

Like many small animals, a guinea pig goes through a cycle of being asleep and awake. This is just long enough to restore their energy so they can continue pushing around shavings in their cage or playing with other guinea pigs in their habitat.
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Generally, they sleep for periods of ten to 30 minutes at a time. Of course, there’s no solid rule for how long guinea pigs sleep. So, if a pet guinea pig is usually sleeping around three o’clock in the afternoon, the owner knows to leave it alone for a while so it can get the proper amount of rest.

Even if a guinea pig is taking a quick nap during the day, it’s likely to wake up for any opportunity to play a game with its owner.Īs an owner gets to know their guinea pig, they become familiar with the animal’s sleeping habits. So, it may sleep more than its wild relatives. A wild guinea pig has so many predators, it has to do whatever it can to avoid being eaten.Īlternatively, a pet guinea pig doesn’t have to contend with wild predators. This means a wild guinea pig is more difficult for its predators to see. Why? Because daylight is just coming up at dawn and fading at dusk. Not surprisingly, this is when most wild guinea pigs are active as well. Guinea pigs are most active early in the morning and early in the evening. Other times, yawning is an indication of tiredness in guinea pigs just as it is in humans. Sometimes yawning is just a way to stretch the muscles in its jaw. When a guinea pig yawns it shows off its long teeth. It may even kick or move the shavings to make its bed just right. Sometimes when a guinea pig is sleepy, it makes a low chirping sound.Ī sleepy guinea pig may turn around and around in one corner of its cage to create a comfortable place to rest. These small pets make these noises for a variety of reasons. They squeal, whistle, chatter, purr, and chirp. ©/Goroda How Do You Know When a Guinea Pig is Sleepy? Guinea pigs love to burrow, so having enough shavings in their cage is important. Every guinea pig has its sleeping preferences. Of course, a guinea pig may simply dig a shallow hole in its shavings as a place it can settle down to sleep. Plus, these structures are made out of non-toxic material so a guinea pig can safely chew on them. A guinea pig can crawl into this type of structure to sleep. Some pet stores have small tunnels or huts made out of twigs or straw. One of the best things about a sleeping pouch is it can be washed when necessary. These pouches are soft, colorful, and large enough to accommodate a sleeping guinea pig. An old shoebox or tissue box that’s been cut in half makes a relaxing shelter for a pet guinea pig.įabric pouches made of fleece are available at most pet stores. This is an inexpensive option, and a pet owner can replace it easily when the guinea pig has chewed it to bits. So, it’s best to set up a place where this pet can hide and rest.Ī small cardboard box is something a guinea pig can chew on as well as a retreat when it’s time to nap. Most guinea pig cages won’t accommodate enough shavings for a guinea pig to make a deep burrow. So, guinea pig owners should keep that in mind when planning a sleeping area for their pet. So, the owner of a guinea pig shouldn’t be surprised if this pet is up at night digging, eating, and playing with the toys in its cage. Just because a guinea pig is kept as a pet in a home doesn’t mean it’s going to drop the habits of its wild guinea pig relatives. But, sleeping for short periods throughout the day and night means they can get the rest they need without putting themselves at risk. A small wild mammal that goes into a long, deep sleep at night or during the day, is vulnerable to predators. They sleep for short periods at night as well as during the day.

A guinea pig’s behavior is part nocturnal and part diurnal. The answer to the above question is yes and no. Only The Top 1% Can Ace our Animal Quizzes Think You Can? Take Our Brand New A-Z-Animals Pet Rodents Quiz Are Guinea Pigs Nocturnal?
