seth@hp-kirk.UUCP (07/21/83)
#N:hp-kirk:17400001:000:346 hp-kirk!seth Jul 18 21:44:00 1983 I have a pet guinea pig, and I am aware that there are guinea pig shows. Has anybody ever been to a show? I am also interested in training my guinea pig if possible. I know rabbits can be trained and guinea pigs are similar to rabbits. If someone has had success with a rabbit or other rodent I would be interested in hearing about it. Seth
jrf@hp-pcd.UUCP (07/21/83)
#R:hp-kirk:17400001:hp-pcd:20300001:000:37 hp-pcd!jrf Jul 20 09:19:00 1983 We have one as President now. jrf
mark@cbosgd.UUCP (07/22/83)
We have Guinea Pigs, but have never attempted to show them. We have been able to train them, somewhat. Cavies have remarkably small brains and do not train easily. To see their intelligence, here's an anecdote: We took our pig up to our inlaws for a few days. They have a cat, and cats like to eat rodents. So the pig stayed in the cage, and the cat was fascinated. The day came to change the cage, so we put the cage on the kitchen floor and the let the pig out on the floor. The cat was sitting in the corner of the floor, and we kept nearby to avert any sudden attacks. The pig realized she was out in the open, and decided to hide (the cavy's primary means of defense is hiding). She decided the best hiding place was in the corner the cat was in, so, oblivious to the cat already there, the pig plowed into the corner and forced the cat out! (Later, the cat figured it out and decided that going for the neck was better than backing off, but the pig is still alive and healthy, thanks to prompt intervention.) Anyway, the standard trick for a cavy is to stand on their back legs. This isn't really very hard to teach them - you just hold a treat (let them nibble on it once so they know what you have) about 8 inches above their head. Eventually they figure it out. Don't give it to them while they are standing up, but rather give it to them immediately after they come back down. And don't accept any imitation standups (e.g. climbing up on the side of the cage, or stopping short because they are under a box that prevents them from coming up all the way). You may have to pick the spot you hold the treat to be clear of nearby obsticles. Repeated positive/negative enforcement (ala Pavlov's dog) work on cavies. I have taught them the word "No" (actually, the tone of voice) by following it up with a smack. They also quickly learn the sound the refridgerator door makes, and "week" loudly in anticipation of a treat. Housebreaking a cavy is out of the question - ours have been too stupid to go on the other side of the cage, rather they just go and then lay in it. You can make your pig happy by providing it with a box to hide in inside the cage - they like to chew on them so you'll have to replace it every few weeks. We use cookie boxes from bakery outlets - something the size of a Kleenex box, or a little bigger, is best, but it should be thicker cardboard. They also love lettuce, carrots, alfalfa hay, and "Guinea Pig Treat". Some like popcorn, peanuts (once they figure out how to open them), sunflower seeds (should be raw - not salted, roasted, or in oil), and various things that go in salads which are chewey or green and leafy. For a special treat, take your pig outside and let it eat the lawn! (A box to hide under helps.) They do not like being handled or petted, but will tolerate it if they get a treat. Try to train your pig to lick your finger/nose to get down - this is very hard, as they usually nibble instead.