Do Guinea Pigs Pay Us Back For Being Nice?

[Katy Felix]

Cocoa suddenly is really really calm around me, lying down near me and totally trusting me! I'm super happy, obviously, but is it because I helped him out the other day? That cat was bugging him, not hurting him, but bothering him and lying down in front of him when he wanted to go somewhere lol. I made the cat leave, and then cocoa was so happy hehe! Did something just "click" and he suddenly trusts me entirely?

 

[Katy Felix]

Edit: he's not sick, definitely. Eating pooping drinking all that. Just seems more trusting.

 

[TheCavySlave]

I don't see why not! Piggies know when we care, and he probably understands exactly what happened, and loves you for it.
Either that, or he's hired you as a bodyguard

 

[Katy Felix]

I don't see why not! Piggies know when we care, and he probably understands exactly what happened, and loves you for it.
Either that, or he's hired you as a bodyguard

Awe that's so sweet of our little fuzz balls. I hate it when people say small rodents don't have a personality! I mean, look at ours and how they express their thanks! Hmm, think the latter might be true.. he's been paying me to guard him as he naps

 

[TheCavySlave]

Oh I know, people don't understand. Our boys certainly have personalities.
Boys, don't rumble like that.
No, you can't both fit there...OH NOT AGAIN!
*runs*
*faint screams and thuds and squeaks*
*boys start rumbling again*

 

[VickiA]

Well all our piggies know the difference between the humans in the house - the boys (who ignore them) get no interaction and the piggies leg it from them if they try to pick them up; the hub gets little calls and wheeks from them at mealtimes and is able to stroke and pet his favourite piggy; and chief slave (me) gets hollered at for food/veg/hay/treats constantly, but also they come to me for cuddles and petting (on their terms and when they feel like it) in a way that they don't do with the rest of the household. They are intelligent (and manipulative) creatures so they do recognise different voices, different footsteps and associate different people with different experiences.

 

[Tiny]

Willow's been through a lot for a baby pig and has been subjected to a crash course in handling/medicating by a cack-handed human so could have easily become more skittish, less trusting and generally cautious of human interaction. But last night I had some lap time with them and while Marble is still quite unsure (unless there's food involved!), Willow seemed to love pottering about, watching telly, having a snuggle... she even relaxed enough to extend her choooken legs and have a doze

 

[Wiebke]

Cocoa suddenly is really really calm around me, lying down near me and totally trusting me! I'm super happy, obviously, but is it because I helped him out the other day? That cat was bugging him, not hurting him, but bothering him and lying down in front of him when he wanted to go somewhere lol. I made the cat leave, and then cocoa was so happy hehe! Did something just "click" and he suddenly trusts me entirely?

Yes, guinea pigs can decide to trust somebody who helps them out. Please make sure that your cat cannot get at and bother Cocoa. He has started to treat you as his piggy companion.

 

[Katy Felix]

Yes, guinea pigs can decide to trust somebody who helps them out. Please make sure that your cat cannot get at and bother Cocoa. He has started to treat you as his piggy companion.

Yeah, working on it. I promise though, the cat cannot hurt him. I keep a close watch and usually she lies down and falls asleep on my lap. She was raised entirely be humans, from birth, and has never been wild and has the predator drive totally gone.