When your guinea pigs are in high spirits, you may see them leap straight up into the air while curving their backs, or run across the floor and make several shorter leaps in rapid succession. The following tables are excerpts from Behrend's book, with a few additions, and describe many of the sounds and some of the body language that guinea pigs use. It has often times been said by persons not familiar with guinea pigs that they are not very bright, or are boring animals. While it is true that they are not rocket scientists, guinea pigs are in fact quite alert, very trainable and respond well to sounds and smells. The fact that they don't seem to behave intelligently as animals such as rats stems mostly from human expectations.
Guinea pigs are herbivores.
What naturally engages a guinea pig's intelligence in the wild isn't normally called upon in their life as a pet. In nature, the guinea pig survives through the use of effective herd communication, establishment of well known trails and rapid reproduction. They have a varied vocabulary, a cautious curiosity and the ability to learn the many paths between their lairs and their feeding grounds. The guinea pig learns these trails so well that they can dart almost effortlessly through them, typically faster than their predators can follow. By ducking through thick brushes and around sharp turns quickly, they can evade even the most determined pursuers.