Many guinea pigs are skittish around their owners. It is very possible to teach your guinea pig to feel comfortable in your arms and trust you. Take time to gradually build your relationship with your guinea pig and to ensure that he feels safe when being held.
It is often best to avoid handling your guinea pig when he first arrives at your home. Give him a few days or so to adjust to his new surroundings. Even though you are not physically handling your guinea pig, you can still make efforts to bond with him.
Talk to him through the cage to get him accustomed to your voice. He will soon grow comfortable with your scent and learn to associate you with food, which is a pleasant experience. By not pressuring him to interact with you, he will learn to see you as a positive element of his life instead of a burden.
Try to pick up a quality guinea pig cage. It’s important that you know the difference between a robust long-lasting cage and something that may fall apart after a short period.
Guinea Pig Care
Remember that guinea pigs need to feel secure. When you take him out of the cage, let him walk around a guinea pig safe room. Sit on the floor to get down to his level. He will feel more comfortable if you are both on solid ground.
Let your guinea pig come over to you then quietly pick him up by sliding your hand under his belly. Be careful not to crunch any of his legs. Instead, let them hang over your hand. Hold your guinea pig close to your chest to help him feel secure. You can even pet him gently with your free hand.
Stay seated on the floor in the beginning when you are holding your guinea pig. Over time, he will become more comfortable with you. Once you feel more secure holding him, you can stand up and walk around with him. However, when you introduce him to a new person, be sure to instruct them on the right way to hold him and make sure they stay seated in the beginning.
Always remember that your guinea pig is a living creature with feelings and emotions. Avoid causing him stress by remaining quiet and respectful when handling him. Be sure to always supervise others when they are holding your guinea pig to ensure that they do the same.
Grooming Your Pet Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs, like cats and rabbits, need to be groomed on a regular basis. The short-haired varieties of guinea pig are the easiest to groom because their short hair will not tangle and mat like the hair of the long-haired guinea pigs. Make sure that you purchase a brush that is designed especially for guinea pigs. These types of brushes usually have soft bristles that cannot hurt your guinea pig’s skin.
On a daily basis, you should examine your guinea pig’s eyes, ears, and nose to make sure that they are clean and free of any type of debris. If you need to, you can use a warm washcloth and gently wipe any mucus that might be accumulating in the corners of your guinea pig’s eyes.
Guinea pigs don’t require a great deal of brushing but they do need to have their nails clipped regularly. If you are cutting your guinea pig’s nails yourself, be sure to only clip off the sharp tip of the nail and not any more than that. There are a few guinea pigs that have white nails and you should be able to see the tiny blood vessels that run through these nails. These blood vessels are also called the quick and are a living part of the nail.
Cutting your guinea pig’s nail at the quick or lower down the nail will hurt the tiny blood vessels and therefore hurt your guinea pig too. However, if your pet guinea pig has dark nails, then you will not be able to see the blood vessels. The rule of thumb on dark nailed guinea pigs is to trim only approximately 1/4 of an inch of the guinea pig’s nail.
One of the most problematic aspects of grooming a guinea pig is in getting rid of their odor. Usually, this scent comes from the guinea pig living in a very dirty cage. Therefore it is very important to always make sure that your guinea pig’s cage is as clean as possible all the time.
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About Amy Davis:
Amy is in love with her pets! Her diverse variety of pets include two cats, one dog, three rabbits, two guinea pigs, a rat, and a beautiful macaw. She loves writing pet-related articles and spends as much time as she can sharing her personal experiences.
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