Guinea pigs are social creatures, so it’s a great idea if you have the financial means and the space to have more than one guinea pig in the same enclosure to keep each other company. Putting a male and female piggie together will definitely result in babies if they’re not neutered, but what about when you house two females or two males together and you see one of them… getting busy with the other? Why would a male guinea pig mount another male? Is your guinea pig gay? Let’s explore!

Why Male Guinea Pigs Mount Other Males (or females mount other females!)

While we can’t climb into a guinea pig’s head and heart and know for sure that they aren’t expressing their love to a same-sex partner (and if so, we stan an LGBTQIA+ guinea pig romance), the general consensus is that guinea pigs mount each other as an expression of dominance.

When you put two male guinea pigs together, or even two females sometimes, you may notice mating behavior taking place as the piggies get settled in. This is completely normal! Guinea pigs need to establish their social hierarchy (aka who’s the boss) in order to coexist peacefully. Usually an older or bigger male will naturally assert dominance over a younger or smaller male (though sometimes when a younger male goes through ‘piggie puberty’ dominance issues can arise). One way of asserting this dominance is…well… hopping aboard the Piggie Express, let’s say. 😉

Other dominance behaviors you may see your guinea pigs exhibit include:

Head-raising – whoever can lift their chin the highest is the winner

Rumblestrutting – ruffling up their fur, making a purring/chuddering sound and slowly shifting weight between their hind legs in a little dance prior to mounting

Chasing or nipping – watch carefully for any super aggressive behavior like chattering teeth while hair raising on end, or lunging and drawing blood and be prepared to safely separate your piggies with a dustpan or other barricade (not your bare hands!) if they end up in a ‘flying furball’ tussle

So the next time you look over and see your male guinea pig mounting another male, or your female guinea pig mounting another female, or a female guinea pig mounting a male, put yourself at ease knowing they’re just doin’ what guinea pigs do and working out their social order.

Want answers to more of your burning guinea pig questions along with comprehensive, illustrated info covering just about everything you want to know about taking care of guinea pigs, all in one spot? Check out The Guinea Pig Guide official book here!

If you’re looking for guinea pig facts, look no further! Guinea pigs are sweet, adorable creatures that can seem pretty simple at first glance. But there are actually all sorts of interesting facts about guinea pigs you might not know! Read below to see our compilation of 100 Guinea Pig Facts!

