Do guinea pigs recognize their owners [FACTS]

Researches show that rodents are a very smart pet; they can easily identify their owner. But do guinea pigs recognize their owners? To know the answers to this question, keep reading to the end to get a deep insight.

Do guinea pigs remember their owners

Yeah, Guinea pigs are not just cute; they remember their guardian or an owner too. Research revealed that Guinea pigs could remember things, but for a few minutes, then it removes from their memory after some time. They are likely to remember things for the long term, which are in their own interest and necessary for them.

Numerous studies and experiments have lightly showed that guinea pigs could differentiate between humans, primarily because of their smell. They can distinguish their master from others with the aid of body fragrance. Although it is not yet known, scientists and researchers are convinced of separating their human masters.

However, Guinea pigs are also social animals in sensing mood through the owner’s facial expressions. If the piglets find you in happy mode, they will look for the treat and cheer. Presumably, they will realize and try to stay for from your way if you are in a bad mood.

It is noteworthy that they follow only good and lousy temperaments or expressions but do not understand emotions or neutral behavior. Over time, all of their facial expressions and behaviors adapt to their memory, which means they will recognize their bits and their owner’s breaths.

Do guinea pigs recognize their owner’s voice?

No, but it may be possible after proper training. Guinea pigs need to learn how to identify their master’s voice to understand words. Many owners prove that their pet guinea pigs recognize their voices.

Guinea pigs can’t only recognize sounds but also smells and faces. The masters have depicted the guinea pigs as approaching their owners. In contrast, Guinea pigs are neutral to outsiders and sometimes frightened.

Moreover, guinea pig owners should be careful when talking to their pet piglets because they have a different hearing range than humans. Guinea pigs can hear sounds from 30 Hz – 32 kHz.

On the other hand, human hearing ranges from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. So whenever you talk to your guinea pig, speak in a soft and calm voice. Doing so will relieve stress and anxiety in guinea pigs.

Do guinea pigs recognize their owner’s scent?

You will be surprised to know that guinea pigs have very poor eyesight than other pets, which means they can recognize you generally by your scent and voice.

When piglets lived in the wild, they would group themselves. In their herd, they depend on their ability to distinguish between friends and foes. Therefore, they have maintained this intuition as a domesticated creature, which has made it possible to recognize their owners.

The smelling sense of your pet guinea pigs is a hundred times stronger as compared to humans. That’s why they can recognize the masters by their scent.

When you first adopt your pet, it’s better not to use any fragrance such as perfume, shampoo, or even careem. Because of this, the Guinea pig will know your true scent and begin to associate your presence with it.

According to research,  guinea pigs have over 790 olfactory genes (gene codes that help the body identify and detect different types of odors), while humans have just 360. The American Association for the Advancement of Science reported that humans could see more than one trillion various kinds of smells.

Even though no such study has been done on Guinea pigs, if you look at the numbers alone, you can find that piglets can sense more than two trillion different smells and odors.

Do guinea pigs recognize faces

Some scientists believe that guinea pigs are actually more intelligent than cats or dogs and have been exposed to have a natural ability to learn tricks and long-term memories.

Guinea pigs can also recognize their owner’s faces, either they are looking at the face or backside of a human head via key facial features such as their mouth and nose.

The guinea piglets have an incredible visual memory, and they can recognize their master by looking at an individual face or the back of their top with 80% accuracy. In addition, after recent studies, several scientists claimed that their papers show that guinea pigs have enhanced visual memory and intelligence compared to previous studies.

So it is suggested that, when you are newly adapted to a pet guinea pig, spend as much time with them as possible. It will help them to memorize your facial features quickly.

How do guinea pigs recognize their owner

As I discussed earlier, guinea pigs recognize their master by voice, scent, and facial features as well. But how do you know that your pet is beginning to remember you? Several signs indicate your guinea pig recognizes you or not.

Running towards you

If you stand with your pet guinea pig cage, you may notice that your piglet runs towards you. Or, if you are in a room with your pet, you also observe that they will try and get closer to you to acquire your attention.

As guinea pigs have a very strong sense of hearing/smell, they become alert when you come home. Moreover, they also seek the sign of food. So food is not only used as a reward and to get your guinea pigs to trust and control themselves.

Make Distinctive Sounds

These are the two prominent noises that guinea pigs make around humans, which are wheeking and purring. For instance, if you are passing along a cage and your piglet starts making wheeling noises, it means it identifies you. Furthermore, if you are raising your guinea pig and it begins to get purr, it also shows that your pet actually knows you.

Grooming

Guinea pigs can recognize you through grooming, which involves licking, nudging, and nibbling. When they do, it means they identify you. Various guinea pigs enjoy sitting in their master’s lap and sometimes squeezing themselves into the owner’s arms.

Cuddling

When Guiana pigs recognize their owners, they want to rest on their owners’ laps and even snuggle in their arms. But this step requires a lot of time. Most Guinean pigs are not ready to show affection to their owner. Reaching this point requires increasing trust over time.

Will training help guinea pig recognize their owners

Of course, Yes! The more positively you communicate with your piglet, the more liable he is to know you as a particular person.

But for this, your current relationship with your pet guinea pig becomes significant; otherwise, it will not be viable to train your animal if it doesn’t trust you.

You can train the pet to stand and eat with your hand. You can also train your guinea pigs to jump over the hoop, and the list goes on.

What should I do if my guinea pigs not recognize me

If your guinea pigs did not recognize you, don’t be sad or disappointed. Give him space and follow the below-mentioned tips to make them identify you.

1. Communicate them

If you want your pet to recognize you, it’s must convince them that you know them. The piglets should not sense like they are there without your knowledge. So always admit their presence and communicate with them.

2. Move Slowly

Usually, guinea pigs are scared easily, which is a wired instinct for small pets. So it’s better to move slowly to keep your guinea pig calm throughout your interactions.

3. Avoid shouting in front of them

If you make loud noises around your small pet guinea pigs, you will scare them. Even the voices that are lighter for us are louder for them to hear.

4. Feed them yourself

As a loving owner, you can feed your guinea pig with your own hands. This is the best way to help your guinea pig establish a special relationship with you, although it can’t be forced!

How long does it take for a guinea pig to get used to you

Naturally, guinea pigs are nervous animals that run away in fear. It needs some time for them to become accustomed to their mentor, which depends on many factors. However, in general, with an excellent level of care, guinea pig takes more than four weeks to get used to their owner. Prior to this time, they could not identify their owner individually.

For a pet piglet to get used to its master, we need everything it needs. Even the transport used to carry the guinea pigs to your home should be comfortable for them.

Conclusion

Hence, this was a detailed discussion on how guinea piglets recognize their owners. They realize the master by his smell, voice, and facial features. They are cute and lovely pets for both kids and adults as well. If you want them to recognize you, show them your love, make them feel protected, and spend more time with them.

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