Are Pet-store Guinea Pigs Tame?
- Thread starter Leah123
- Start date
Gia
Teenage Guinea Pig
I commented on one of your threads about my pigs.
Veggies Galore
Senior Guinea Pig
Hi Leah! Guinea pigs have different personalities so we can't really say how tame they will be. I would hope they are used to being handled but, if I were you, I would ask the pet shop how much they are handled.
And, don't forget, they take time to settle in
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
And, don't forget, they take time to settle in
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
It very much depends on the personality and the background. Please always get two of the same gender and not just one guinea pig! Guinea pigs are SOCIAL animals that need the company of their own kind.
You CANNOT replace the 24/7 need for companionship and constant stimulation and you fail your pet right at the first hurdle with its most basic need. Two guinea pigs need the same minimal size cage 2x4 ft cage as just one guinea pig to be able run and move around freely.
Companionship
Most pet shop and breeder piggies don't have much in the way of human interaction, so they are running on prey animal instincts. One of them is to sit quietly and docile when caught by a predator. Most people mistake that for liking to be handled. Those are the people that then inevitably post a thread on here "Why does my guinea pig suddenly hate me?" a few weeks in when said guinea starts to trust a human enough to tell them their true feelings. You have to be patient and work through this phase, which is actually a huge step forward. All guinea pigs need time to settle in and get their bearings in new surroundings at first.
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
If you can get to one of the recommended rescues, that would be best, as those piggies really do get human interaction and care, which they do not get a shelter with a killing/no medical care policy. With the free-ads you take your potluck since you can never know just how well cared for the piggies and how honest the owners are about handling, medical issues or pregnancy.
Good guinea pig rescues where you are in safe hands in several countries: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations
Tameness of piggies depends upon a combination of their individual personality and how they have been handled previously. No piggy is born tame. They are prey animals and have to overcome their natural instincts to run. You have to put time and patience and kindness into winning their trust. Some never enjoy being handled. Others, after your time and patience, are naturals. With adopted piggies they have usually lived in the rescue owner or fosterer's home for a reasonable period so you are likely to get a more honest appraisal of their personality and how they are with handling.
Pawz
Adult Guinea Pig
- Joined
- May 16, 2016
- Messages
- 4,239
- Reaction score
- 5,460
- Points
- 1,425
Having read all the posts from this user I am going to chime in with something completely different.
Are you SURE guinea pigs are for you?
Guinea pigs are prey animals that scare EASILY even when they are tame. Yes they can be cuddly in lap times but it can take a lot of time, effort and patience to achieve this. Many of the forum piggies took months or even years to have the special bonds they now have with their owners. Of course not all two piggies are alike and even if you did come across a very tame one that probably had a previous home, you still have to allow time for it to adjust to you.
I enjoy handling the guinea pigs in our home (which is done daily) but I mostly just watch them doing their thing as that is when they seem the most comfortable. Even Flynn who loved to lick my arms in lap time and was tame from day 1 (rescue pig) seemed more content to be playing with his cage buddies while I watched than rather be sat too long in my lap.
The children treat the guinea pigs like "mini rabbits" in the sense that they are more of an observational pet than one that exclusively wants cuddles all the time. Our rats on the other hand are out of the cage almost constantly when someone is home and riding around on shoulders, getting into mischief and wanting your attention, but that's a very different animal.
Are you SURE guinea pigs are for you?
Guinea pigs are prey animals that scare EASILY even when they are tame. Yes they can be cuddly in lap times but it can take a lot of time, effort and patience to achieve this. Many of the forum piggies took months or even years to have the special bonds they now have with their owners. Of course not all two piggies are alike and even if you did come across a very tame one that probably had a previous home, you still have to allow time for it to adjust to you.
I enjoy handling the guinea pigs in our home (which is done daily) but I mostly just watch them doing their thing as that is when they seem the most comfortable. Even Flynn who loved to lick my arms in lap time and was tame from day 1 (rescue pig) seemed more content to be playing with his cage buddies while I watched than rather be sat too long in my lap.
The children treat the guinea pigs like "mini rabbits" in the sense that they are more of an observational pet than one that exclusively wants cuddles all the time. Our rats on the other hand are out of the cage almost constantly when someone is home and riding around on shoulders, getting into mischief and wanting your attention, but that's a very different animal.
Most guinea pigs, regardless of where you get them, are not 'tame' and easy to pick up right at the start. They are prey animals and nervous by nature. Look at it from an evolutionary perspective. They are little herbivores at the bottom of the food chain. Nothing in the wild wants to pick you up because it wants to be your friend. It wants to eat you. Thus, guinea pigs have naturally evolved to be scared when a large predator wants to pick them up. And we are, though benign in the case of our pets, a large predator.
