TRAINING YOUR GUINEA PIG
 It seems that guinea pigs learn mostly through repetition and association of cause-and-effect (which can also be thought of as classical conditioning, in psychological terminology). In particular, as with many animals, their zeal for learning is greatest when food is involved. All of this makes the guinea pig very trainable; they can learn to use a litter pan when outside the cage, and even come when their name is called. It takes a great deal of patience, and several sessions with your pet, but the potential is there.
To potty-train them, it's best to start by taking them out of the cage for only a few minutes at a time and letting them run around on the ground. Put them back in their cage, and wait for them to pee. After they do this, bring them back out. If you see your guinea pig get anxious on the floor, back into corners or perform other pre-toilet activities, put them back in their cage, and then reward them with a treat after they pee before letting them back out again. Eventually, they will get the idea that the cage is for peeing and the carpet is for playing.
Most guinea pigs learn quickly that the cage is a safe place, and as a general rule, they will litter in familiar territory. This does make potty training easier, provided you never let them establish a litter spot somewhere on the carpet in the corner of your room. If you opt to let them roam the house, or part of it, at will, it is inevitable that you will have a few accidents. Some well-placed litter pans can reduce, if not eliminate all of these.
Guinea pig poops, however, are harder to control, as they not only drop them at seemingly random times, but they also eat special, moist poops that are stored in a small sack inside their anus. These poops are essential to their health, but can be frustrating to owners, as they have no qualms about stopping whatever they are doing, wherever they happen to be, to reach down and eat a poop. And in doing so, they may eat half, and drop the rest where they are standing, which might very well be in the middle of your carpet.
Senses
Hearing: Guinea pigs hear extremely well, which makes sense given their extensive "vocabulary". They can hear sounds up to 30 kHz in frequency, well beyond the human limit of 20 kHz. As pets, they can differentiate between the footsteps of their owners, and react differently to a particular person's approach. Many animals will become conditioned to sounds related to feeding, such as the opening of the refrigerator door or the rustling of their feed. They also respond very well to certain types of music, which can have a very relaxing effect on them.
Smell: Though they don't smell as well as dogs or cats, their sense of smell is still considerably better than humans. Other guinea pigs are recognized by scent, as are their human owners.
Sight: Like all herbivores, guinea pigs have eyes mounted on the sides of their head, giving them a tremendous angle of vision. This is necessary for survival, as it allows them to spot predators from nearly any direction. Their vision is attuned mostly to movement, and they do not "resolve" objects at a distance. Note that side-mounted eyes provide almost no depth-perception, so guinea pigs have trouble gauging distances and heights, which can lead to nasty falls if you are not careful. They do, however, see in color, and experiments have shown that they distinguish color very well, particularly red, yellow and blue.
Basic Training
Your new guinea pig is adorable, playful and cuddly -- just darn cute. She's also chewing on everything in sight -- like the antique furniture -- and hasn't quite learned where the litter box is kept. Even the most perfect guinea pig comes into your home with a few habits that you won't necessarily appreciate. Part of that is being new, and part of that is simply her innate urge to chew anything that looks good to her. Before you resign yourself to misbehavior, consider some basic training.
Training Importance
Everyone knows you can train a dog, but it's not widely known that guinea pigs are trainable too. They are not quite on the same level as a dog, cat or rabbit, but they can be litter-box trained and taught where it's not appropriate to chew. Your guinea pig will learn to recognize the sound of your voice as well as your scent, and you'll be able to train her to come to you when called. Training a guinea pig takes time, patience and a commitment on your part; you'll need to set aside at least 30 minutes a day to devote to her training. If you get in the habit of working with your guinea pig every day, and you are consistent, you may have very good luck training her.
Like dogs, guinea pigs are social animals, used to living in large groups in the wild, and there is a guinea pig hierarchy similar to a dog's. But much of your guinea pig's natural behavior will depend on her personality, age, reproductive status and gender.
Younger guinea pigs (less than four months old), are naturally more energetic and it's not uncommon for them to dart here and there around your house. These vivacious youngsters are also the most notorious chewers, selecting a wide assortment of objects to gnaw on, from the leg of your favorite sofa to the vacuum cleaner cord. She doesn't mean to be destructive; chewing is just another way for her to familiarize herself with her world, and it strengthens her jaws while wearing down her teeth.
Once your guinea pig has been around awhile and she learns the lay of the land, she'll be less likely to chew on the furniture. Hey, she's been there, done that. She'll gradually slow down as she gets older, but the sooner you begin to train her, the better your chances of success. Training your guinea pig when you first bring her home is also a good way to develop a strong relationship with her. In order to train her, you need to spend time with her, and if you reward and praise her lavishly for each thing she does right, she will begin to see you as someone who loves her and is worthy of her attention.
Training Options
The kinds of training being discussed here have nothing to do with cute pet tricks, but will form the foundation of a harmonious home life for all involved. Training your guinea pig in the following areas will protect you both.
Litter Training
Even if she spends most of her day happily occupied in her cage or hutch, every guinea pig needs (and is entitled to) some out-of-cage, stretch-out-your-legs-and-explore time. The safest environment you can provide her for this activity is a well guinea-pig-proofed home. Allowing her free access to roam the house, for any time period, also means litter box training is essential. Guinea pigs who don't use their litter boxes leave unappealing messes where you least expect them and that's a habit that's both unsanitary and unattractive.
Acceptable Indoor Behavior
Guinea pigs have a long and deserved reputation for scratching, burrowing and chewing. However, guinea pigs are undeservedly accused of trying to wreck a home when all they're doing is acting on their natural instincts. The key here is redirection -- train your guinea pig to use your choices of digging and chewing materials, like in her nest box, and chew toys instead of the living room rug and the dining room table. Your home will be left undamaged, your guinea pig will have outlets for her very real instincts, and you won't be in the middle of a battle zone.
