How to train a guinea pig to the toilet (tray) in one place

Funny, peaceful guinea pigs are popular among pet lovers. These animals live in cages, do not cause much trouble, and give a lot of positive emotions. But there is one drawback to keeping these animals. Even with regular cleaning of the cage, an unpleasant odor from your pet's excrement appears. The problem can be eliminated by properly arranging a toilet for the animal, which is easy to clean and maintain order in the cage. However, it should be taken into account that the process of accustoming an animal to a tray is quite complex and will require a lot of patience. There are certain rules and techniques that allow you to instill such a useful skill in a rodent.

Is it possible to train a guinea pig to a litter box?

It is much more difficult to develop toilet behavior skills in a furry rodent than in a kitten or puppy, but it is quite possible. With due attention, care and diligence, guinea pigs can be potty trained, so in this regard they are not so different from other animals. Moreover, pigs of any age category are amenable to training of this kind: from very young children to adults.

REFERENCE: The future owner of pigs should know that until approximately two months of life, guinea pigs choose the territory of their entire home as a toilet, relieving themselves wherever necessary.

As guinea pigs grow up, they try to do their toileting in more hidden places, which, as a rule, are the far corners of the cages. After carefully observing your fluffy for a while, you need to place the tray in the place that the pig prefers most for going to the toilet. Moreover, many guinea pigs immediately understand the purpose of a new item in their home and are happy to use it for its intended purpose.

REFERENCE: Potential animal owners should also understand that there are also guinea pigs who will very happily accept the litter box as a new resting place, where they will eventually sleep, while relieving their natural needs outside the new bedroom.

Trays may vary in shape

Diversity of our assortment

Models of pens and enclosures are made of metal with galvanization or powder coating in different shades, with different diameters of rods and the distance between them. The range also includes options with a wooden frame with a durable metal mesh or fabric pens made of wear-resistant polyester with a rubberized bottom.

Advantages of the designs:

thoughtful design,
nice appearance,
reliability and stability,
mobility,
ease of assembly,
long service life.

Some models of enclosures for chinchillas and other rodents are equipped with a floor and roof made of solid, mesh or combined material. For convenience, the pens are equipped with doors or hatches. Depending on the intended placement, you can choose an option with a floor and ceiling or only a metal structure and individual accessories. You can also compare products on the site and choose the most suitable one.

Types of trays and fillers: choosing the best

Tray selection

To select the most suitable tray, you first need to pay attention to the following parameters:

Tray size;
the thickness of its walls;
mounting methods provided by the manufacturer;
tray shape;
the height of its sides.

In this case, the trays, as a rule, are as follows:

Corner trays designed for left or right corners. The main advantage of such trays is that it is quite possible to fix them simultaneously on two walls of the cage;
Rectangular trays. The advantage of such trays is their stability, as well as their large area.
Curly, more beautiful trays. The only usefulness of such trays is that guinea pigs can simply rest in them. However, it is impossible to fasten them close to the walls of the cell.

Considering that pigs like to relieve themselves in the corners of their homes, most owners prefer a corner shape of the tray. Of course, it is quite possible to install a rectangular toilet in the corner of the cage, but a corner one will take up much less space.

IMPORTANT: The future tray must be selected based on the size of the animal itself, as well as its cage. This way, the litter box will move in and out of the cage without difficulty, and your rodent will be comfortable and comfortable with the new toilet.

Manufacturers of trays for guinea pigs and other rodents often use non-toxic plastic for these accessories.
Trays made of this material are easy to clean and do not become saturated with an unpleasant odor for a long time. Have you decided to take a corner toilet or a rectangular one?

How to choose a filler

To organize a toilet for a guinea pig, you should definitely give preference exclusively to high-quality litter. This is required primarily so that the fillers can absorb excess liquid well, as well as unpleasant odors. Otherwise, you will have to clean the tray two or even three times a day.