My pigs have all been from pet stores (the only real option for me in my location and in my circumstances.) None have been completely docile and tame when they came home. There was no one I was unable to pick up... but I have had small animals for about 30 years and am pretty adept at picking them up. However, there definitely is a period of making friends with your guinea pig and getting them to learn that you are harmless and might even have food. All of my guinea pigs have ended up being wonderful little pets (with various levels of tractability as far as picking them up goes- Hadley is still a 'runner' when you pick her up though she will then nap on your knee once you have her, whereas picking up Leela is pretty much like picking up a paperweight that breathes- she is just really docile.) But you should not go into guinea pig ownership expecting a pet that wants to cuddle with you from the day you bring them home. Expect an adjustment period and to put in time socializing your guinea pig over the first few weeks. Time and patience and reasonable expectations will pay off in spades in the long run.
My usual procedure for making friends with small animals (including guinea pigs) is to give them a couple days to settle once they come home where I leave them be... then to start picking them up (even if it's difficult and I had to pick them up in a cozy or a tube) a couple times a day, sitting in a quiet room, letting them hide in a blanket on my lap where they feel comfortable, and patting them, talking softly to them, and offering them food. Mine have all warmed up reasonably quickly (within a couple weeks) with this method, though some enjoyed lap time more than others depending on their personality.
My pigs have all been from pet stores (the only real option for me in my location and in my circumstances.) None have been completely docile and tame when they came home. There was no one I was unable to pick up... but I have had small animals for about 30 years and am pretty adept at picking them up. However, there definitely is a period of making friends with your guinea pig and getting them to learn that you are harmless and might even have food. All of my guinea pigs have ended up being wonderful little pets (with various levels of tractability as far as picking them up goes- Hadley is still a 'runner' when you pick her up though she will then nap on your knee once you have her, whereas picking up Leela is pretty much like picking up a paperweight that breathes- she is just really docile.) But you should not go into guinea pig ownership expecting a pet that wants to cuddle with you from the day you bring them home. Expect an adjustment period and to put in time socializing your guinea pig over the first few weeks. Time and patience and reasonable expectations will pay off in spades in the long run.
My usual procedure for making friends with small animals (including guinea pigs) is to give them a couple days to settle once they come home where I leave them be... then to start picking them up (even if it's difficult and I had to pick them up in a cozy or a tube) a couple times a day, sitting in a quiet room, letting them hide in a blanket on my lap where they feel comfortable, and patting them, talking softly to them, and offering them food. Mine have all warmed up reasonably quickly (within a couple weeks) with this method, though some enjoyed lap time more than others depending on their personality.
TheLottiediarys
Teenage Guinea Pig
Why not just go to a rescue,
Changes are it will be cheaper, because rescues ask for a small donation and Craigslist pets being sold usually want to make money off them.
Chances are if you get one off Craigslist it will have mites/ other medical issues whereas a rescue won't have all those issues because they treat their animals before adoption
Leah123
Junior Guinea Pig
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2017
- Messages
- 57
- Reaction score
- 17
- Points
- 85
I would love to buy from a rescueWhy not just go to a rescue,
Changes are it will be cheaper, because rescues ask for a small donation and Craigslist pets being sold usually want to make money off them.
Chances are if you get one off Craigslist it will have mites/ other medical issues whereas a rescue won't have all those issues because they treat their animals before adoption
But there aren't any near me 
There is a place near me called southern agriculture, they have guinea pigs. Would that be a good place to get one from? Or is that the same as a pet store?
Veggies Galore
Senior Guinea Pig
Hi Leah. Can I check - are you based in the UK, US or elsewhere?
Lorcan
Forum Buddy
I I think they said elsewhere they'd be moving to Oklahoma soon. Even if they're not in the US already, I doubt anyone would get a pet just before moving abroad?
Edit: Sorry, rereading that it sounds really rude in my head. I just meant I'd go with US advice rather than anywhere else.
Reenie
Adult Guinea Pig
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2017
- Messages
- 3,211
- Reaction score
- 3,807
- Points
- 1,275
- Location
- Kirkintilloch, Glasgow
I consider my piggies to be pretty tame. They always come to me, and climb all over me if I have food - but they still run away if I try to pick them up. My point here is - they are tame WITH ME. Any time anyone else comes in the room, they hide, and it takes them a while to come over - even when food is involved. You just never know what you'll get with guinea pigs, so if you do decide to get them, you have to be prepared for the fact they may never be happy about being picked up - or they may love it eventually...it's a risk you take, but you're committed to them for their whole lives either way, so you need to be prepared for that.
Veggies Galore
Senior Guinea Pig
Little Pigs
New Born Pup
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2017
- Messages
- 46
- Reaction score
- 74
- Points
- 200
It depends mostly on the guinea pig, Pet store animals are not handled so can be very skittish. My two boys were brought from a pet shop and are extremely tame but that was mostly due to them having an outgoing personality. Please note that not all pet shops treat their animals in a humane manner and it is advised to research the shop before buying your new pig.