Do Guinea Pigs Play Hide And Seek?

Do Guinea Pigs Play Hide And Seek

Do guinea pigs play hide and seek? This is another question we have been getting lately from pet owners. Well. guinea pigs, just like other animals, enjoy fun and stimulation.

From running around and merely exploring their environment to burrowing and playing hide and seek, so yes, guinea pigs do play hide and seek.

Guinea pigs can find fun and enjoyment in many activities – so you’ll want to make activities available to your little cavies to provide them with a happy, high quality of life.

Do Guinea Pigs Play Hide and Seek?

Hide and seek game is essential to the health of your guinea pig. Without exposing them to such a game, your guinea pig might grow to be very docile and timid.

Guinea pigs are also easily exposed to boredom, so it’s crucial to create new ways to keep them active and occupied, such as playing hide and seek games; in other to achieve this, you have to be familiar with their natural behavior.

Read Also: What Do Guinea Pigs Like to Play With?

Understanding Guinea Pig Natural Behavior

Guinea Pig Natural Behavior

According to nature, guinea pigs were domesticated some 10,000 years ago. Guinea pigs have a lovable charm, and it’s no wonder that they have become a popular pet for children.

It is still unknown to most people that guinea pigs are not far separated from their wild cousins, the cavy.

To efficiently understand a guinea pig’s behavior, you must first examine their natural behavior and basic instincts. Below are some of the behaviors of guinea pigs

1. Pack Animals

Like dogs and so many other animals, guinea pigs are highly social pack animals. They depend on each other for companionship, and in the wild, they live in herds with continuous interaction. Naturally, a lack of friendship can make them stressed and irritable.

Guinea pigs enjoy playing hide and seek and also with each other and are best suited to being raised in same-sex pairs from the time they are very young.

Communicating and playing hide and seek games with your guinea pigs daily will help make up for their lack of companionship.

They also like routine, so playing with them and feeding them at the same time each day will lessen their stress.

2. Bundles of Energy

Small guinea pigs are incredibly energetic and ready to play any game, including hide and seek, and if you leave them enclosed in a habitat all day, they will become frustrated and depressed.

Make sure you have a play cage or a guinea pig-proofed room with no other animals present where your little buddy can stretch out while being supervised.

3. Intelligence

While some people may regard these creatures as mindless, they are quite intelligent. For example, guinea pigs speak their coded language and love the spotlight. Beliefs that guinea pigs are untrainable are a pure fallacy.

With a little persistence and patience, you can teach your guinea pig a few new tricks. Moreover, the time you spend training provides your sensitive little one with the attention and companionship he needs.

4. Behavior in the Home

Guinea pigs love to burrow and explore passionately, and to an extent, you must let him do so freely. Before introducing a guinea pig into your home, decide where he can and cannot go before letting him roam.

A guinea pig-proofed space or a play cage is essential for daily exercise and games. Educate your children about your pet’s sensitive hearing and the importance of gentle handling.

Living in a community-like way is essential for guinea pigs, and once spirited children are involved in your pet’s life, there’s a genuine possibility that they will develop a pack of their own.

Read Also: DIY Guinea Pig Toys

6 Fun Games to Play with Your Guinea Pig

Fun Games to Play with Your Guinea Pig

Spending time interacting with your pets is one of the most fun things about having pets. Your guinea pigs wouldn’t consider just sitting in a hutch or cage as fun; likewise, you all day waiting for their next meal.

When it comes to guinea pigs, of course, you should always have two or more, as they are amiable animals and are far happier when they have friends to share their lives with.

Playing games with your guinea pig is possible, though you must remember that you cannot play the usual shouting, screaming, yelling games that you may be used to because guinea pigs are so small.

When you play with your guinea pigs, keep your movements calm and voice soft. Your guinea pigs were meant to enjoy your company and not to be afraid of you. These are various fun games you can play with your guinea pigs.

  • Hide and Seek
  • Food Scrabble
  • Tunnel/Maze Building
  • Play ball
  • Tug of war
  • Burrowing

1. Hide and Seek

Guinea pigs can be inquisitive little critters. If you lay down near them while bending your head and hiding your face, you may very well find that they come over and investigate you.

This is not necessarily just a fun game to play with your guinea pig; it can also be considered an excellent way to build trusting bonds with guinea pigs that may be shy or timid.

Guinea pigs can be quite friendly after a time, but it is not uncommon for them to start fearful, especially if they have been purchased from a pet shop or a separate center where the guinea pigs were not handled very much.

2. Food Scrabble

This is a trick that zoo-keepers use to keep zoo animals entertained. Look for a plastic tube, a hollow ball, or some other non-edible container that the guinea pigs will have to work to get food out of, and you put some of their favorite food inside it.

It is great fun watching the guinea pigs work to find the food, and it is an excellent exercise and mental stimulation for them. Like every other animal, guinea pigs like to be challenged now and then.

3. Tunnel/Maze Building

All you need is time and a few cardboard boxes; then, you can build a series of tunnels or even a maze for your guinea pigs. Place your guinea pig at one end and a food reward at the other, and watch as your guinea pig navigates the maze or makes its way through the tunnels.

