Stress In Guinea Pigs: Everything You Need To Know
Although guinea pigs are animals that do not usually frequent veterinary consultations, 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 make us go to the vet.
Along with hamsters, guinea pigs are the most popular rodents as pets. In principle, it seems that they are animals that do not have too many concerns, however, that does not mean that they really do not have them. Let’s see more about this below.
Can guinea pigs suffer from stress?
Rodents are very sensitive to stress. To understand this, it must be remembered that, in their natural state, these animals are easy prey for many different predators. Therefore, stress plays an important role in their survival.
Even when they are at home, safe from predators, guinea pig health is still very delicate. Therefore, to keep a guinea pig healthy and happy it is necessary to take care of many aspects of its life : food, hydration, exercise, parasites …
When these aspects are not well cared for, stress can manifest itself and cause health problems, such as hair loss, or enhance possible diseases suffered by the animal.
Some symptoms of stress in guinea pigs are:
- Irritability or aggressiveness. Guinea pigs themselves are not animals that usually show aggressiveness, if they are shown in this way we can think that something is not right.
- Excessive grooming. Guinea pigs, like other rodents, wash themselves daily, with their tongues and feet grooming themselves.
- Digestive problems
- Diarrhea. It can be a symptom of stress or be aggravated by this same situation.
- Skin and hair problems. Alopecia can be a characteristic symptom and is a common reason for visiting the vet.
Tips to reduce stress in guinea pigs
Stress directly affects the delicate health of guinea pigs, so the best way to reduce it is to prevent it through 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 at home.
Being social animals, being in company greatly reduces their stress levels, but this is not always possible, so if you have a guinea pig, be sure to pay enough attention to it.
They are also sociable with humans, but at first they are somewhat scary with people they do not know.
It is necessary to work the relationship little by little, respecting the space of the animal, until it gets used to our presence. Once the animal is held or caressed, the handling should be smooth and calm, without sudden movements.
2. Watch your diet
Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals and their diet must consist of feed, vegetables, fruit and hay. In addition, it is important to bear in mind that these animals do not synthesize vitamin C, so it is important to add it as a supplement in their diet or through foods that contain it in a high quantity such as kiwis, strawberries, citrus fruits, peppers or spinach.
3. Enrich your environment
These rodents need to move and exercise to avoid obesity. To help them, we can remove them every day from their cage and let them roam freely, although always with vigilance. In addition, there are many objects that can serve to enrich your environment.
4. Clean his cage
It is essential to keep their cage clean, with fresh food and water. To do this, we must clean the cage at least once a week, using a disinfectant that does not irritate its skin or mucous membranes, removing the remains of food and dirty chips from the environment. It is also advisable to apply a product against parasites such as mites, fleas, lice.
- Stress weakens the immune system and leaves the body more vulnerable to parasite infections.
- The itching caused by diseases like scabies can put a lot of stress on a guinea pig.
Guinea pigs, a therapeutic company against stress
It is increasingly common to hear about therapy with dogs, horses, cats … the surprising thing is to discover that guinea pigs are also good therapy animals.
Guinea pigs are very beneficial in therapy with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), reducing the anxiety caused by contact with adults and making it easier for them to focus on tasks that involve interacting with others or even taking the initiative to do so. time to interact with other people.
The anti-stress effect of guinea pigs can be combined with other types of therapies to facilitate the socialization of these children and facilitate their adaptation to society.