100 Facts About Guinea Pigs:

1. Guinea pigs are rodents
2. Guinea pigs have 4 incisors (front teeth), and molars in the back
3. Guinea pigs have 4 toes on each front foot, and 3 on each back foot
4. Guinea pigs don’t have tails
5. Guinea pigs communicate with lots of different noises, from squeaks to purrs to chirps and more
6. When guinea pigs get excited, they do little twitchy jumps in the air. This is called “popcorning”.
7. Guinea pigs are herd animals and generally like to live with other guinea pigs, though the right personality pairing is important as some can have dominance mismatches and not get along.
8. A male guinea pig is called a boar, and a female guinea pig is called a sow, just like big pigs.
9. Male guinea pigs have an area just above their their bum called a ‘grease gland’ that makes a waxy substance
10. Guinea pigs are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants
11. Guinea pigs can’t throw up
12. Guinea pigs need to eat hay to thrive
13. Young guinea pigs enjoy the nutrients in alfalfa hay, and older guinea pigs do better with timothy hay or orchard grass
14. Some people breed ‘purebred’ guinea pigs and compete in guinea pig shows
15. Guinea pigs are also called cavies
16. Guinea pigs are related to the world’s largest rodent, the capybara
17. The average lifespan for a guinea pig is usually 5-7 years, though some have lived to be 10 or more!
18. Guinea pigs are social and friendly animals and will warm up to human companionship with gentle socialization
19. Some guinea pigs can even learn to do tricks!
20. Guinea pigs are not from New Guinea, nor are they pigs
21. Wild cavies live in the Andes in South America
22. Peruvian culture involves keeping guinea pigs in the home as livestock and preparing them as a meal for special occasions (eep!)
23. Guinea pigs are common lab testing animals, which is where the phrase “be the guinea pig” came from, meaning you’ll be the first to try something and see what happens.
24. Guinea pigs are friendly with other animals like bunnies and hamsters but should not live with them in the same enclosure.
25. Guinea pigs’ eyes make soapy tears that they rub with their front paws and wash themselves with
26. Guinea pigs can get pregnant long into adulthood when female guinea pigs’ hipbones have fused, which makes giving birth dangerous and often fatal and can require a C-section.
27. Neutering a male guinea pig will not change their dominance behavior with other guinea pigs (but will prevent pregnancy and male and female pairings often go well!)
28. If guinea pigs aren’t getting along when you introduce them, sometimes giving them a bath together will help them bond.
29. Guinea pigs don’t require regular baths as they clean themselves, but long-haired guinea pigs sometimes may if their long fur gets soiled or matted.
30. Guinea pigs’ nails can get overgrown and curled so they require regular nail trims.
31. Many fruits and veggies are safe for guinea pigs to eat in moderation
32. Guinea pigs’ bodies, like our human bodies, can’t make their own vitamin C and they can get scurvy if they don’t get enough in their diet.
33. Red bell peppers (not spicy ones!) are one of the best sources of vitamin C for guinea pigs. Oranges have plenty but can be acidic and cause mouth sores.
34. Guinea pigs can be prone to bladder and urinary tract stones caused by too much calcium, which is found in larger quantities of certain dark leafy greens.
35. Guinea pigs will often sleep with their eyes open, likely as an evolved trait to appear alert as a vulnerable herd animal in the wild.
36. Guinea pigs digest their food twice, and eat their own poop the first time through!
37. Abyssinian guinea pigs are covered in swirly cowlicks called rosettes.
38. When a guinea pig has just one rosette or ‘flat spot’ of fur on the center of its forehead, this is called a crested guinea pig. Some affectionately call this spot a “grape holder” (a quick google search will show you why XD)
39. Baby guinea pigs are called pups.
40. Despite their docile nature and supreme cuteness, guinea pigs aren’t ideal pets for small children to be the primary caretakers for as they require a lot of upkeep and gentle handling.
41. Guinea pigs sometimes like to lay flat, sometimes with their feet out behind them, which is affectionately called pancaking.
42. Guinea pigs yawn when they’re feeling relaxed, so if you’re holding a guinea pig and they yawn, this is a sign that they’re comfortable with you!
43. Guinea pigs will make gentle chirps and ‘bubbly’ noises when they’re feeling happy and comforted, often when you pet them as you hold them.