The most popular filler options for a guinea pig litter box:

Wooden sawdust. The main disadvantage of a sawdust tray is that the wood chips take too long to dry. Because of this, pig owners have to clean their cages much more often than they would like. The advantage of this filler is that guinea pigs simply adore such natural compounds. They can also use sawdust to grind down teeth.
Sand from the river. Before direct use of such filler, it must be thoroughly washed and dried under natural conditions. This is important in order to protect your pet from possible infections and diseases.
Clay. This component is quite in demand in modern pet stores, as it perfectly absorbs both unpleasant odors and excess moisture, which greatly simplifies the process of cleaning your pet’s home. However, clay contains a high content of quartz dust, which can cause significant harm to the health of guinea pigs.
Cat litter. Even despite the fact that these pets are in no way similar to each other, cat litter is perfect for any of the rodents.

Carefully monitor the behavior of the animal - install the toilet where it most often goes to the toilet

Team training

After taming, they begin to train guinea pigs.
It is important to remember that you should not shout at your pet or use force against it.

You should not try to master all the tricks in one training session. It is better to start with simple commands, and after successfully mastering them, move on to more complex options.

The tasty reward should be removed gradually and only after the command has been fully mastered.

Stand

The simplest command for any animal. To teach this command to a guinea pig, you need to place the animal on a flat, hard surface. A treat is held over the pet's head. The animal reaches for the treat, at which time the owner calmly says “stop.” The animal can reach the treat by standing on its hind legs. When this happens, the animal is praised and treated. The command must be repeated several times and the pet must be treated. These actions need to be repeated until the animal understands what is required of it. After mastering the command, it is repeated periodically so that the pet does not forget.

To me

This team will need about two weeks to train. To begin with, the rodent is placed on a flat surface a meter from the owner. Then the owner shows the pig a treat and calls him by name in a calm voice. As soon as the animal approaches, you need to pet it and treat it with a treat. It is better to do classes every day. After mastering the command, the distance between the student and the teacher is increased.

U-turn

To execute this command, you need to bring the treat over your pet's head. When the pig becomes interested in the treat, you need to slowly begin to describe a circle above the animal’s head. It is better to move your hand clockwise, while repeating the command “circle” or “turn around”. You should not immediately make a circle if the animal quickly loses interest in the treat. You can first make turns of 45 degrees, then 90 and until the turn is complete. You need to train every day so that the animal does not forget the learned elements.

Kiss

It doesn't take much effort or training to execute this command. All you need to do is hold a piece of the animal’s favorite treat with your lips. Then you need to bring the pig to the owner's head. As soon as the pet smells the tasty treat, it will reach out to its owner’s lips and take a piece.

Give me your paw

This command is more difficult to execute than the previous ones. To do this, you need to put the pig on the sofa. The owner himself is located in front of the rodent on the floor. He extends his left hand, palm up, towards the animal, and with his right hand he lures the animal with a treat. When the animal begins to move towards the person, the owner gives the command “give me your paw.” And as soon as the student’s paw is in his hand, the animal is praised and treated to something tasty.

It is important to be careful so that the animal does not fall on the floor

Achieving results in executing this command requires regular training.

Roll the ball

This command is also based on the guinea pig's natural desire to eat. To execute the command you need a ping pong ball or other small light ball, a strip of carrot or celery. Place the treat under the ball and wait for the pet to become interested in it. And then you can give the command “Push.” To get the treat, the pig will have to push the ball with its muzzle. This team needs to be trained regularly to achieve results. After a few sessions, the bait is removed from under the ball.

Jump through the ring

This command will require a ring and a treat. You can make the ring yourself from wire or use a tennis racket after removing the fishing line.

First, the ring is placed edge-on on the floor. A pig is placed on one side of the ring, and a treat on the other. Having noticed the treat, the pet will go to it through the ring. At the same time, the owner gives the command “ring”. If your pet doesn’t see the treat, you need to move it closer.

As soon as the pig gets through the ring, he should be praised and allowed to treat himself. Over time, the ring is raised. The final lifting height of the ring is considered to be a distance of 3 cm.

Trained guinea pigs are not exotic, but a completely normal phenomenon. Each owner can teach the animal to follow commands in order to develop it and entertain it. And the owner will also have a pleasant time with his pet.

