Raising a healthy and sociable guinea pig is something all owners will want for their cavy. How you raise your cavy will influence his behavior and attitude a lot. Proper care goes beyond just giving it food, water and shelter. Love and attention goes a long way in making sure your pet thrives in your home.
If you are looking to raise a cavy that is happy and a joy to be around, here are some tips that you can help your guinea pig warm up to you:
Give them some private space. An important feature of a guinea pig hutch or cage is an enclosure that allows your guinea to hide. This will make them feel more secure knowing that they have a place to retreat to or to rest when they want to avoid too much stimulation.
Put their home in a location where you will often bump into them or see them. Remember, out of sight, out of mind. Putting your pets in the garage or backyard where they are our of everyone’s way will lead to neglect. Whereas if your pets are somewhere where you will always pass them, it makes it more natural to have regular and frequent interactions with them.
Provide the basic needs of your cavy. Make sure they are fed regularly and have access to clean potable water all the time. If they seem sluggish or sick, having the problem diagnosed and cured as much as possible will prevent the situation from worsening. Keep in mind that a healthy guinea pig is a happy guinea pig.
Play with your guinea pig. The more time you spend playing with your cavy, the more comfortable she will be around you. Cavies are social animals and they enjoy being part of a family. Be sure to set aside time to play with them and to interact with them and you will be rewarded with a playful and genial guinea pig.
Interact with your guinea pig often. Feed them out of your hand, talk to them, pick them up and stroke their fur, perhaps even giving them a gentle massage. Things like these will make your cavy feel loved.
Give you guinea pig time to get used to you. If your first few attempts at picking them up and handling them are met with “rejection”, don’t take it as a negative. It simply means that they are still getting used to you and getting used to their new environment. Continue to spend time with them and interact with them. Soon, they will realize that you mean them no harm.
Teach children how to handle them properly. Guinea pigs are often kept as pets in households with children because of the genial and warm nature of these pets. For the sake of the cavies, it is important that children are taught how to handle and interact with them properly.
If you want to own a guinea pig for your pet, you have a lot to learn about them. For more detailed information on how to keep your new pet healthy and happy, visit Petsium.