guinea pigs outside together — A pair of guinea pigs lounging on a tree

Bringing a new animal into the home Is a big decision, and one that should never be taken lightly. There are many factors to consider for any animal, and no matter what animal we may be thinking of, we will all be asking the question ‘do they even make good pets?’ When it comes to guinea pigs, then the answer will always be yes. There are an unlimited number of great things about piggies that make them the perfect pet for almost every person.

Are Guinea Pigs a Good House Pet?

If you’re interested in bringing a new animal home, then guinea pigs are certainly a great choice. They make wonderful pets for almost every type of family! They are incredibly playful, and love to run around and spend as much time in your presence as possible. Guinea pigs are full of character and are guaranteed to brighten every single day.

They are one of the simpler domestic pets to take care of as they only have a few essential welfare needs you need to meet. Of course, they need an appropriate and balanced diet, a clean and safe home, guinea pig friends and plenty of toys to entertain themselves with.

There are many breeds of guinea pig that may be suitable for you, with each one coming with their own unique physical traits and personalities.
Are Guinea Pigs Noisy?

There is no denying it – guinea pigs are noisy animals. At the start you may be overwhelmed by the noise especially if you’re not used to so much sound in your home. However, there’s no need to worry, hearing your guinea pigs squeaking will quickly become one of your favourite sounds. Nothing beats coming home after a long day, walking into your guinea pig’s room to be greeted with waves of happy squeaking. It’s an endearing sound that will bring a smile to anyone’s face!

Guinea pigs have over 10 different squeaks, some positive and some negative. They are determined to share whenever they are happy and ready to play, or whether they are feeling overwhelmed and would like some space from you. If you decide a guinea pig is for you, It may be wise to learn what their different squeaks mean to ensure you can give them the right type of attention.

Do Guinea Pigs Smell?

A common concern when bringing an animal home is their smell. Other domestic pets such as dogs are notorious for infesting their homes with strong odours. Luckily, that is not the case with guinea pigs! Piggies value their personal hygiene, and will frequently clean themselves and each other, removing any odours that may be attached to them.

The only situation where you tend to notice a stronger smell is when you are physically in their enclosure, but other than that it is practically unnoticeable.

Guinea pigs makes them great pets for someone with a sensitive nose!

Will Guinea Pigs Cuddle with You?

Guinea pigs may be known for being skittish animals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy cuddles. Once you have developed a relationship with your guinea pigs and have built a level of trust with one another, they will be more than happy to jump into your arms for a warm cuddle.

Guinea pigs love to spend personal one-on-one time with their friends, whether those friends are human or other guinea pigs. They may not be initially willing, especially if human cuddles is something new to them, but if you’re willing to dedicate a little bit of time every day to sit with them and familiarise them with cuddles, they are bound to love them eventually.

Can Guinea Pigs Recognise Their Owners?

Guinea pigs certainly do recognise their owners. Any piggy owner will cheerfully describe to you the joy of watching their furry friends run up to them for playtime or affection. Guinea pigs are animals that tend to develop extremely strong bonds with their herd members and their owners. Relationships can take time to develop, and often take a lot of patience and perseverance from the owner, but once that trust has been built, a guinea pig will be by your side for the rest of their lives!

A guinea pig will be able to identify you by your scent, sounds and footsteps, so they will notice you coming before you notice them! Once they sense you near, you’ll be able to tell if they recognise you by seeing them run up to your feet gleefully squeaking away.

How Much Time Do Guinea Pigs Need Outside of Their Cage?

One important factor to consider about guinea pigs is their need for space. Guinea pigs are extremely energetic animals and require lots of space to run around and play. Many new owners make the mistake of buying a cage that is far too small for them that leads to immense restriction of their movement. It’s not inherently the owner’s fault either, many pet stores will promote inappropriate sized cages.

As a general guideline, guinea pigs need a minimum of 1 hour of floor time. Floor time should be where they have access to plenty of toys and can run around freely and uncontained. The amount of free time they need will vary depending on the size of their cage. If they have a larger cage or enclosure where they can freely run around, they won’t need to be let out as often. However, if they are kept in a less than ideal sized cage, it’s incredibly important for them to have as much access to free roam as possible.