Toilet training a guinea pig

Choosing a place for the toilet

First, you need to observe your furry rodent for some time to identify the most popular place for him to go to the toilet. Observation is usually necessary for two to three days. So, when cleaning the cage, pay attention to where the most animal waste products accumulate. This is exactly the place that will become the future territory of the tray. This tactic will greatly increase the chances that your guinea pig will go to the toilet in the place you choose.

Toilet training in one place: recommendations

Careful observation by the owner of the behavior of the furry pet will make it possible to toilet train the guinea pig as quickly as possible. By the way, most of these individuals begin to use the tray on their own if it is located in a place they have already determined. If this does not happen, then you can put some dry grass in the tray. This will be a kind of incentive for the rodent to want to get inside. You can also add two or three granules saturated with the smell of feces to the tray.

Some guinea pigs relieve themselves in the same place where they eat. In this case, the animal owner needs to put some food inside the tray - this way the animal will get used to the new toilet.

ATTENTION: The filler must be changed every three days, and the tray must be washed no more often than once every two weeks, since the specific smell of the animal must remain in the tray.

How to stop shitting in flowers and on the carpet?

Some pets perceive a pot with soil as a litter box. But animal urine can lead to the death of the flower, so you need to wean yourself from the habit of peeing in a pot. You can do it like this:

Place a piece of lemon near the flowers, the smell of which will distract;
Make window sills slippery using bags. It will be more difficult for the cat to reach, and she will change her mind about marking near the potty;
Equip the windowsill with a mini-fence;
Stick a few toothpicks or matches into the ground near the flowers.

But the most popular place for cats to relieve themselves is the carpet. In this case, you need to wash it well and get rid of the smell. This is best done by dry cleaning, although you can also do it yourself. Various disinfectants or vinegar are suitable for this. It is also recommended to treat the carpet with essential oils, such as orange or bergamot. Smells are also particularly repulsive to cats.

Typical mistakes when organizing and toilet training

Pet owners may not pay attention to certain factors that negatively affect the condition of guinea pigs.

Use a filler that forms lumps. The pig begins to eat this filler, since it looks similar to the food. Because of this, the animal may choke or become poisoned.
There is no need to scold the animal, as this can have a bad effect on its nervous system; the rodent will experience stress and may stop eating.
Do not force your guinea pig into a new litter box. Not every pet is able to understand the actions of its owner. Guinea pigs are quite difficult to train. And, if they don’t want to go into such a tray, it will not be easy to train them. At times like these, you need to be patient.

Adviсe

Choose a tray of suitable size that will allow the rat to sit freely. The animal should climb there easily.

If your pet is used to the litter box, keep the container clean and change the litter daily. Then the rodent will not return to the old habit of arranging a toilet throughout the cage.

In a multi-level cage, it is easier to toilet train a rat if you install containers on each “floor”.

If you start toilet training your animal from an early age, then over time the animal will need a larger container.

Smart rodents quickly begin to follow new rules. They are quite trainable, so it’s worth trying to instill the skill of going to a special toilet.

Learning difficult tricks

Guinea pigs are capable students. Trained rodents clearly know the sequence of performing the act: command-action-treat. Training is based on the formation of conditioned reflexes that help perform the task correctly.

The result will not be long in coming if people follow the basic principles of domestication:

Interest. Rodents love to eat, so the main incentive for them is tasty food. Slices of fruits, vegetables, and dried fruits are suitable as treats. Observing your pet will help you understand which of the proposed products is of particular interest.
Sound signal. Each trick during training must be reinforced with a certain sound (word, whistle, knock).
Action. Guinea pigs are not particularly flexible or graceful, so you should not expect complex maneuvers from them. The pet should like the game.
Increasing difficulty. Training begins with simple techniques. The actions become more difficult when the previous tricks are fully mastered.

Weasel helps in mastering skills. The peaceful atmosphere, smell and calm voice of the owner set the pet up for communication

Conditioned reflexes are easily developed by careful handling of the animal

Give me your paw

In nature, guinea pigs do not push food towards themselves with their paws. But you can train an animal to perform a trick with the help of a cunning maneuver. One palm is brought to the pet's face, the other is held with a treat. To bite off a piece, the pig will have to place its paw on an outstretched palm. During training, the command “give me your paw” should be heard.

