Taming Tips

MANY GUINEA PIGS ARE VERY TIMID AND SKITTISH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU FIRST BRING THEM HOME. THIS CAN BE QUITE DISCOURAGING, AS YOU WANT YOUR PIGGIES TO LOVE YOU AND BE AFFECTIONATE. TAKING TIME TO PROPERLY TAME AND BOND WITH YOUR PIGGIES WILL GIVE BOTH YOU AND YOUR PIGGIES A MUCH BETTER RELATIONSHIP THROUGHOUT THE LIFETIME OF YOUR PIGS. BONDING AND TAMING YOUR PIGGIES WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE AND THEY WILL GET SO HAPPY WHEN THEY SEE YOU, LEADING THEM TO LIVE HAPPIER, HEALTHIER LIVES 🙂
A TAMED GUINEA PIG SHOWS VERY SIMILAR QUALITIES TO DOGS. PIGSTER, FOR INSTANCE IS JUST LIKE A PUPPY DOG. SHE COMES RUNNING TO THE FRONT OF THE ENCLOSURE WHEN I COME IN MY ROOM AND OFTEN FOLLOWS ME TO EACH END OF THE CAGE WHEN I’M MOVING THROUGHOUT MY ROOM.

NOW FOR SOME NOT SO GOOD NEWS…

NOT ALL PIGS WILL BECOME AS TAME AS YOU’D LIKE.

CHLOE, WHO I UNFORTUNATELY LOST IN JUNE 2020, HAD ONLY RECENTLY BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH ME PETTING HER AND BEGGING FOR TREATS WITH HER PAWS ON THE GRIDS THE PAST 2 YEARS. IT TOOK HER OVER 2 YEARS TO BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH ME. CAROL ON THE OTHER HAND, IS JUST AS SKITTISH AS SHE WAS WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT HER HOME. THE TRUTH IS, SOME PIGS JUST WON’T ALWAYS BECOME AS TAME AS YOU’D LIKE, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT IT. BUT THESE TIPS CAN DEFINITELY HELP!

SPEND LOTS OF TIME WITH YOUR PIGGIES!

WHILE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I RECOMMEND, I BELIEVE THE REASON PIGSTER AND I ARE SO CLOSE IS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAD HER ALONE FOR THE FIRST 3 MONTHS. I HADN’T DONE RESEARCH ON GUINEA PIGS WHEN I GOT HER, AND I DID EVERYTHING WRONG. SHE WAS ALONE AND IN A STORE-BOUGHT CAGE. BUT THOSE 3 MONTHS, I SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH HER THAT WE REALLY BONDED AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE SO CLOSE. WHICH LEADS ME TO MY TOP TIP:

PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO BOND AND TAME YOUR PIGGIES IS TO SPEND TIME WITH THEM. THIS CAN BE JUST SITTING BY THE ENCLOSURE AND TALKING TO THEM AND OFFERING VEGGIES OR TREATS TO SHOW THEM THAT YOU ARE NO THREAT…YOU HAVE FOOD! FOOD IS THE #1 WAY TO YOUR PIGGIES’ HEART! GIVING THEM FOOD WHENEVER THEY COME NEAR YOU, THEY WILL BEGIN TO ASSOCIATE YOU WITH FOOD, AND THUS SEE YOU AS A GOOD THING, AND NOT A PREDATOR.

ONE OF THE BEST TREATS FOR TAMING AND BONDING ARE PEA FLAKES. ALONG WITH VEGGIES, PEA FLAKES PROVIDE AN UNPARALLELED BONDING EXPERIENCE. THEY ARE HIGH IN LYSINE, AN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT, AND ARE ALMOST GUARANTEED TO BE A HIT WITH YOUR PIGGIES.

YOU CAN GET PEA FLAKES HERE

IF YOU GIVE YOUR PIGS FLOOR TIME, TRY SITTING IN THE SPACE WITH THEM AND THEY CAN EXPLORE YOU AND SEE YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM! YOU CAN ALSO TRY DRAPING A BLANKET OR TOWEL OVER YOUR LEGS SO THE PIGS CAN HIDE AND FEEL SAFE WHILE GETTING TIME TO GET USED TO YOUR SCENT AND YOUR PRESENCE. YOU CAN ALSO TRY KEEPING THEM ON YOUR LAP FOR LAP TIME, IF THEY’LL LET YOU AND LET THEM GET COZY ON YOUR LAP.

IF YOUR PIGS RUN AWAY FROM YOU, PLEASE DO NOT CHASE THEM AND PICK THEM UP. THIS WILL ONLY STRESS THEM OUT AND DELAY THE TRUST.

AS GUINEA PIGS ARE PREY ANIMALS, THEY WILL INSTINCTIVELY BE NERVOUS AND RUN AWAY IF YOU TRY TO PICK THEM UP. THIS WILL BE TRUE FOR THEIR WHOLE LIFE. THIS IS ALSO DUE TO THEIR POOR EYESIGHT, SO THEIR FIRST INSTINCT IS TO GET AWAY FROM ANY POSSIBLE DANGER AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

TRY TALKING TO THEM AND PETTING THEM IF THEY’LL LET YOU BEFORE TRYING TO PICK THEM UP.

IF YOU MUST PICK THEM UP FOR, SAY, NAIL TRIMS OR A VET VISIT, A GOOD TIP IS TO LURE THEM INTO A HIDEY (PIGLOO, CUDDLE CUP, ANY OTHER BED) AND LIFT THE WHOLE BED UP WITH THEM IN IT. THIS IS SAFER FOR THEM, AS THEY PREFER THEIR FEET TO BE ON THE GROUND AT ALL TIMES (THIS COULD ALSO BE DUE TO THEIR BAD DEPTH PERCEPTION, SO BEING OFF THE GROUND CAN BE QUITE NERVE WRACKING FOR THEM).

SOME MORE TIPS:

  • Piggies are good with routines. Try to have a set time for feeding, being held if they let you, play/floor time, etc.
  • Hand feed your piggies in the cage as much as possible. Not all pigs will willingly take food from your hands at first, but it can be a great way to gain their trust.
  • Try to keep any loud noises at bay at all times, but especially when bonding and taming them.
THE MAIN GOAL TO MAKING A PIG TRUST YOU IS SPENDING LOTS OF TIME WITH THEM, HAVING A POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE WHEN INTERACTING WITH THEM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PATIENCE. THE KEY IS TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND LOVED, AND TO RESPECT WHEN THEY WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE.

IT WILL BE ALL WORTH IT IN THE END, TRUST ME 😉

LET US KNOW BELOW IF YOU HAVE ANY GOOD TIPS AND WE’LL ADD IT IN THE POST!

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