It’s pretty easy to make some reasonably long and robust tunnels that join together with duct tape, and guinea pigs love them. In keeping up with their natural desire to make holes/ burrow, tunnels provide endless fun for guinea pigs.

Your guinea pigs can crawl through the tunnels and may even decide to involve in a nice nap right in the middle of the tunnel.

Guinea pigs enjoy playing “chase games” with one another in and out of the tunnel. Make provisions for a cage that is large enough for your guinea pigs to run around in their tunnel together.

Building the tunnel on the floor in an area where your guinea pigs have more space to run around in can be more enjoyable for them. This can also be a plus to get their much-needed exercise, as sedentary guinea pigs are at risk for cardiovascular disease.

You can buy tunnels fit for guinea pigs at any pet supply store or make them inexpensively at home using cardboard tubes. Ensure that they are sizeable enough for your guinea pig to fit through. Light bulb boxes can also work.

Use tape on them and join them together and add more boxes to make the tunnel larger. Put the newspaper on the “floor” of the tunnel to help it last longer.

4. Play Ball

Many animals used as pets may enjoy batting around a ball from time to time, and guinea pigs are no exception. Provide an entertainment ball such as a ping pong ball or cat-sized ball that can provide entertainment for guinea pigs.

The use of tennis balls may also be employed and might work, but they may not be as fun as lighter, smaller balls that are easier for them to push around. A wadded up piece of a newspaper may also be a hit, as they enjoy the crinkly sound it provides.

5. Tug-of-War

Guinea pigs enjoy playing with one another and will be more playful in a cage with adequate space.

An old sock or a simple piece of the newspaper may result in two guinea pigs engaging in a fun game of tug-of-war. They may also use the hose to lay their head or drag it around their happy little home.

6. Burrowing

Burrowing comes naturally to guinea pigs. Guinea pigs that live in the wild will burrow and build comfortable nests to protect themselves and their young from predators.

You can give your guinea pig to chance to create his burrowing spots within his cage by providing a cage that’s big enough to burrow in.

An association based in the United States made a point that many people don’t buy cages big enough to comfortably house their guinea pigs. A particular guinea pig requires a cage within a range of 7.5 square feet.

More rooms will be available for each added guinea pig. Providing wooden coverings is enough to allow your guinea pig to burrow.

Read Also: Do Guinea Pigs Overheat?

Other Fun Activities to Try With Your Guinea Pigs

Fun Activities to Try With Your Guinea Pigs
  • Create an obstacle course made of tubes and switch it up every week or so.
  • Get your guinea pig cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, or toilet paper rolls (maybe filled with hay or healthy treats) to play with.
  • Provide a variety of appropriate and safe cat toys. Try playing with your guinea pig while sitting on the floor and rolling balls to him.
  • Make use of high-quality, healthy guinea pig treats to teach your friend how to come when called. You can also try training your pet to sit up before treating it.
  • Poly Vinyl Chloride pipes come in several configurations and can be a lot of fun for your guinea pig. Make sure they are appropriately measured for your pet.
  • Calm sounds are great tools for training your guinea pig. Use a bell to notify feeding time, and soon your guinea pig will respond to the sound.
  • Small, soft animal brushes, Clothes, leashes are also available for guinea pigs to support more grooming, attention, and interaction.

Safety is essential when it comes to guinea pig playtime. Make sure you sought and discard any loose pieces, sharp edges, or anything else that could harm your guinea pig or be a choking hazard.

Monitor your guinea pig during playtime, and explore new ideas to keep his interest. A whole lot of exercise, a high-quality diet, and lots of love and attention will help keep your guinea pig happy and healthy.

How to Raise a Healthy, Happy Guinea Pig

  • Always come to your guinea pig in a calm, non-intimidating manner.
  • Wash your guinea pig’s space and environment daily. They are obsessively neat and will become distressed when not taken care of.
  • Train your guinea pig to perform tricks for treats. They love attention on stage and are fantastic performers.
  • Make due chew toys to quench your guinea pig’s urge to chew and help maintain healthy teeth.
  • Lap time is also a vital time to bond for you and your guinea pig but does not replace the mental stimulation and exercise he gets from running around during playtime.
  • When your guinea pig is very happy or excited, you may witness an entertaining act called “popcorning,” where he jumps up and down or runs around quickly, often accompanied by cute squealing noises. This behavior is similar to a mini bucking bronco and is fun to watch, but know that not all guinea pigs will do this.

Read Also: Do Guinea Pigs Like Stuffed Animals?

Conclusion

Like every other companion animal, guinea pigs enjoy playing around and having fun; they play many fun games, including hide and seek.

There are so many other fun games your guinea pigs can play as well, apart from hide and seek, and this article gave a full insight on those games and tips on healthy living for your guinea pigs.

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Frank Kane

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been head-over-paws for all creatures, great and small. I’m on a mission to help other pet lovers better understand, care for, and enjoy life with their furry, scaly, or feathery friends.

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