Football player

Guinea pigs play football in an original way: they hit the ball with their muzzle. A beginning football player is not fed for 8–12 hours before training.

Training is carried out in a spacious enclosure. The size of the ball doesn't matter. The main thing is that it is light. Place a sprig of greenery under the ball and wait for the pet to smell the treat. To take food, the animal will roll the ball to the side. During training, the command “roll” should sound. Gradually the pig will learn to roll the ball around the entire pen.

Jump through the ring

The trick can be done by an experienced circus performer. The owner places a ring (diameter 20–30 cm) between the pet and the treat. When the “ring” sound is made, the guinea pig is gently nudged so that it steps over the lower rim. During training, the ring is raised to a height of 4–5 cm.

On the shoulder

Rodents love to watch what is happening from above. Lure a pig onto your shoulder with treats

It is important that the animal makes the journey on its own. If you put him on your shoulder, he may get scared

Necessary materials

Multilayer and dense corrugated cardboard,
Metal mesh or lattice with a mesh no larger than three centimeters,
Ordinary plastic cable ties,
Knife,
Scotch tape,
Large and small scissors
Pencils or markers for marking,
Ruler.

It is best to use cardboard from large household appliances. It's more durable.

To ensure that the cardboard does not allow moisture to pass through, it must be glued on the inside with tape in two or three layers. Some people prefer to cover the inside with acrylic or even fiberglass. Cardboard is an ideal material - it is light, easy to work with, odorless and harmless, and also easy to find. You should be careful when choosing a metal mesh. The recommended mesh is three centimeters, but if you are keeping a family of pigs and planning to produce offspring, you must choose a mesh with a mesh no larger than a centimeter. Otherwise, the kids will crawl all over the apartment.

Bed

Unlike bedding, a bed is not a mandatory attribute in a pet's cage, but a piglet will appreciate a cozy place to sleep. The bed should be spacious enough so that the animal can stretch out its legs if desired. Soft sides are also welcome; the animal can use them as a pillow.

At the pet store you can find beds of various sizes and colors. A comfortable mattress or bag can be easily made with your own hands: sewn or knitted. If the owner sewed the bed herself, taking into account all the features of the pet, then the likelihood that the animal will fall in love with the new sofa is higher.

The most popular are round-shaped beds. To sew such a basket you will need:

Product pattern

In the center there is a sleeping place, and along the edges there are sides. The length of the AB line is the length of the sleeping place, it depends on the size of the pet (it is better not to make it less than 30 cm). The height of the sides should not be too high so that the rodent can easily get into the shelter (no more than 5 cm).

Features of behavior

Character

They are calm and friendly, love to play and run around the apartment.
Animals often lick their owner’s hands. This is how they express gratitude for your attention and love.

A guinea pig is a social animal that craves communication, affection and love. If you decide to have one, then keep in mind that you can’t just leave them alone, for them it’s a lot of stress, boredom and, as a result, a serious shortening of life

It is better to pay enough attention to them or bring a second relative into the house

When stressed, they can become aggressive and bite hard. Most often this happens when the animal is scared or unhappy (if you tear it away from food, for example). Stress is especially pronounced during a move; at this time it is better to leave the pet alone and give it time to adapt. Also, the animal can show aggression before bedtime.

Behavior

Guinea pigs have excellent hearing, so in nature they use verbal signals that allow them to communicate with each other and transmit information

A shrill squeak. If you hear it from your pet, know that he demands to be fed immediately.
Clicking - with this signal the guinea pig wants to say that you are crossing the boundaries of its personal space and demands that you respect its tendency to be alone.
“Cooing” is great, he wants to thank you for finally deigning to feed him or stroke his fur.
A quiet whistle - the animal is clearly scared and wants a hug.
Grunting - this sound is incomparable to anything. You will hear it when your guinea pig sees another pet.

To determine their mood, it is enough to observe their behavior. A sign of a good mood is that the guinea pig is active. She runs, jumps, buries herself in sawdust. This suggests that she is satisfied with everything. If the animal sits motionless for several hours, then this is a call. This means he doesn’t like something and may have health problems.

