Can they comprehend love?

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Sharon.Mackay

Sharon.Mackay

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Its probably a silly question, but I love my piggies so much that I often wonder if they know? and can they love back? Or maybe it's just to much to expect from them.
 
People will all have a different opinion on this. I think guinea pigs can understand we love them and show love to us and their friends. My Sophie gives me kisses when I hold her and when Amelia Jane was ill in the vets she perked up when I came to see her. They must know how loved they are and can feel it through the affection we give them.

I think it is harsh to say animals do not love and only rely on us for food.
 
I sure believe mine 'show' love when I am cuddling/grooming them or just watching them play
 
My Guinea pig's love food, don't know about anything else as they aren't willing to give away there last slice of pepper! rolleyes
 
I dont personally believe my guinea pigs love me. Because my definintion of love requires cognative reasoning, and there is scientific proof that most animals are incapeable of such reasoning. I think my animals apreciate what I do for them. Their instincts tell them they want food... and I give it to them, etc etc etc. Many people disagree with me, and thats fine, but I will always love them even if they dont love me back :)
 
See I always think animals must give something back or people would ever own pets. I'm not sure if piggies love but they certainly learn to trust you. My piggie Theo would far prefer me to any other human in the world and he's not shy to my guests about that fact ha ha!
 
I'm certain our piggies trust us and know they never have anything bad to expect from us - there are those dark moments of baths or claw-cutting, but they won't sulk for very long after that.
Recently, I had a bad day and was very unwell, I think it might have been pain in my knee. I was quite depressed and my bf got our guinea-pig Patch out. She insisted on climbing on my lap and snuggled up in my arms. I think she might have sensed that I wasn't ok. Sparky used to do that as well.

Our couple of little Spotty and big Basil might not love each other, but they are certainly attached to one another. I think the most horrible thing we could do to them is separation and if we take them out of the cage, we always take them out together.

Our couple Cotton and You in the kitchen definitely need a lot of love, especially Cotton. She will cuddle up on our laps and then she seems to be in heaven. She is the lightest and I think she needs a lot of attention and appreciates it very much.

I don't think they feel love, though. That's something we did in a Philosophy course once. Love means you put the other person's well-being before your own, you want them to be well and happy and do whatever you can to make them well and happy. However, I think animals are generally too selfish for that. They might take care of each other, but I don't think the guinea-pigs can consciously try to give us love.

But then, so don't little babies and those who have kids did love them before the babies were old enough to give something back, right?
 
In the human sense of the word certainly not.

My guinea pigs associate me with food and chin tickles so I am their friend and they say hello and give piggy kisses so I think they "like" me, they give my OH the same treatment and he rarely gives them food so I think the guinea pigs are happy in their home and are stable and because of the stability and routine they are thriving and show us affection in the only way they can .. so in a sense that could be "piggy love" in the same way pigs "love" each other.

During floor time with my rabbit she grooms my hair for me (actually quite annoying) and I cuddle into her as much as it is possible for me to show rabbit behaviour anyway ... my rabbit language attempts seem to be somewhat understood by her and she comes to say hello and grooms me so there is some affection there.

I think with my hamsters its more based on food and wanting to have a run than anything. They are tamed with food, food is used as a bribe to get them to do things etc, they show affection in the only way they can though by coming to say hello . What always confused me about syrians is that they are solitary creatures but seem to enjoy human attention :-)

Dogs, pigs,parrots and horses show the closest emotion to human love IMHO. They really are intelligent animals and can form strong bonds and get upset when there owner dies or doesnt visit them for whatever reason.
 
I believe that animals do feel emotions in some ways or they wouldn't grieve.

I know that piggies begin to trust us over time and its hard work to get that but its worth it. My elder guinea Muffin, every day will come to the side of the cage wiieeeking for attention and will lift her nose in the air to let me give her a little kiss on the nose. We have a strong bond from the 6 years shes been with me and I love her even if she doesn't love me in the same way that 'humans love'. I think our affection and care is appreciated as we wouldn't see piggies just laid out looking so content.

:)
 
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Yes guinea pigs have love. If I had a bad day mine will try to cheer me up by not going on my shoulder so I can actually pet him. He will barely make noises. I think this might be because dogs can smell what emotion you are in because chemicals in your body change. My guinea pig doesn't pool on me or my mom, only my sister. This my opinion.
 
I do believe that they definitely have emotions.

Whenever I'm away and the boys are taken to my son's family to be looked after, I get told that on the first day Hazelnut won't eat and bites everyone who comes near him.

When it's lap time on the sofa and I'm stroking Peanut Butter, when Hazelnut hears him purring, Hazelnut immediately butts PB out of the way so he can get stroked instead. Also at lap time Hazelnut will curl up in my arm and not let PB up there.

