Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:50 pm
Guinea pigs are very social pets that like to live together, they don’t like to live alone.
Can guinea pigs live alone?
Yes, guinea pigs can live alone, but it is not the best for them. When they are in the wild they live in a group of 10 or more guinea pigs together and enjoy such a life and feel very happy.
Guinea pigs that live alone are very lonely, they are very bored, and may have social problems in their behavior towards the environment that surrounds them.
In today’s article, you will learn why guinea pigs are not good at living alone and what it is like for them to live alone.
How do we know a guinea pig is lonely?
Guinea pigs cannot speak, but if they live alone without a friend, they will certainly feel lonely and bored. When a guinea pig lives alone, it can also cause problems with its health and make it sick.
When guinea pigs are lonely, they can be noticed by some symptoms:
- loss of appetite
- lethargy
- low daily activity
- nervous behavior
- escaping from the cage
- chewing on the cage
All these symptoms can make the guinea pig sick, for example, if it has no appetite, it will not take in enough nutrients, and then it will get sick due to a lack of vitamins and minerals.
Should you keep two guinea pigs?
Yes, it is best for guinea pigs if you keep two or more guinea pigs.
They can live together longer, but two guinea pigs together are good for their health and happiness.
If you have room for more than two guinea pigs then they will feel even better.
Why it’s good to have two guinea pigs
Guinea pigs are social animals, so it is good to have two guinea pigs.
Veterinary experts recommend that you have two guinea pigs because they will be more interesting and have more fun and of course, they will not be bored.
Here are some reasons why it is good to keep two or more guinea pigs.
Less stress
When guinea pigs live together in a group they have much less stress.
Guinea pigs are often the prey of predators, and living in a group helps them in their survival, this is especially important when they are in nature.
When you keep guinea pigs in your home, they have no such dangers, however, if you have two guinea pigs they will help and warn each other when there is any possible danger.
Activity
When guinea pigs live alone they are less active and spend most of their time in the cage.
When guinea pigs are not active enough they can get various diseases due to inactivity.
It is much better when two guinea pigs are together, they explore the environment, play, look for something all the time, and are much more active.
Can male guinea pigs live alone?
Male guinea pigs can live alone, although if they previously had a friend with them, it will be a little more difficult for them to get used to a solitary life.
On the other hand, female guinea pigs are much more difficult to get used to living alone, they enjoy being in the company of other guinea pigs.
In any case, if your male guinea pig is left alone, watch his behavior, signs of boredom, inactivity, and loss of appetite may appear.
When is it better to have just one guinea pig?
Although guinea pigs like to live together with other guinea pigs, in certain situations it is better to have only one guinea pig.
If the guinea pig had some problem or rather experienced some stress, if it is very aggressive or if it has always been alone since it was born, then they are used to living alone.
However, we have to teach these guinea pigs to live together with other guinea pigs, to keep them in a room where there are more people so that they can get used to it and socialize.
How can we make the guinea pig happier?
When the guinea pig is lonely we should help him to be happier and enjoy his life.
Here are some tips when you only have one guinea pig to help keep him happy.
Spend more time with him
If you have only one guinea pig, you need to spend more time with them and pay more attention to your pet, so they feel happy and that someone loves and cares for it.
You can put it in a room where you spend most of the time, and get your pet to be with you.
You need to talk to him because it will help him to socialize, although at first, it will seem that you are talking to yourself, be sure that it has succeeded in the long run.
Let him out of the cage
In order to feel better, it is necessary to let your guinea pig out of the cage, for at least a few hours a day.
It is enough for him to be out of the cage for two to three hours so that he can run and play in your home, it means a lot for his mental health.
Of course, be careful not to leave him objects or other things that he can bite and cause a problem with his health, and make sure that the room is safe.
Toys in the cage
Guinea pigs need to have enough toys, tunnels and places to hide.
Therefore, make it possible for his cage to have as many objects and toys as possible that will help him feel comfortable and of course, have more occupation.
Take it outside to the yard
To keep your guinea pig happy, you need to take them out into your yard sometimes.
They are still animals that will enjoy playing in the yard and feeling like they are in nature.
Of course, make sure he doesn’t eat something poisonous or choke on an object in the yard, and be with him all the time.
Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Drink Out Of A Bowl? Let’s Find Out
Can guinea pigs die of loneliness?
Yes, guinea pigs can die of loneliness, although this is very rare.
Guinea pigs can die of loneliness if there was another guinea pig with them that died or was taken away.
When a guinea pig is used to living with another guinea pig, it can become depressed when left alone, stop eating, or even die.
Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Get Fleas? (All You Need To Know)
