Guinea pigs have a fast metabolism, they eat and drink water all the time, and that’s why they often pee and poop.
I’m sure when you first got a guinea pig to keep in your cage, you were a little surprised that they kept peeing on the bedding.
This is quite common behavior for guinea pigs, but we did a little research on the subject anyway.
How often do guinea pigs pee?
Guinea pigs pee every 15 minutes, and it can be more often if they eat food that is rich in water, such as cucumber. Guinea pigs may urinate more or less often depending on their current state of health.
In today’s article, you will find out how often guinea pigs pee, what the reason for this habit and other questions related to the topic.
How often do guinea pigs pee?
Guinea pigs pee every 15 minutes, that’s their normal interval, and sometimes it can be more or less often.
If the guinea pigs do not take in enough fluids, they may urinate less often, while if they eat food rich in water, such as watermelon, they will pee very often.
As guinea pigs pee every 15 minutes, they also poop at the same time interval with urination.
That’s why it is recommended not to hold them in your hands for longer than 15 minutes when playing with them, or to put a towel under them so they don’t get dirty.
If you add up how much they pee a day, the math shows that they pee a total of about 100 times a day.
However, depending on the diet and fluid intake, this number may vary, but they will certainly urinate very often.
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Pee?
As we said, guinea pigs pee a lot, but it depends on the intake of liquids and the food they consume.
For example, guinea pigs weighing 1 kg drink on average about 150 ml of water per day, and will urinate about 40 ml of urine.
This amount of guinea pig pee is a bit much for such small animals, but rarity is what it is.
Why do guinea pigs pee so much?
One of the most asked questions among guinea pig owners is why do guinea pigs have to pee so much, why don’t they pee less?
If guinea pigs would pee less, we would be able to hold them in our hands much more and play with them.
Here are some explanations why guinea pigs have to pee so much, let’s read them together.
Guinea pigs pee a lot because of their small bladders
One of the reasons guinea pigs urinate so often is their small bladders. Their small bladder does not allow them to store more fluids ie water and they have to urinate very often.
Since guinea pigs drink about 100-150 ml of water per day or more by ingesting food rich in water, they are forced to defecate too often or every 15 minutes.
So don’t be angry with your guinea pigs, because they don’t want to urinate that often either, but their organism forces them to this reaction and need.
Vegetables and fruits cause guinea pigs to pee frequently
Guinea pigs eat a lot of vegetables and fruits in their diet, and this is quite normal for animals that do not eat meat.
Vegetables and fruits contain a lot of liquids and water, which is why guinea pigs urinate very often.
In addition to liquids, vegetables, and fruits also contain many vitamins that, when they accumulate more than is necessary, must be expelled from their body through urination.
A fast metabolism is the reason for frequent urination in guinea pigs
Guinea pigs have a fast metabolism which causes them to pee and poop often.
They are vegetarians and therefore eat all the time in order for their digestive system to process the food they must have a fast metabolism.
That’s why guinea pigs pass the food very quickly and poop it in the form of caecal pellets that they eat again to process them once more so that they can use all the nutrients to the maximum.
This fast work of the metabolism and digestive system contributes to them urinating quickly and often.
Why do guinea pigs urinate more or less often?
Guinea pigs usually pee every 15 minutes, but sometimes they may urinate more or less frequently.
Here are some reasons why it may come from a change in the regular urination interval in guinea pigs.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Pee Too Much?
Guinea pigs may urinate excessively when they have a urinary tract problem or infection or when they have Polyuria/Polydipsia.
UTI in Guinea Pigs causes excessive urination
When guinea pigs have a UTI they will urinate much more often than normal.
This always happens as a result of the infection, and it can cause additional problems such as blood in the urine.
In such adverse situations, it is necessary to immediately take the guinea pig to a veterinarian to examine it and start treatment.
Polyuria/Polydipsia causes frequent urination in guinea pigs
Polyuria/Polydipsia means that the guinea pig drinks too much water and urinates too much.
When a guinea pig drinks and urinates a lot, it is a sign that it has a kidney problem, or it may have diabetes or liver problems.
In such situations, it is necessary to have the guinea pig examined by a veterinarian to determine the cause or disease that contributes to such uncontrollable urination of your pet.
Why do guinea pigs pee so little?
In addition to peeing too much, guinea pigs can sometimes pee too little.
The most common causes of this phenomenon are dehydration or if there are stones in the bladder.
Dehydration in guinea pigs causes less urination
When guinea pigs do not urinate normally or less, then they have a problem with dehydration.
Usually in such situations, guinea pigs do not drink enough water and are therefore dehydrated, and it can be noticed that their urine has a darker color and an unpleasant smell.
To improve their hydration, give them fresh and clean water more often or give them fruits and vegetables with more water.
Bladder stones cause less urination in guinea pigs
Bladder stones cause guinea pigs to urinate less than usual. Older guinea pigs in particular are more likely to develop bladder stones.
When they have stones in the bladder, guinea pigs avoid urinating because they have pain when urinating, and blood can be seen in the urine.
In such situations, it is necessary to immediately take your pet to a veterinarian for examination and treatment.
Why do guinea pigs pee on people?
Guinea pigs pee on people because they can’t last more than 15 minutes in their hands.
They also urinate more often if they are very scared or stressed at the moment.
Guinea pigs will never pee on humans if they can hold out for more time, but unfortunately, that is impossible.
Read more: Why Does Guinea Pig Pee Smell So Bad? Find Out Now
How long can guinea pigs hold their pee?
Guinea pigs can last a little over 15 minutes, maybe 20-25 minutes before urinating.
I have noticed this with my guinea pig when I hold him because I think he understands and doesn’t want to pee on me.
However, most of the time they can’t last more than 15 minutes and it is very difficult to train them to pee less often, they will start to pull away from your hands when they pee.
Read more: Guinea Pig Eating Pee Pad: How to Prevent It?
Conclusion
Guinea pigs urinate every 15 minutes because they have a fast metabolism and a small bladder. They cannot last longer without peeing and pooping, and we must understand their physiological needs.
That is why it is recommended not to hold them in our hands for more than 15 minutes.
Guinea pigs can urinate sometimes and more often if they eat vegetables and fruits with more water in their composition, such as cucumber or watermelon.
Guinea pigs who are dehydrated or have bladder stones may also urinate less often.
In any case, the peeing of guinea pigs must be frequent and we must get used to this natural habit of our pets.
Read more: Why Do Guinea Pigs Poop Where They Sleep? Let’s Find Out
