Guinea Pig Fearfulness (2024)

FAQs

What happens if guinea pigs get too scared? ›

Stress/fear response of this prey species is to hide and freeze. In a cage, the guinea pig will sit immobile and tense, try to hide (such as face towards the rear of the cage, actually use a cloth or hide box, or even tuck head under a dish or sipper tube spout).

Fears of toys, people, and loud noises are the most common fears. There are many reasons why a guinea pig may develop fears of people. For example, a bad experience with a small child could result in a guinea pig that is fearful of all small children.

Provide hideouts and shelters for your guinea pig

It's one thing having a large hutch, but making sure it is set up correctly is just as important. Make sure your piggies have plenty of hideouts in their hutch where they can take cover. This will help keep them calm when they feel threatened or scared.

Whether your pet is young and needs some socialization, or your pet is older and didn't receive enough socialization in their early years, one of the biggest reasons guinea pigs run away at the sight of hands is that they're simply not used to them.

Trauma. Like any pet, guinea pigs can suffer from injuries due to trauma. The cause of trauma can be unknown, or due to falling, being dropped by accident when handled, fighting with other guinea pigs, or attacks from larger pets.

- If you have a REALLY scared and skittish piggy, they might take a long time to trust you. In the meantime, try using a fleece hidey or tunnel to help you to pick them up.

Some household items that are strongly scented that can cause your guinea pig to sneeze are things like cleaning products, strong perfumes, and other items of that nature.

Reducing Stress in Your Guinea Pigs' Environment

Avoid known stressors. House guinea pigs in a quiet area away from other pets or activity. Limit the number of animals in each enclosure to prevent overcrowding, and don't change their social groups too often.

Normal urination is a relatively passive process. A guinea pig may urinate if it is stressed, nervous, or frightened.

Another note is that some guinea pigs might not make all of these sounds. Some guinea pigs don't whole-heartedly wheek in the morning for their breakfast, and some might not bubble as they're relaxing on your lap, but the lack of these vocalizations doesn't mean they're unhappy!

Will my guinea pig always be skittish? ›

Guinea pigs are naturally very skittish and tend to hide because they are prey animals. They have an instinct that tells them that they are perfectly small to be prey to any predators around them.

Guinea pigs freeze when they feel threatened, either by noise, sudden movement or by something unfamiliar in their environment. Their goal is to be as invisible as possible.

So, let me start off by assuring you that if your guinea pig runs from you, they don't hate you. Guinea pigs are prey animals, and as such it is in their nature to run from larger “animals” that could potentially hurt them.

Guinea pigs make a variety of sounds and they each mean something different. Teeth chattering, hissing, growling, and whining are all some unhappy guinea pig sounds that your guinea pig may make when they are in discomfort with another piggie.

Other ways this type of stress shows is where a guinea pig will hide until you have left the room to come out to eat or drink. They will sit still and very quietly and patiently wait for you to leave. It's this type of stress and fear that breaks my heart to see.

Reducing Stress in Your Guinea Pigs' Environment

Avoid known stressors. House guinea pigs in a quiet area away from other pets or activity. Limit the number of animals in each enclosure to prevent overcrowding, and don't change their social groups too often. Follow a consistent routine for daily care.

Spend quality time with your guinea pig.

Guinea pigs love to play hide and seek. When you are playing with your pig out of the cage, place several empty paper sacks around the room. Place treats in some of them, and watch your pet have fun exploring! Make sure to keep a close eye on your pet when they're on the move.

Freezing, fidgeting, or throwing his head up in the air, means he is scared or uncomfortable. Teeth baring and hissing, hair fluffing, and strutting often are signs of aggression. Socializing: As mentioned before, guinea pigs are very social creatures, and for this reason thrive more with other guinea pigs around.