44. Guinea pigs have a crepuscular sleep schedule, meaning that they’re neither diurnal (awake in the daytime) nor nocturnal (awake in the nighttime), but are most active at dawn and dusk. Guinea pigs take short naps throughout the day and night!
45. Guinea pigs’ naps typically add up to about 4 hours per day of sleep time.
46. Guinea pigs that are feeling dominant or that wish to mate with another guinea pig do a funny little dance combined with a chattering sound, and their hair will ruffle up a bit. This little ritual is called rumblestrutting.
47. Some guinea pigs have such long hair that it grows over their face, and some people will tuck it back in little bows so they can see and keep it out of their food!
48. When picking up a guinea pig, humans need to support the piggie’s bum to make sure they aren’t putting strain on the guinea pig’s arms/armpits.
49. Guinea pigs can’t climb like hamsters do, though they can stand up on their hind legs to put their front paws on their cage bars wheeking for snack time!
50. Guinea pigs learn the sounds of your home and are quick to respond with excited squeaks and squeals at the sound of a hay bag rustling, vegetable bag crinkling, veggies being chopped or refrigerator door opening.
51. While feeding guinea pigs fruits and veggies can be fun as a treat, it’s not required for their wellbeing. Lots and lots of timothy hay and a high quality timothy-based pellet will meet their nutritional needs.
52. Guinea pigs can overeat on pellets and some will really ‘pig’ out, which can lead to weight problems. But guinea pigs can never have too much hay. No matter how much hay they eat, this will not cause them to gain weight or develop any food-related problems, so give them as much as they’d like!
53. Some guinea pigs are picky and once they walk through a pile of hay they won’t want to eat it, or they might pee in it, which can lead to lots of wasted hay. Hay racks help keep the mess under control and keep the hay clean for piggies to eat it.
54. Guinea pigs can become bored or listless if they don’t have either another guinea pig to play with or enough human interaction and stimulating toys in their environment.
55. Guinea pigs like to hide and curl up in things like kleenex boxes, hay houses, or pigloos. When a guinea pig is sprawled out sleeping in the open, this shows that they feel very safe.
56. Guinea pigs’ spines don’t bend like a ferret or hamster so using a ball, wheel, or harness is dangerous for a guinea pig. Some of these products feature guinea pigs on the packaging but should not be used for them.
57. The gestation period for pregnant piggies is 59-72 days.
58. Pregnant guinea pigs give birth to 3-4 pups on average, but some have many more.
59. Guinea pigs can become pregnant in as little as 15 hours after giving birth! (another reason why it’s so important to neuter if you have males and females together!)
60. Guinea pigs are very sensitive to heat and can be prone to heat stroke
61. Guinea pigs fare better in cooler temperatures (the sweet spot is similar to our indoor preferences, around 68 degrees farenheit) but also shouldn’t be too cold with outdoor enclosures in snow, etc.
62. While most people use shavings or recycled paper bedding like Carefresh for their guinea pig cage substrate (fancy word for bedding), some people like to use soft fleece layered over towels and/or puppy pads.
63. The general consensus is that aspen shavings are the best shavings to use as pine and cedar can emit oils that can be irritating to guinea pigs’ respiratory systems. There is some debate on this but most take the “better safe than sorry” approach and go with aspen.
64. Guinea pigs aren’t known for their eyesight, but they make up for it in cuteness.
65. Some guinea pigs have red eyes (called ruby eyes), due to a lack of pigment, or albinism. This is common in Himalayan guinea pigs, white guinea pigs, and some other light-colored piggies. This doesn’t affect their vision at all and is completely normal.
66. Guinea pigs have small bald spots behind their ears.
67. Most guinea pigs also have small hairless patches on the insides of their front legs.
68. Guinea pigs’ front teeth grow continuously like our fingernails and are designed to meet when they bite so that they grind down as they chew on vegetation.
69. Sometimes guinea pigs’ teeth get misaligned (called malocclusion) which can cause overgrowth and chewing problems. Vets can trim their teeth to help with this.
70. Guinea pigs usually don’t like having their hair rubbed the wrong way. Of course, with Abyssinian guinea pigs with all their swirls, it can be hard to know which way is which! Pet your guinea pig starting from behind their head down their back.