Do Guinea Pigs Get Sick Often?

One way that guinea pigs make great pets is the fact that they are actually quite hardy animals. It is a misconception that guinea pigs fall sick too easily, but that tends to only be the case if their needs are not being met. With the correct diet, a clean environment and plenty of exercise, guinea pigs are able to live out long and healthy lives.

Although, guinea pigs are prone to certain health conditions like all animals are. Abnormal growths, such as tumours, are sadly quite common within guinea pigs. These can be quite worrying to find on a piggy, but as long as you get them to a vet as soon as you can then there should be nothing to worry about.

Are Guinea Pigs Easy to Keep Clean?

Guinea pigs can be messy little creatures, meaning their enclosures will need regular cleaning. Ideally, guinea pig cages should be spot cleaned every day, and deep cleaned once a week. This will ensure all urine and poop is cleared out frequently and isn’t left to fester and potentially cause your piggies to fall Ill.

Can Guinea Pigs Be Left Alone?

As a general rule, guinea pigs can’t be left alone for long periods of time. While they aren’t extremely demanding in their welfare needs, they do have specific requirements that must be met daily. They need a constant supply of fresh water and hay to remain healthy, and also require regular grooming.

Guinea pigs are social animals, so do require a guinea pig friend or several to keep them company. If they are provided with the right amount of food, water, and hay, then they can be left alone for several hours without any issues.

However, single guinea pigs are at a greater risk of becoming depressed and experiencing higher levels of stress because of their lack of socialisation. In this case, you should spend as much time around them as possible and limit the time apart.

Human interaction often can’t completely replace the presence of another piggy but can reduce the chance of them becoming overly stressed.

When Do Guinea Pigs Sleep?

Guinea pigs are primarily awake during the day and sleep through the night, making them diurnal, just like humans! Though, this is not an exact pattern. Guinea pigs tend to sleep about 6 hours a night in short naps, not all at once. You will often find in groups of guinea pigs that they will be taking turns at who sleeps. This is a common survival tactic among prey species. One or multiple piggies will stay awake to look out for predators while the rest of the group naps, and they will eventually rotate so others can rest.

As guinea pigs mainly sleep at night, and are most active in the evenings and morning, that means you are able to spend plenty of time playing with them and interacting without potentially running their sleeping pattern. No one wants any sleep deprived, grumpy piggies on their hands!

How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live For?

One thing no pet owner wants to think about is the limited amount of time they may have with their furry companion. For most rodents, that amount of time is awfully small, with the majority of species only living a few years. Thankfully, that is not the case for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have a longer life span, with the average piggy living roughly 5 – 8 years.

Many owners will still think this amount of time is too short, but for others it can be the perfect lifespan for a small pet. Some of us have no idea where we will be in 3, 5 or 8 years, and while we may treasure the time we have now to bring an animal into our home, not everyone will want to commit a lifetime to caring for someone else. Guinea pigs are a great option for those wanting to invest in an animal but be able to have freedom in the future.

Are Guinea Pigs Smart?

Guinea pigs are much smarter than we give them credit for. They are highly emotionally intelligent and are adept at sensing changes in your mood and the mood of other piggies. This skill was developed as a way to stay tuned in with the rest of the herd and help them stay alert.

Not only are guinea pigs emotionally intelligent, they are pretty book smart too. They are able to recognise patterns quite quickly and can even learn some tricks. Some common tricks people try to teach their guinea pigs is to high five, give kisses, recall, and play dead. If these quirky tricks aren’t your style, you can even litter train them. If you have a free roaming piggy, it’s a great way of avoiding big messes around your home.

Guinea Pigs Make Perfect Pets

Guinea pigs can make wonderful companions in many different ways. They are super friendly, love to cuddle, are easy to maintain and can even impress your guests with a playful high five! If you’re unsure whether a guinea pig is for you, there is bound to be a part of them that catches your eye, and if you are willing to take the risk, I can guarantee you will make a few best friend.

Do Guinea Pigs Make Good Pets?