Training your Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are intelligent little animals that can actually be trained to do some basic actions. They’re not very flexible, so don’t expect your guinea pig to be able to do any tricks like cats and dogs, but they can often come when called and be trained to use a litter box. This section includes some help and advice for those who want to try training their pets, but bear in mind that some guinea pigs will be smarter than others, so don’t be cross with your pet if it never quite manages it.
Training your guinea pigs requires a lot of patience, but it's also a lot of fun! Collect some of your guinea pigs' favourite treats to give them a strong incentive to learn, and keep repeating the training for a few weeks to give your pets plenty of practise.

Training a Guinea Pig to use a Litter Box

Lots of people don’t know that it’s actually possible to partially train guinea pigs to do their business in a litter box. Owners have a range of different levels of success with their pets, some taking to it quickly, some never learning no matter how hard their owners try. You may not be successful, so be sure to remember that it’s not your guinea pig’s fault if they poo outside their litter box - sometimes they can have accidents or just simply forget.
If you want to give it a try, buy a small mammal litter box and put in some bedding into it. Avoid anything like cat litter, as this could be harmful to your pet. Instead, we suggest trying some fresh bedding, or putting in some used bedding to make the area smell familiar to your guinea pigs. If you are training using old bedding, make sure the litter box isn’t so dirty that they won’t want to sit in it.
Another tip is that if you’ve noticed that your guinea pig likes to do their business in a particular place, then that area may be an excellent spot for your litter box.

If you keep an eye on your guinea pig and notice it going in the litter box, then immediately reward it with a treat. This will create an association between using the litter box and being rewarded, which will increase the likelihood that your guinea pig will perform that action again. However, not all guinea pigs will be able to do this, so don’t be disappointed if you’re not successful.

Training a Guinea Pig to Come When Called

Guinea pigs are intelligent little creatures, who develop strong bonds with their owners. If you have a bit of time and patience, it is possible to teach some guinea pigs to come when called, but some may never learn how. If they can’t learn, it’s really no one’s fault, so don’t be upset with your guinea pig if they can’t quite manage it.

Firstly, you’ll want to be sure the area you’re both in is secure and free of hazards. We suggest sitting at one end of your guinea pigs’ run, preferably the side that you can open and easily offer treats through.

Secondly, put a trail of small food items between you and your pet, with the last one in your hands.

Next, wait for your guinea pig to follow the trail. If they reach you via the trail, then reward them with the treat you have in your hands. Make sure to say their name as you do this.

Repeat these steps for at least 10 days. On the tenth day, don’t lay a trail, instead call their name and be sure to reward them if they come to you.

Training a Guinea Pig Not to Bite

Guinea pigs are very docile animals, and it’s very rare for them to bite without cause. Lots of guinea pigs will mouth their owners whilst they are being held, and this could be to get salt of your fingers or just to see if you’re edible! This shouldn’t hurt, and isn’t a sign of aggression, just curiosity.

Guinea pig’s teeth are one of their very few defensive tools, so if your guinea pig really does bite you, then it’s likely that they’re afraid of you. You can rectify this by teaching your guinea pig that it shouldn’t be afraid of you, and that it can expect affection, kindness and treats when you come towards it.

To stop your guinea pig biting, you need to figure out what's making it bite in the first place...

Fear:
Do you smell of something that your guinea pig will likely be afraid of, such as cats and dogs? Try wearing very clean clothes, and thoroughly wash your hands before you attempt to hold them. It may be a good idea to wear gloves to offer you some protection, and if you choose to do this then be sure to wash these too. Alternatively, try and reduce the stress your guinea pig is under. Are they in a very noisy area? Do they feel threatened by the proximity or behaviour of other pets?

Pain:
Next, try to understand what’s making your guinea pig bite you. One of the principle things that causes biting is pain. Are you sure you’re not holding your guinea pig too tightly? If this behaviour has recently developed, then your guinea pig might have an illness or injury that’s causing them pain, so try to give them a check over to see if they need to go to the vet. If they have a disease such as mange, this can make handling extremely painful for your pet, and it has no other way of telling you not to pick it up. Similarly, if your guinea pig wants to be put down so it can go to the loo, it may nibble you to tell you this. When you put your guinea pig back, carefully watch it to see if it just needed to satisfy a particular bodily need.

Living Conditions:
Other potential reasons for biting are to do with how your guinea pig is being kept. If it chews the bars of its hutch then this can indicate that your guinea pig is lonely and wanting to go and find a friend. If you only have one guinea pig, then even if you’re the most affectionate owner in the world then it will still be lonely without a guinea pig companion. If you’re sure you’re guinea pig isn’t lonely, then one final potential cause is testosterone - if your guinea pig isn’t neutered, then you might want to consider this course of action, but be aware that there is no guarantee that it will produce any change in behaviour.