to become great pets. My family has had experience with seven of our own guinea pigs over the years; we also have experience pet sitting for friends' piggies. Socializing your guinea pig is a fairly simple process, requiring only time, treats, and the desire to bond with the pet.

Keep in mind that the guinea pig, or cavy, is a prey animal. In the wild, the cavy's best defense from hawks and owls is to be as inconspicuous as possible. Thus, your new guinea pig, if not yet socialized, will probably want to stay in a corner or hideaway. Whenever adopting a new guinea pig, I like to give the animal its space for the first day or two, only providing food, water, and a few softly spoken words or a gentle stroke of the fur. When it is time to clean the cage on the second day, one of us will hold the cavy on our lap, sitting still and petting the animal while feeding it a treat. The hand feeding of treats is a key to getting the cavy to "come out of its shell." From the third day on, we interact as much as possible with the animal unless it shows signs of stress, e.g. chattering teeth or screeching loudly. The screech of distress, however, is not the same as the "wheek" noise that happy piggies make when they see you and want a treat or some attention.

You can know your cavy has warmed to you when the sound of your footsteps causes insistent "wheeks" that are stopped only by the hand feeding of a treat. Guinea pigs quickly learn to associate the sound of the refrigerator door with treats. Any time the door opens, the "wheek, wheek, wheek" will continue until a carrot, lettuce, or piece of fruit appears in the food dish. Our guinea pigs were often found sitting on desks next to children who were doing homework, or sitting on laps watching television, munching snacks along with their human friends. Be sure, however, to never leave a guinea pig unattended on an elevated surface. A fall would be deadly.

Socializing your guinea pig is a pleasant and rewarding task. The gentle cavy makes a wonderful first pet for children who are old enough to gently handle a small pet. A socialized guinea pig is also healthier, because cavies who are handled every day will have any health problems detected quickly by their caretakers. You will become familiar with your animal's normal behavior and will be able to get your cavy to a veterinarian promptly because of your daily interaction with the pet. A healthy, well socialized guinea pig is an asset to any household!