How to stop shitting anywhere?

It is quite possible to stop a cat from shitting in the wrong place. Although it is initially worth determining whether the pet has health problems. If the reason is different, you can use one of the following techniques:

Try to keep track of when your pet is going to go to the toilet and take him to the litter box. This usually occurs after feeding or sleeping;
Treat all “marked” areas with disinfectants that kill odors;
You can treat the carpet with products with a citrus scent, which cats do not like;
It is recommended to place the bowl in the place where the cat pooped. Clean pets will never mark where they eat;
You can also put the potty in the place where the cat shitted so that he gets used to the toilet, and then move it to the previously designated place.

When using carpet or floor cleaners, you need to make sure that they completely eliminate the smell of urine. If he stays, the cat will return there and leave his marks. By the way, it is not recommended to use bleach because it attracts cats back. It is better to replace it with water and vinegar.

Situations when a cat shits in the bed deserve special attention. You need to stop doing this as quickly as possible, otherwise the unpleasant odors will be impossible to remove. In this case, you need to have a spray bottle of water with you, which should be with you at all times. As soon as the animal moves onto the bed to relieve itself, you need to spray water on it. It is enough to repeat this trick three or four times to wean your cat from shitting in the wrong place.

Prevention

What can I do to prevent my pig from becoming constipated? You need to organize proper care. First of all, we are talking about nutrition and hygiene. The diet must be properly organized

It is important to understand what to feed the animal correctly

Fecal consolidation can occur due to lack of activity. It is recommended to take your pet for a walk at least once a week. The cage should be large enough to allow a good level of activity. It’s good if the cages have additional accessories that promote greater mobility. Give more succulent food, but do not forget about solid food so as not to provoke diarrhea. Make sure that you do not include prohibited or poisonous foods in your diet. Make sure the water in the drinking bowl is fresh and your pet knows how to use it.

Cell options

Owners of pet rodents are offered many options for homes. Let's try to study their strengths and weaknesses and determine whether they are all really suitable for pigs.

Aquarium and terrarium

Aquariums for guinea pigs have only two advantages - they are easy to clean and prevent debris from falling out of the cage. Unfortunately, in other respects glass vessels show their absolute unsuitability:

lack of ventilation;
accumulation of ammonia vapors and inhalation by animals;
complete isolation of rodents from the outside world: pigs are not able to perceive anything through glass.

Inexperienced owners also consider guinea pig terrariums as housing, but these containers are not much different from aquariums. The conditions inside them are suitable only for flightless animals such as amphibians and reptiles, as well as insects. Rodents cannot live in terrariums.

Dune

Dune is a plastic container with a hole at the top. It has the same disadvantage as a glass cage - a complete lack of fresh air.

The reason for such a large number of plastic houses on the product market is low cost. This option can only be considered as a temporary habitat for the pig or a carrier.

For chinchillas, degus or birds

Cages for rats, chinchillas or birds should absolutely not be used as houses for guinea pigs, as they are tall and narrow:

there will not be enough space for the pig to move around on the floor;
the animal may be injured when trying to climb to the upper levels: the safe height to which a rodent can climb is only 10–15 cm.

Shelving

The trend to use shelving for keeping pets came from the West and is successfully taking root in Russia. The rack is a large cage for a guinea pig, it looks like a fence and is made of wood. Glass or metal mesh is also used to make it.

What are the benefits of racks:

environmentally friendly and durable materials are used for creation;
spaciousness and the ability to accommodate several rodents.

The shelving house, unfortunately, is quite heavy and bulky, so it takes up a lot of space in the apartment.

Lattice

Cages with bars, which are usually intended for hamsters, are characterized by the following negative features:

The size of the guinea pig cage should correspond to standard parameters. And in homes for hamsters there is not enough space - the pet will begin to get nervous and behave inappropriately, and may get sick.
Often the cage bars are covered with enamel to create a more presentable appearance. Pigs, accustomed to chewing everything, can swallow it and get poisoned.

The positive aspects of such structures: