Stress In Guinea Pigs: Everything You Need To Know
Although guinea pigs are animals that don’t usually go to veterinarians, unless they have a very obvious health problem, they may need some attention at certain times. In this sense, stress in guinea pigs can be one of the causes that lead us to consult a veterinarian.
Along with hamsters, guinea pigs are the most popular rodents as pets. At first, they don’t seem to be animals that arouse many doubts. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any. We’ll see more about this below.
Can guinea pigs suffer from stress?
Rodents are very sensitive to stress. To understand this aspect, we must remember that, in their natural state, these animals are easy prey for many different predators. Therefore, stress plays an important role in your survival.
Even when they are at home, free from predators, the health of the guinea pigs remains very delicate. Therefore, to keep a guinea pig healthy and happy, it is necessary to take care of many aspects of its life, such as: feeding, hydration, exercise, parasites…
When these aspects are not well taken care of, stress can manifest itself and cause health problems, such as, for example, hair loss, or it can increase the potential of diseases that the animal may have.
Some symptoms of stress in guinea pigs are:
- Irritability or aggressiveness. Guinea pigs are generally not aggressive animals. If they show themselves that way, we might think there’s something wrong.
- Excessive hygiene. Guinea pigs, like other rodents, clean themselves daily. They comb themselves with their tongues and paws.
- Digestive problems.
- Diarrhea. It can be a symptom of stress or it can be made worse by the same situation.
- Skin and hair problems. Alopecia can be a hallmark symptom and is a common reason for veterinarian appointments.
Tips for Reducing Stress in Guinea Pigs
Stress directly affects the delicate health of the guinea pigs. Therefore, the best way to reduce it is to avoid it by providing a healthy and happy life.
1. Guinea pigs are social animals
Guinea pigs (or guinea pigs) are gregarious animals. In nature, they form colonies, so it is recommended to have more than one of them at home.
As they are social animals, having company greatly reduces their stress levels, but this is not always possible. So if you only have one guinea pig, make sure you give it enough attention.
These animals are also sociable with human beings, but at first they are a little fearful of people they don’t know.
We need to work on the relationship little by little, respecting the animal’s space, until it gets used to our presence. Once the animal allow to be held or cuddled, the handle should be smooth and quiet, no sudden movements.
2. Take care of the food
Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals and their diet should consist of feed, vegetables, fruits and hay.
Also, it is important to keep in mind that these animals do not synthesize vitamin C, so it is important that it be added to your diet through supplements or through foods that contain a lot of it, such as kiwi fruit, strawberries, fruits citrus, peppers or spinach.
3. Enrich the environment
These rodents need to move and exercise to avoid obesity. To help them, we can get them out of the cage every day and let them run around freely, albeit always under supervision. Also, there are many objects that can serve to enrich the environment.
4. Clean the cage
It is essential to keep the cage clean, with food and fresh water. For this, we must clean the cage at least once a week, using a disinfectant that does not irritate the animal’s skin or mucous membranes, and removing the remains of food and dirty sawdust.
It is also advisable to apply a product against parasites such as mites, fleas and lice.
- Stress weakens the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable animal infections by parasites.
- Itching caused by diseases such as scabies can also be a lot of stress for a guinea pig.
The guinea pigs, a therapeutic company against stress
It is increasingly common to hear about therapy with dogs, horses, cats… but it is surprising to find that guinea pigs are also good therapeutic animals.
Guinea pigs are very beneficial in therapy with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as they reduce anxiety caused by contact with adults and make it easier for them to concentrate on tasks that involve relationships with others or even for them to take the initiative when interacting with other people.
The anti-stress effect of the guinea pigs can be combined with other types of therapy to facilitate these children’s socialization and facilitate their adaptation to society.
