What do they like!?

[Jnusbaum817]

Hello All,

This forum has been a great source of assistance and knowledge as we get used to our new piggies. We have now had our girls for 6 weeks. I still am not sure what they like and do not like in terms of activities or petting (aside from eating they will always do that). I know they dont want their head pet anymore if they butt your finger away, but thats really the only tell I can work out. They are generally sweet and tame, but they make so many different noises and I have no idea what they mean.

Please tell me what you have all learned to figure out what they like and do not like, I cannot find any definitive source of information. The last pet I had was a dog 10 years ago (pre kids) and it was very easy to tell what she liked and did not like.

 

[Merab]

What beautiful piggies
Welcome to the world of trying to work out what they like and don’t like.
As you have already discovered food is always welcome.
Have a look at the diet thread on the forum for advice on what to feed and how often.

Not all piggies like being petted so just accept them as they are. In time they will become familiar with you and feel comfortable with you.

Enrichment in the cage usually goes down very well.
Carrot cottages and hay cubes are very popular.
Mine have all loved a paper bag filled with hay.
These are things that provide food as well opportunity for a piggy’s destructive tendency.

Much of it is trial and error as every piggy is different.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

What beauties!

Communication with humans as their pets is a still very much a new and developing area of interaction, so it is very individual.

But you may find the relevant last chapter of our extensive behaviour guide helpful and interesting: Guinea Pig Behaviours in their Context

This guide is part of our New Owners information resource, which you might like to bookmark as it specifically tries to address all the areas we have got the most questions and concerns about in the nearly 20 years our existence (which have also gone into our guides) as well as our personal long term ownership experiences:
Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners

 

[wheek!guinea]

Hello All,

This forum has been a great source of assistance and knowledge as we get used to our new piggies. We have now had our girls for 6 weeks. I still am not sure what they like and do not like in terms of activities or petting (aside from eating they will always do that). I know they dont want their head pet anymore if they butt your finger away, but thats really the only tell I can work out. They are generally sweet and tame, but they make so many different noises and I have no idea what they mean.

Please tell me what you have all learned to figure out what they like and do not like, I cannot find any definitive source of information. The last pet I had was a dog 10 years ago (pre kids) and it was very easy to tell what she liked and did t like.

Welcome to the piggy pet world! It's difficult sometimes to figure out what they like and don't like but they do make it clear one-way or another. For example, when I'm holding my older boar and he has to use the restroom he will grab my shirt and pull on it, letting me know he'd rather use the potty in his cage and not on me. Wheeking almost always means "I want food" or "I want a snack." Other sounds can be situational, but we aren't 100% sure what all communication sounds mean but we have an idea on most of it. This wonderful Youtuber has been my source of guinea pig information since I began owning them, and she goes over some of the common sounds they make and what they tend to mean.