Guinea Pig Project - Conclusion
Baby guinea pigs
Guinea Pigs
Why does all of this matter?
Guinea pigs are very sensitive creatures and notice the slightest bit of sound, so consider where you live before adopting a guinea pig. For example, if you live an in apartment, consider if your environment is loud, or even your neighbors.
As explained by the immobility response, IR, of a guinea pig or “freezing” of a guinea pig is in short the stopping and then a resumption of normal behavior after hearing a loud noise or series of noises. However, a repeated amount of this prolonged stress can lead to a shorter life-span for the guinea pigs and lead to a lower quality of life for guinea pigs.
Try putting your guinea pigs in a quiet cool area where they don’t have any threats from predators. This will ensure a stress free life for them.
3 adult guinea pigs
Sound Detection
Want a guard dog without the dog part? Then guinea pigs are the perfect pet for you. These animals are very sensitive to noise, and will move at anything that is really loud. If the source that caused the noise doesn’t grab your attention, they definitely will.
However, one of the cons of owning a guinea pig is that they will react to every noise you make, which can lead to some annoyance when they can’t effectively use CMR to distinguish what sounds matter at times. More likely than not, if they hear a sound they are used to, they assume they need to be fed.
Timothy Grass
Living Spaces
Usually, guinea pigs can eat timothy hay, timothy pellets, a variety of fresh fruits & vegetables, but they shouldn’t stray too much outside of these diet parameters as they can get sick because of it. They can also develop obesity if fed too often so make sure to not give in to every one of their impulses. For a healthier snack option, consider fresh grass if it is available to you.
They thrive in environments where they can communicate clearly with one another so try to avoid over-crowding your cage!
Lastly, guinea pigs will get used to your touch them over time, but it is important to let their CMR develop first.
Conclusions on Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs are animals that the whole family can enjoy, as their docile passive nature is a nice change of pace compared to some more aggressive animals. While these are not beginner pets, with enough time and patience they can learn how to stand on their heels, do tricks and more!
Through psychology, we can understand not only these animals better, but also many others and how to better interact with them in our daily lives. I am hoping that this project on guinea pigs inspires others to adopt or consider them as a pet in the future.
Thank you for reading my research on Guinea Pigs!
Source: Creating a Good Home for Guinea Pigs | RSPCA. (n.d.). https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/guineapigs/environment