71. Speaking of petting your guinea pig, if you rest your hand on the top of your guinea pig’s head or forehead, you are likely to get a head bump! Guinea pigs prefer not to be touched with a full palm on the top of their head.
72. Sometimes guinea pigs bite, but they’re not ‘bitey’ by nature. They are generally docile and friendly creatures, so more often than not, a guinea pig may bite because it’s mistaken your finger for food, has been startled, or is defending itself.
73. Yes, guinea pigs fart.
74. Guinea pig poops come out in a very uniform shape and size. If poops are a weird color, look too soft, or come out in a ‘chain’ like they’re attached to each other, this can mean something is going on with their digestion and should have a second look by a veterinarian.
75. Guinea pigs poop a LOT.
76. It’s normal to see some white when your guinea pig pees on their bedding and it dries, as these are calcium deposits from their urine.
77. Creating a safe area for your guinea pig to explore and have “floor time” is a great way to get them some exercise and keep them happy and entertained.
78. Guinea pigs can eat things from your lawn like grass, clover, and dandelions (esp the greens!) but be cautious about the use of pesticides from wherever you may forage.
79. Guinea pigs can swim if they need to, but they don’t belong in the water and should not be put in a pool, ocean or a deep tub.
80. Guinea pigs’ hearing is very sensitive, particularly to high frequencies, and you may notice them making a little chudder of disapproval if they hear certain sounds – jingling keys, a ringtone or doorbell, even a sneeze!
81. Guinea pigs love to chew! Giving them safe toys to chew on in addition to their usual hay helps keep their teeth worn down. If you give them a little wooden hidey hut, don’t be surprised to see some ‘home renovations’ with a chew-induced expanded window or doorway!
82. Guinea pigs don’t require a salt lick or mineral wheel like birds or other small animals.
83. It’s generally accepted that guinea pigs can’t catch human viruses, but may be able to contract certain bacterial or fungal infections, like ringworm.
84. If you are holding your guinea pig and they start backing up on you, look out – you’re about to get peed on!
85. Some guinea pigs will bite hair off another guinea pig or themselves. This is called barbering. Guinea pigs may do this as an assertion of dominance, or, when done to themselves, a reaction to stress, or trying to relieve an itchy skin condition like mites.
86. Guinea pigs can get mites (invisible) and lice (visible), both requiring treatment. These are not the same as human lice so thankfully you won’t catch them!
87. Guinea pigs shouldn’t have dairy products, even though yogurt drops are often marketed as a guinea pig treat.
88. Guinea pigs also shouldn’t have a lot of nuts, seeds, corn, or ‘birdseed’ type sticks or foods that hamsters might enjoy.
89. Wrapping your guinea pig in a towel so their arms and legs are tucked out of the way can help make it easier to administer medicine into their mouth with a dropper or syringe.
90. Some foods, like broccoli, can be gassy for piggies and cause some gas pains just like you and me, so they’re best fed in more modest quantities.
91. Queen Elizabeth I had guinea pigs, and they can be seen in paintings!
92. Sometimes guinea pigs will bite the bars of their cage to get attention.
93. You can build your own guinea pig cage using storage grids and Coroplast(r) material!
94. Many pre-made pet store cages aren’t quite big enough to house a guinea pig, much less more than one. If you go store-bought, grab the biggest one you can!
95. Guinea pigs can get to know the voices of their human companions, and even their footsteps, to tell them apart.
96. Veterinarians that specialize in treating guinea pigs are often referred to as exotic veterinarians.
97. If you’re holding a guinea pig and they have to go pee, they might let you know ahead of time by biting on your shirt or pants and acting restless before backing up to do their business on you.
98. Guinea pigs have whiskers like cats! Their whiskers tell them how wide their body is so they’ll know if they can squeeze through tight spaces or not.
99. Guinea pigs’ lower lips sometimes hang down a little and it is one of the cutest things about them.
100. Guinea pigs require a lot of maintenance and don’t live nearly long enough for how cute they are, but they are sweet, wonderful companion animals that make amazing pets for those who can afford their care and give them the attention they require!

