Guinea Pigs

[just_George]

How intelligent are piggies? If I wake them same time every morning,get them out for handling same time each evening and bed same time will they start to expect it and come to me?
Is it possible to train them? not in a circus/unnatural way but using their nature for games

[pixie373]

They will certainly come for you for food when they're take. I'm not sure how good their body-clocks are, as ours don't get fed at the same time always. They do hear us open the back door and squeak when we go outside and squeak quite manically if they can hear us picking grass for them. I don't think they are very intelligent though!

[pixie373]

Tame, that was. Autocorrect, sorry.

[Ratty2E]

They're not that bright to be honest and you don't need to train them to a schedule to get them tame and friendly. Regular gentle handling and grooming will get them used to you and the gift of some fresh greens every day will get them to come to you of sorts. I have seen people 'train' piggies to go over jumps etc but don't expect too much.

[JustJenni]

Im doing an animal management course at the moment one of our modules is animal training and guinea pigs are one of the easiest ones, another class last year got there guinea pig to pick up a ball and put it into a little basket, im not sure on the time of days but theyll certainly know certain noises, maybe try clicker training or target training thats what well be doing over the next few weeks

[tamborine]

GPigs are nocturnal and sleep during the day. Hold a seed to the bar of the cage so it learns to feed from you and gets used to your smell. It will soon get used to hearing you approach and come to be fed; after a week of this push more of you finger thru the bars with food till it clasps you without biting. Now you can try inserting your hand with food on to feed, when you feel its secure on your hand you have tamed it. Always offer it food when you handle it till its crop is full.

you can now buy it a football ;)

[just_George]

Thanks all. Im handling them every evening, 3 weeks on one of them will stay still and let me take her out the cage (she gets parsley leaf as reward) the other is just dead against it and a wotsit to catch (still gets parsley once in my arms) any thoughts? They gets a treat of apple when I groom but long haired kick/flinch when do her back end/thigh. Can they be ticklish?