When Hazelnut is laying in his cosy he likes to be stroked and if I stop he lifts his head and looks at me and puts it back down when I resume stroking.
 
I can't comment for all pigs but I know my late Nigel did, we had an extremely close bond, he looked at me and all he wanted was cuddles. So much so that it was usually my OH giving him his meds as he would just climb straight up and snuggle into my neck before I could get the syringe near him.
 
thats a very good and interesting question. I believe they love in their own way.
I have a very strong bond with Dudley who I have had for 4 years. people often comment about how he is around me. If my OH has him out for a cuddle and I am on the sofa he will immedinately climb over the sofa to come and lay on my lap. I have him up near my neck and sit kissing his sides and he's completely at ease and just goes to sleep.

I'm assuming they would warm to anyone with food in their hand but like said before trust is a different issue. I have friends who come round and when they go near hte cage the boys will hide, its only for me or sometimes my OH they come out and will openly want attention.

As long as I love them and feel they are happy and content thats all that matters to me x)
 
I believe they do feel emotions as well. I do not think it is proven that they do not feel love. I guess it's a theory. Try buying or borrowing this book...

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Emotional-Lives-Animals-Scientist/dp/1577315022"]The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow and Empathy: Amazon.co.uk: Mark Bekoff: Books[/ame]

Through science they prove that animals do have emotions
 
I dont dispute that animals dont feel emtions, but they cannot feel my personal version of love. I consider love to be something you think about, someone you would risk your life for. I dont think my guinea pigs would jump in front of a bus for me. They wont even gaurd me from the scary noise the door makes when it opens ;)
 
Just because i want to add my own opinion here ...

Theres something thats always amazed me and thats just comprehension in its self, the way two people can see the exact same thing but yet see two completely different things.

It's like how i could say something is yellow and you could agree its yellow but actaully see it as a completely different colour, but you've learnt to call it yellow.

I think all animals get a feeling of some form of love, wether they know it as love or just looking out for another member of there pack, they will have stronger feelings towards certain people than others thats sure.

But then i guess it all depends on what you class as "love" i love my sister but i don't feel the same way towards her as i feel towards my boyfriend but yet i love them both.
 
I always define love as something that conquors our basic instincts. For example, The instinct for self preservation, as mentioned before. Or the instinct to mate, Which in humans we overcome when in a manogamous relationship. :)
 
I think they do. I was reading a book called: 'The Pet Whisperer.' It's by a woman who communicates with animals. (derp xD) Many of the animals ask her to send messages to ther Mums and Dads, mainly to tell them they love them. :)
 
I believe that they do. I know that Pepper (RIP) loved everyone, he would love getting cuddled, he would lie down and go to sleep. Every morning he would always greet us by sort of 'standing up' for his food and softly squeak whenever we held him. I think all animals love their owners.
 
Wow what a response! I agree with some in that they make me happy and giving them love makes me feel warm, and that's enough. I guess they're are different perceptions of love. Its like children, they love you in a certain way but they wouldn't put you first (well maybe not until they reach a certain age) I do believe some piggies form stronger bonds than others, I have a good bond with Jem but he is a complete nutter and doesn't show affection yet. I think he will as he gets older. It's more a complete trust trust thing. Teddy will give piggy kisses and snuggle and purr. Dougal is antisocial :(|) I'm not sure about the other 4 yet as I am still working on the taming. Interesting answers though, given me a lot to think about! Thanks :)
 
All my pigs seem to trust me and feel relaxed around me, they'll fall asleep on me and my first boy spike I could take out on to the front lawn and he wouldnt attempt to run away he'd just lie next to me on the lawn and snuggle up to me. Some of mine have shown love more than others. Pumpkin (RIP) and Rio both would leap out of other peoples arms to get to me. Sookie gives me kisses constantly. Sherbert seems to love me more for my food giving though, she's not much of a people pig.
 
Something which happened today, for me, proves that Nutty loves me. We are very close. He is my baby (we got him at only three weeks and he needed lots of tlc)

Anyway, it was veggie time and I was preparing them. Nutty was out of his cage and on the floor near me cos he was excited. I slipped and cut my finger, knocking all the veggies flying in the process. They scattered all over the floor and I swore in pain. Instead of going to the veggies Nutty followed me to the sink, squeaking loudly at me. If he saw me simply as a provider of food why did he come with me instead of eating anything from the selection of his favourite veggies?

I know that we share a bond and I love my piggies. Whatever they do feel back I appreciate because they give me companionship, cuddles and someone to talk to. I couldn't honestly ask for more.


Amy
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