Once you've succeeded in training your guinea pig to adapt to the limits you want to set, you'll find you've accomplished something besides good manners. You'll have created a model with which to gauge her health, since one of the first indicators of a medical problem is often a change in behavior. When your well-trained guinea pig suddenly starts acting erratically, don't wonder if it's guinea pig adolescence -- call your veterinarian. But best of all, a guinea pig that's been trained firmly but lovingly will be a more secure, loving guinea pig, and your days together will hum along like a well-oiled engine.
The Importance Of Routine
Remember your prey animal is naturally suspicious (You would be too!), and developing a routine is the best way to earn your guinea pig's trust and to train her. Setting up a routine also means you won't forget to do the important things, like feeding her and making sure she has water.
A routine also appeals to your guinea pig's social needs. In the wild, guinea pigs live together in complex guinea pig societies, so it's important that her daily routine includes plenty of time with you. Bonding time can occur at the same time you are exercising and training her.
You'll also keep your guinea pig healthy by establishing a routine. As you train her and spend time with her on a routine basis, you are more likely to notice when she isn't feeling well. When she just isn't behaving normally you'll want to discuss the change in her actions with your veterinarian.
Achieving a routine is best accomplished by developing her schedule very early. The key is to do the same things, at the same time, every day, as much as possible - such as giving her fresh water and food every morning, or letting her out to run around every afternoon. Just be careful not to get her so set in her ways that she becomes stressed at the least change in her environment, or becomes so bored she's lethargic. Varying her diet with fresh goodies and treats and giving her new toys to play with will keep your guinea pig flexible and stimulated. Time spent grooming, playing with you, or the post-dinner cuddle and digestive session -- these are all examples of things you can incorporate into a daily routine for your guinea pig, things you'll both come to expect and look forward to.
Stress
Be aware that disruption to her routine can cause stress for your guinea pig. A well-trained guinea pig who lives comfortably with an established routine can be jolted by the loss of structure in her day, just as humans can be.
Guinea pigs are sensitive by nature and even the most adaptable guinea pig can react to a disruption in her routine. That disruption could be something as small (to you!) as not getting her food bowl filled at the regular time, or it could be something as major as a change of homes or a serious illness or death in the family, whether pet or human. Guinea pigs can't discuss their feelings or ask for your support during a difficult time. But just because they can't tell you they're stressed doesn't mean they don't feel it.
The most common symptoms of stress in your guinea pig include changes in her health and behavior, such as a loss of appetite or diarrhea, or any changes from her normal routine. As usual, any of these symptoms should be checked out by your veterinarian to rule out any medical problems, but if your guinea pig is in good health, look more closely at her environment and behavior for clues as to what's going on.
The Lift and Hold
When you bring your guinea pig home, let him have a few quiet days to adjust to his new surroundings before you start handling him. Speak to him softly in a comforting voice when you give him fresh water and food but don’t try to pick him up just yet. Instead, try feeding him some celery or a carrot stick directly from your fingers before you place his bowl on the cage floor. Hold the long-stemmed treat close enough to your guinea pig so that he can smell it but far enough away to make him stretch or take a step in your direction to grab it. With time, your guinea pig will come to recognize your voice and smell and may squeal expectantly whenever you enter the room.
To pick up your guinea pig, place one hand over his shoulders such that your thumb and forefingers brace his front legs and prevent him from leaping forward. Use your other hand to scoop under your guinea pig’s body and rump to support his weight. As you lift him, your grip should be firm but gentle. Remember: Guinea pigs almost never bite, and there is no reason for you to be more nervous about picking your pet up than he is.
Once you’ve lifted your guinea pig out of his cage, hold him close to your body. You can let him stand lengthwise across your arm as you hold it folded against your chest, or prop him up so that one of your hands cups his bottom as he stands with all four feet flat on your chest. Either way, be sure to hold your opposite hand against his back so that he feels secure and does not tip over backward or fall. Guinea pigs cannot land on their feet like cats can and have no means of protecting themselves from impact.
Owners who have mastered the lift-and-hold with their pets may want to move on to fancier tricks. Guinea pigs aren’t as easy to train as other rodents, but with patience you may be able to teach your guinea pig to run in a circle, to stand on a pedestal or to respond to his name.
As a general rule, young guinea pigs are more receptive to handling and training than older ones are. Some may never learn. Most small rodent training relies on a method called operant conditioning, wherein the rodent receives a reward every time he completes a specific task. However, to teach your guinea pig a completely new trick, you’ve got to start by rewarding small movements that will eventually lead up to the trick in full.
A Hungry Rodent Learns Best
Take a tip from laboratory researchers who train rats and gerbils for psychology studies – a hungry rodent learns best. That’s because the motivating factor for your pet to complete his tricks is not your praise or adoration, but the treat he earns after he has “done good.”
For example, if you want your guinea pig to run in a clockwise circle on command, kneel on the floor and place him on the ground facing you. Load your pockets with light treats, like carrot bits and keep a metal noisemaker (a “clicker”) in your hand. Say, “Turn.” then watch and wait. If by chance your guinea pig turns his head even the slightest bit to the right, click the noisemaker. The sound may startle your guinea pig, and he will likely look up at you in surprise. If you give him the reward then, he will soon come to recognize the sound as an indication he has done something right. After he has eaten his treat, place him back in the original position. Say, “Turn,” then sound the clicker and dispense with the reward if he responds as desired. As your guinea pig learns the signal, make it progressively harder to earn the reward. Give it to him only if he turns 45 degrees to the right, then only if he turns 90 degrees, and so on. This trick may take several weeks of daily half-hour training sessions to master.
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