I often wonder if I should put a mirror in my guinea pig’s cage, but is it okay, and how will my pet react? I did a little research before taking this step and here’s what I found.
Does my guinea pig understand the mirror?
Guinea pigs cannot recognize themselves in the mirror, they think they see another guinea pig. At times like this when they see another guinea pig in the mirror they can run away or behave aggressively.
Depending on the guinea pig, some of them will look persistently in the mirror, while others may attack the guinea pig or their reflection.
However, mirrors in the guinea pig’s cage can make your pet happy for a short period of time.
Does my guinea pig like a mirror?
Guinea pigs may like a mirror for the first few days because they will think they have a new friend.
Guinea pigs cannot realize that they see themselves in the mirror, they always see another guinea pig in the mirror.
A mirror can help keep guinea pigs from feeling lonely, but it won’t last more than a few days.
The guinea pig may be happy and love the mirror at first, but then they will realize that the other guinea pig is not responding to their actions and then they will not be interested anymore.
To see if your guinea pig likes a mirror, first place it in your room and let your pet out of the cage to see his reaction.
If he likes the mirror and shows no aggression, then put him in the cage. However, as we said, even if he likes the mirror, after a while he will not like the mirror anymore.
Is my guinea pig afraid of the mirror?
There is no way to know exactly how a guinea pig will react when you put a mirror in its cage.
Each guinea pig is individual, some of them will be afraid of the reflection in the mirror, while others may look forward to their new friend.
Some guinea pigs may start behaving aggressively toward the mirror, while others will just run away.
My guinea pig, when I put a mirror up to him, just looked at himself for a long time, and then he stopped suddenly and doesn’t want to look at his reflection anymore.
Can guinea pigs recognize themselves in the mirror?
Guinea pigs cannot recognize themselves in a mirror because they do not understand the reflection.
They constantly think that there is another guinea pig in the mirror, and they can only react happily or aggressively toward it.
After a certain time, they lose interest in their reflection in the mirror and stop looking at themselves because they realize that it is just a toy.
Should I put a mirror in the guinea pig’s cage?
You can put a mirror in your guinea pig’s cage as it can help him not feel lonely. The mirror will reflect their reflection and they will think they have a new cage mate.
But before you put a mirror, first check the following things:
- never put a broken mirror or a mirror with sharp edges as they can injure the guinea pig.
- The mirror in the cage should be well-secured so that it does not fall and injure your pet.
- If the guinea pig does not like the mirror then remove it immediately so as not to cause stress and anxiety in your pet.
Benefits of mirrors for guinea pigs?
Benefit of mirrors for guinea pigs is that suddenly they will have company in the cage.
But unfortunately, this will not last long, because in a few days they will realize that the reflection in the mirror is not a real guinea pig.
The first moment when they see another guinea pig in the mirror can certainly be a joyful moment for them, however if you want them not to be lonely buy them another guinea pig this time a real one.
Why can guinea pigs be aggressive toward the mirror?
Although a mirror can be a way to make your pet happier and not lonely, it can also cause a negative reaction. Guinea pigs can become aggressive when they see another guinea pig in the mirror.
This happens because they may see in the mirror an enemy who wants to take over their territory. Guinea pigs like to be dominant and they may act aggressively towards the other guinea pig in the mirror.
If they start chattering their teeth, moving their rear end and acting strange, then remove the mirror from the cage.
Another reason for aggression can be food, because the guinea pig will not want to share the food with the other guinea pig, that is, the reflection in the mirror.
Why do guinea pigs run away from the mirror?
When guinea pigs run away from the mirror it means they are afraid of the other guinea pig.
They think that the reflection from the mirror is the other guinea pig, is in its territory, and that’s why it feels like running away and hiding.
If you notice this reaction then remove the mirror because your pet did not feel safe.
Guinea pigs cannot understand the reflection from the mirror, although after a certain time they will realize that the other guinea pig will not hurt them.
Why do guinea pigs spend hours looking in the mirror?
When guinea pigs spend hours looking in the mirror, it means that they are curious and want to see their new friend who is actually their reflection.
The guinea pigs will look in the mirror and it will be interesting to them when they jump, seeing how the other guinea pig jumps just like them.
Obviously, when looking in the mirror, the guinea pigs are happy about their new friend, at least for a certain period of time.
Why do guinea pigs ignore the mirror?
Each guinea pig is individual, sometimes there are situations when they ignore the guinea pig in the mirror, although this is a rare occurrence.
This is especially the case with older guinea pigs as they don’t have much of a desire to interact with other guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs can ignore the mirror and the other guinea pig because they will not smell another guinea pig.
Read more: Do Guinea Pigs Pretend To Be Dead? Let’s Discover
Can you put more mirrors in the guinea pigs’ cage?
You can put more mirrors to the guinea pigs in their cage, but it still won’t mean anything special.
And one mirror and more mirrors will not cause euphoria in the guinea pigs, because in a short time, they will realize that the other guinea pigs are not real.
More mirrors will not change the attitude of the guinea pigs, it may even be more disturbing when they suddenly see more guinea pigs in the mirrors.
Read more: What Does Zooming In On Guinea Pigs Mean? Let’s Discover
Conclusion
Guinea pigs don’t understand mirrors, they think there is another guinea pig in the mirror.
When you place a mirror in the guinea pigs’ cage, they may be happy, but they may also become aggressive because of the other guinea pig in the mirror.
At first, guinea pigs may try to communicate with the other guinea pig in the mirror, but when they notice that it does not reciprocate, they will consider it as a toy.
A mirror in the guinea pigs’ cage can temporarily break their loneliness in the cage, but then they will realize that they are alone again.
Each guinea pig is individual and will react differently if you put a mirror in its cage.
Read more: How Fast Can Guinea Pigs Run? Let’s Find Out