Have you ever noticed that your guinea pig has a little bulge under their lower lid on one or both of their eyes? Almost like it looks swollen or like it’s drooping? Is it dangerous? What IS it?!

Most likely, your guinea pig has a completely harmless condition called fatty eye.

A guinea pig with fatty eye / pea eye (source)

What is Fatty Eye?

No, fatty eye, also sometimes used interchangeably with a similar condition called pea eye, is not the name of the latest hip hop sensation (though if there were ever a rapping guinea pig… it’d be pretty dang perfect. Magnum Pea Eye? 🤣). Fatty eye is a generally completely harmless condition that some guinea pigs have where their lower eyelid looks puffy or a little droopy. Medically speaking, fatty eye is a ‘subconjunctivial protrusion’ caused by ‘deposition of lipid in the inferior bulbar conjunctiva’ (source) … aka fat deposits under the eye causing it to bulge a little.

Why do Some Guinea Pigs Get Fatty Eye?

Fatty eye can be caused by excessive caloric intake, but also can be hereditary.

Can Fatty Eye be Cured?

While generally there’s no need to do anything about fatty eye, if it’s negatively impacting your guinea pig’s ability to see, or looks inflamed, a veterinarian can use a laser to remove or lessen its effects. This would only be in extreme circumstances. Generally, fatty eye or pea eye is permanent and doesn’t cause any problems for your guinea pig. Some find reducing calories can help it go away, but don’t change your guinea pig’s diet without talking to your veterinarian first!

We hope you’ve learned a little something and this has helped reassure you that your guinea pig is A-OK! Want to learn more about guinea pigs all in one spot? Check out the fully illustrated Guinea Pig Guide book here!

If you have a guinea pig, chances are at one point or another you’ve seen your guinea pig sit back on their haunches, curl up and tuck their face down like they’re giving themselves a bath, only to see them eating… something… when they resurface. (hint: it’s poop. That something is poop 💩 😂)

*frrrrp* oops!

“EW!” You’re thinking. WHY IS MY GUINEA PIG EATING POOP?! 🤢 Won’t they get sick?!

Not to fear! While it seems gross to us humans who would surely get sick if we ate our poop, guinea pigs eating their own poop is actually perfectly normal guinea pig behavior! The fancy term for guinea pigs eating their poop is coprophagia, which sounds like a beautiful tropical island. An island of poop, apparently. While guinea pigs will occasionally eat one of their ‘pellets’ from their cage, most often they’re eating a special kind of poop that their body makes called a cecal pellet. This poop is nutrient-dense and softer than the harder, more uniform brown ‘beans’ you see sprinkled around.

Why do guinea pigs eat their poop, you ask? Guinea pigs, like some other herbivores, actually digest their food twice. They eat their food, it goes through their digestive tract, their body makes poop #1 (the cecal pellet). They eat that poop, and then their body makes poop #2 (ha…poop… #2…), the regular poop we all know and… love?

So the next time you see your guinea pig having a snack from ‘down under’, don’t fret. They’re just doin’ what guinea pigs do. Just maybe don’t kiss them on the lips next time. 😉

Want answers to more guinea pig questions, step-by-step care instructions and a whole lot more? Check out The Guinea Pig Guide official book here!

Depending on where you live, this guinea pig is referred to as a silkie or a sheltie guinea pig. Either way, silkie guinea pigs are smoooooth, babey!

Silkie guinea pigs have long, silky (go figure!) hair, similar to a Peruvian guinea pig. Unlike its Peruvian cousin, however, the silkie guinea pig/sheltie guinea pig’s fur doesn’t grow over its face. Instead, it cascades gently over its shoulders and back, gradually getting longer further down the body to form a sort of ‘teardrop’ shape if looked at from above.

A cutie fat lil silkie from animalfunfacts.net

Also unlike the Peruvian guinea pig, the silkie guinea pig’s hair doesn’t part down the middle, or at all. It just swoops backward and spreads around in a big satiny ball of cuteness.

A lilac and white silkie guinea pig from Wikipedia.

As for maintenance and upkeep, silkies require a bit less maintenance than the Peruvian, but still quite a bit more than a short-haired guinea pig. If you’re considering a silkie or sheltie guinea pig, you’ll need to be prepared to provide regular hair trims to keep your piggie’s coat clean and dry. Since their hair on their rump is longer than the hair on the upper parts of their bodies, it tends to get dragged around, picking up little bits of hay from their cage, and is unfortunately easily soiled when they go pee.

This tri-color silkie peeg’s hair is soft and clean, likely requiring some maintenance with baths and brushing. Source

If you love your piggie’s long hair and don’t want to cut it, you can provide routine ‘bum baths’, where you gently wash, rinse and dry their rear with a high quality, mild, specially-formulated guinea pig shampoo to keep things safe and tidy back there.

You may also want to brush your guinea pig regularly to prevent the onslaught of tangles that can rapidly turn into uncombable mats which must be cut out of the fur. Their hair is so smooth it’s fun to brush it (gently with a guinea pig brush) and feel how satiny and shiny it gets.

Do you have a silkie/sheltie guinea pig of your own? Tell us in the comments!