This Little Piggy & Me

Where Every Little Piggy Finds Their FOREVER HOME

Understanding Your Guinea Pig

For a Rewarding and Special Relationship with your Guinea Pig, you need to understand him (or her). Domesticated Guinea Pigs are very similar to the wild cavy in the way they behave and communicate. Their instincts mimic those of Guinea Pigs in the wild.

GUINEA PIG BEHAVIOR IN THE WILD

■	You must first realize that guinea pigs are prey animals in order to understand their behavior. In the wild, they live their entire lives constantly on the lookout for larger animals that want to eat them. Each individual guinea pig's ability to be alert, wary and quick is what keeps him alive.
■	Wild cavies have a number of behaviors that help them avoid predators. In fact, every behavior that guinea pigs possess is designed to help them survive in the wild.
■	Wild cavies live in social groups known as herds. Life in the herd provides the guinea pig with security on a couple of levels. first, the more guinea pigs there are, the safer it is for each individual animal. For every guinea pig who lives in the colony, there is another set of eyes scouring the landscape, looking out for enemies. When one guinea spies a predator, he signals the others that danger is near.
■	The burrows of the guinea pig provide another form of protection against predators. Since herds construct a network of different burrows, there are rarely a shortage of holes to dive into when an enemy approaches.
■	In addition to their instinct of self-protection, guinea pigs also have a set of behaviors that allow them to live peacefully within their community groups. these rules contribute to the survival of the species, since the stronger, dominant animals are most likely to outlive the lesser members of the herd and go on to reproduce.
■	Like many other animals that live in groups with members of their species, guinea pigs follow a complex hierarchy. Each guinea pig herd contains a dominant male and a dominant female, with various other forms of dominance and appeasement in the group.

■	Your guinea pig has not changed much since his species was domesticated many years ago. The same instincts present in his ancestors live on in his genes. In order to communicate with your new friend and develop a good relationship, you need to understand how these instincts translate into the domestic environment you have created for him.
■	Always remember that guinea pigs are prey animals and are easily frightened. When you sense that your guinea pig is afraid, speak to him in a soft voice and move slowly around him. This will help your guinea pig distinguish you from an attacking predator, who would move quickly and aggressively.
■	Your guinea pig may appear to be afraid of something or someone that you consider harmless. Try to put yourself in your guinea pig's position. Since he does not have the powers of reason that humans do, he is not able to understand why he shouldn't be afraid of something that we know is not going to hurt him.
■	Know too, that your guinea pig's ears are very sensitive because they were designed to be able to detect the sounds of approaching predators. this also makes them sensitive to noises in the human environment. Booming sounds like music, a television or even shouting can drive your guinea pig to distraction. For this reason, noise should be kept to a minimum. The kindest thing a guinea pig owner can do is create a quiet, soothing atmosphere for their new friend.
■	Guinea pigs in the wild create a regular feeding schedule for themselves and stick to it. Given his, the most natural time for your piggie to eat is in the morning and evening. Try to provide your new friend with breakfast and dinner at the same times every day.
■	Also keep in mind that young piggies differ from older ones in their behavior and attitudes. Guinea pigs less than four (4) months old have not reached maturity. This means that they will often behave rambunctiously, much like a puppy or kitten. In the wild, these tendencies would help them learn to cope with life, teaching them to become active in the ways of a guinea pig herd.
■	Young guinea pigs tend to be particularly active when it comes to chewing and urinating in all the wrong places. Patience is key to helping a guinea pig get through this "teenage" period. A more mature and less troublesome adult will finally emerge.
■	And then there are the 'poopies'! Oh sorry, the correct term is coprophagy!! Defined as the behavior of a guinea pig eating his own droppings. Sounds disgusting, right?? While the idea may be one you'd rather not know about, it is a necessary behavior and not at all an act of uncleanliness. Guinea pigs form the B-complex vitamins in their appendix. By eating these 'special poopies' which are lighter in color and softer than the ordinary ones, they're seeing to it that they manufacture the B vitamins for themselves. Don't worry, your piggie will only devour fresh ones that come from his own body and the behavior is so subtle, you probably won't even notice!!

GUINEA PIG BEHAVIOR IN THE WILD

BODY LANGUAGE

■	PLAYING DEAD Wild cavies lie motionless on their backs to fool predators into thinking they are dead. They are "playing dead". If your guinea pig becomes extremely frightened when approached by strangers or other pets, you may see him roll over on his back and lie there without moving. This posture is a move designed to squelch the predator's instinct to attack. If your guinea assumes this position, assure him that everything is okay and take him out of the situation that is scaring him.
■	STRETCHING A stretched-out posture is a very relaxed one. Your guinea pig will lengthen his body across the floor and rest quietly. It will be obvious that he is very comfortable and totally at ease!
■	STIFFENED LEGS A guinea pig who is prepared to exert his dominance will rise up with his legs stiffened. This stance usually wards off any advances by other guinea pigs, but if the intruder doesn't back off, a fight might begin.
■	NOSE TOUCHING Guinea pigs greet one another by touching noses. This is a friendly gesture, usually reserved for familiar acquaintances.
■	JUMPING (or POPPING) The term 'jumping for joy' could have been coined by a guinea pig owner, since this is a typical expression of happiness in guinea pigs. Young guinea pigs are known especially for something called "popcorning" where they leap straight into the air.

As you spend time with your new friend, you will begin to notice that he has certain mannerisms and vocalizations that may seem odd. Because guinea pigs communicate with body language and sounds, most of the behaviors you are witnessing are messages about how your guinea pig feels about you and his environment.

■	SQUEALING The squeal of a piggie is unmistakable. Its high-pitched sound pierces the air. In the wild, cavies use squealing as a warning to let their herdmates know that a predator is approaching. It is also a sound for pain and fear, and is often a cry for attention. The squeal is also used to beg for food, but only with humans.
■	COOING The sweet sound of a mother guinea pig cooing to her babies is very pleasant. Guinea pigs use this sound to reassure fellow adults. People who have very special relationships with their guinea pigs are also rewarded with cooing sounds.
■	GURGLING The gurgling sound of a happy guinea pig is another reward for special humans. Gurgling is an expression of contentment and happiness. If your guinea pig gurgles at you, you can bet you are doing something right.
■	TEETH CLACKING Stay out of your guinea pigs way when you hear this sound!! This sound means "Stay Away!!" in guinea pig language. This is a warning extended to other guinea pigs, nosy pets, and certain humans. Ignoring this sound could result in a nasty bite from a very upset little guinea pig.

Guinea pigs are vocal creatures, and they like to communicate by sound. The average guinea pig makes a wide array of noises, each meant to communicate something to his herdmates - and to humans.

VOCALIZATIONS