Guinea Pig Behaviours
Like us humans, Guinea Pigs have a unique way of communicating with each other, and special ways of reacting to certain things. We will explore some of these things in this section of The Guinea Pig Guides.
Find out what your Guinea Pig's behaviour means. If your Guinea Pig is doing something not listed here, talk to our expert (bottom right of the page) for any questions you have and for more information. |
Behaviours on this page:
To use this page, read through the descriptions and scroll down the page to find the behaviour listed with that description, and read through the information.
The behaviours are listed alphabetically down the page, and the descriptions are listed on the right in the chronological order that you will find them when scrolling down the page. |
Descriptions:
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Aggression(Teeth chattering)If a Guinea Pig starts to make a clacking noise, it is them chattering their teeth. This is them telling another Guinea Pig, or even you, to keep away, because they are annoyed or upset.
A fight may be caused if a Guinea Pig directs the chattering at another, and in this situation, the chattering is because the hierarchy of dominant males is being challenged. You should separate two Guineas that are chattering their teeth at each other. If a Guinea Pig chatters their teeth at you whilst you hold them, tap them on the nose until they stop. Then put them down and back into their cage. This will help to tame them. |
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Barbering(Chewing hair)Barbering is another word for chewing hair. Some guinea pigs chew their cage mates hair as a sign of affection. It is perfectly normal behaviour, but if a Guinea Pig noticeably swallows a lot of hair, and begins coughing, take it to the vet immediately.
While some Guinea Pigs will sit there whilst being barbered, enjoying the attention and the pruning, others will run away, and sometimes head but the hair dresser. |
Biting(Nibbling clothes while you hold them)If a Guinea Pig nibbles your clothes when you hold or hug them, this is a sign that they need the loo. They will almost always try to avoid using you as a toilet, but after 10-15 minutes, they won't be able to hold it in any longer, and they may nibble a zip or your clothes to try and get you to take them outside or back to their cage.
(Nibbling or biting you)A Guinea Pig will never bite to hurt you on purpose, but they may nibble you as a sign of affection and as a way of communication. If the bite is harder than usual, they are probably telling you to stop what you are doing, and put them down or back in their cage.
They could be communicating that you are holding them in a position that hurts, or that they are worried, or frightened. (Babies biting)Like all babies, baby Guineas are constantly learning about the world around them, and what is acceptable and what not to do. If a young Guinea Pig is biting you, they are testing to see the limits and how hard is acceptable. Just remove your finger whenever it gets too hard, and they should learn.
(Biting while feeding)Guinea Pigs love their food, and they eat it frantically, so if they bite your finger while you are feeding them, it is most likely a mistake and that you simply got in the way of them and the food. They most probably thought your finger was food.
(Biting hard while stroking)If a Guinea Pig bites you hard while you stroke them, it is most probably because they have mites or other skin infections.
If a Guinea Pig does have mites, fly strike or other skin infections, they will hurt when you stroke them. A Guinea Pig will then bite you to try and relieve the pain, and to tell you to stop it. If this does happen, go straight to a vet for diagnosis of what could be causing the discomfort. (Biting the Cage Bars)Guineas can bite the cage bars for many reasons, some including; if they are bored and want attention (try giving them a toy), stress and frustration, hungry.
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Content and happy(Licking you)A Guinea Pig may lick you if they are satisfied and content at being held and petted by you. This is affectionate and loving behaviour, but it can also be to lick off the salt from your skin.
A Guinea Pig licking you, is like a human kissing you (I call them Piggy kisses) (Purring)This purring is known as motor boating, and a Guinea Pig can do this as a sign of relaxation and comfort (as well as in the Mating Dance).
Depression(Sits hunched up in corner, eats less)When a Guinea Pig is sitting hunched up in the corner of the cage, or isn't eating as much as normal (or eating enough food) this is depressed behaviour.
It is most commonly caused by a loss of a cage mate or if it hasn't seen a loved one or been handled in a long time. Your Guinea Pig should usually recover in about 2-3 weeks and resume normal behaviour. You should take your Guinea Pig to the vet if they are depressed. |
Eating poo
Eating their own poo is natural and perfectly healthy. Guinea Pigs actually do two different kinds of poo, one being just waste, and the other is nutrition. Sometimes if they require more nutrition, they can re-eat the nutritious poo and gain all the nutrients they missed on the first digestion.
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Getting to know others(Sniffing other Guinea Pigs)When a Guinea Pig rubbs their nose and sniffs another Guinea Pig (usually around the chin and nose and sometimes rear end) this is a way of getting used to their scent. Recognising other Guinea Pigs by scent is the main way that Guineas can tell each other apart and remember who is who.
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Hungry(Begging for food, standing on hind legs)This has to be one of the cutest behaviours listed on this page. When a Guinea Pig thinks that food is on the way, or is really hungry, they will start squeaking and may stand up on their hind legs, they will become excited and stare at you trying to make you notice them.
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Marking territory(Urine spraying)When a Guinea Pig sprays their urines around the cage, it is to mark their territory with their scent. This is most commonly done after a clean out of the cage, or if another Guinea Pig has been in the cage.
(Bottom rubbing)When a Guinea Pig rubbs their bottom everywhere or drags it along the ground, this is to mark their territory with their scent.
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Mating Dance(Deep purring sound, swaying side to side and vibrating)When a Male Guinea Pig sways side to side vibrating and making a deep purring sound (and sometimes sways his hips), he is performing the traditional Guinea Pig Mating Dance. The purring is known as motor boating. They do this when they feel hormonal or 'excited', if you know what I mean! They can use this to attract females.
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Pop-corning(Running and jumping)When a Guinea Pig jumps up and down whilst running (almost as if mimicking popping corn) they are showing signs of being happy and excited, almost as if frolicking around with joy. They may sometimes flick their head whilst in the air too.
It is a lovely action, and can be bought on by food, new straw, or just by you being near the cage. If a Guinea Pig doesn't popcorn frequently, you should try to make their lives more interesting by getting toys and treats. |
ScratchingScratching is normal behaviour in Guinea Pigs, but if there is excessive scratches, you should check for flaky skin or bald patches. If they do, they probably have skin problems. You should take them to the vet if so.
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Startled(Freezing and then sniffing the air)When a Guinea Pig suddenly freezes from time to time, and holds its head high sniffing the air shortly afterwards, it is showing signs of being startled and scared.
This could be due to a loud sudden noise, or it just sensing something is not quite right. If your Guinea Pig does this often, it is normal and may just be naturally skittish. (Running away)If there is a sudden movement, their instinct will tell them to run and hide in a place they recognise as safe (such as their cage). They are naturally skittish animals, and even if you walk up to them too quickly, they will run to the other side of the cage and cower there until they calm down.
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Showing dominance(Mounting)Mounting can be seen as sexual behaviour, but it can also be a sign of showing dominance towards another pig. A dominant male will mount another Guinea Pig, just to make sure it it understood who is more important in the hierarchy.
If two mounting Guineas begin to get too aggressive, separate them immediately (you can throw a towel over their heads to confuse them, and then pick them up), and feed the submissive Guinea Pig (the one that was been mounted) by hand at the same time as the Guinea Pig that was doing the mounting. This is a sign that you treat both of them equally, and not one is more important than the other. If they do not get aggressive, do not do the above steps. Having a dominant male in a pack is natural and perfectly normal, and you should let them both sort out the hierarchy themselves, as long as it isn't too violent) (Nose nudging)This is a small gesture to remind other Guinea Pigs of who is the dominant one. A dominant Guinea would usually nudge the nose of one lower in the hierarchy.
This is usually done when eating, to remind others that they get to eat first. Nose nudging can also be directed at humans, for example if you stroke their head they can nudge your hand to let you know that they don't like it. |
Stretching and YawningStretching and yawning is a sign that they are tired, or feeling happy and relaxed. This is common when you are hugging them, as they may feel comfortable and tired in your arms.
Some Guinea Pigs can tap their front feed while stretching and yawning. |