My guinea pig often runs in circles, so I did some research to find out what the meaning of this behavior is.
What does zooming in on guinea pigs mean?
Zooming in on guinea pigs means expressing happy moments along with running, jumping, and playing. Guinea pigs zoom when they are excited, but also when they want to spend some of their energy.
Guinea pigs zoom most often when they are happy, or when they are threatened by predators.
But still, when they are happy, it is noticed immediately by their behavior, while when they zoom under the threat of predators, they then shake and are scared.
In today’s article, we will learn about all the meanings when guinea pigs zoom and similar questions related to the topic.
What does zooming in on guinea pigs mean?
Zooming guinea pigs means running around using a lot of energy. When the guinea pigs zoom in, they run in circles, make popcorn, or race in the cage.
The zooming of guinea pigs is an expression of happiness and contentment in the space in which they are. The only bad meaning of guinea pig zooming is when it is out of fear of predators.
Guinea pigs use zooming mostly when they are very happy, which is really interesting to watch.
Guinea pigs, especially the younger ones, often zoom, while the older ones do it very rarely because they cannot run fast due to their age.
Making popcorn and zooming
Guinea pigs also know how to zoom when making popcorn because it’s associated with happiness. Guinea pigs zoom when they are happy, and they are always happy when they make popcorn.
You can often see how your pet first makes popcorn and then starts running and zooming.
I’ve had this same thing happen to my guinea pig who makes popcorn and zooms when I let him free roam in my room.
Is Zooming Guinea Pigs Always Good?
When guinea pigs zoom and the space around them is well secured then there will be no consequences for them, and it can only make your pet even happier.
Zooming in on guinea pigs allows them to have better physical and mental health. They expend energy while zooming, which increases their fitness and improves their health.
Zooming can only be bad if the area where the guinea pig is zooming is not safe enough.
When guinea pigs zoom in a cage it is safe because there is nowhere for them to get hurt, but outside the cage zooming in an unsafe environment can cause injuries.
If guinea pigs zoom into an unsafe area they can get lost.
Why do guinea pigs get zoomed in?
Guinea pigs get zoomed for several reasons, such as when they are happy, when they are very excited, or when they want to expend their energy.
Therefore, for these and other reasons, let’s read how and why zooming occurs in our little friends.
Spending excess energy
Guinea pigs like to expend their energy and they do so by zooming around.
They are constantly eating, they have a fast metabolism because they are small animals and therefore they constantly need to have a way to use up the excess energy in their body.
Then they use Zoom to run, play and jump. By zooming, guinea pigs simultaneously strengthen their muscles, and have better health and fitness.
Conversely, if guinea pigs do not zoom they may have a health problem.
Excess energy, if not zoomed in, will start to get nervous and may fight with other guinea pigs or bite the cage bars.
When they have a big cage
The bigger the guinea pigs’ cage, the more they will have room to run, play and zoom around. Guinea pigs in a small cage do not have so much space to zoom around which is not suitable for their health.
Research on guinea pigs shows that they like to explore whenever they have enough space, which explains why they enjoy zooming around because they are happy and satisfied.
Happy guinea pigs zoom by
The main reason guinea pigs zoom is luck. When a guinea pig is happy it zooms around, you can’t see unhappy guinea pigs zooming around and running around.
When guinea pigs are scared, they don’t zoom, they save energy because they are afraid of their surroundings.
When a guinea pig is happy it zooms around because it feels safe and content in its cage or in your home.
Guinea pigs zoom when excited
Guinea pigs also zoom when they are very excited which in some way is again connected to happy moments in their life.
When guinea pigs notice it’s time to eat, play or run they will start buzzing with excitement.
The most common signs of excitement in guinea pigs are making popcorn, making happy noises, or running around or outside the cage.
in any case, the guinea pigs when they are excited zoom which is a very good sign for us as owners because we are obviously keeping them in the right way.
Young guinea pigs love to zoom
Young guinea pigs like to zoom around because they have a lot of energy to expend.
When they are already 20 days of their age, they have the speed of adult guinea pigs and want to use it up.
Whereas older guinea pigs won’t zoom as often, maybe once a week or less, which is completely normal.
Difference between zooming and fricking in guinea pigs
A mistake is often made when observing guinea pigs, more precisely a mistake in whether they are zooming or freaking out in the environment.
When they are freaking it looks similar to zooming, but it is not the same. When guinea pigs freaking it can be noticed by the following signs:
- chattering of the teeth
- shaking
- hiding in the corner of the cage
In such situations, the guinea pigs are probably scared by predators or something else that surrounds them, and they will hide in the cage.
Is it normal for guinea pigs to get Zoom?
Yes, it is completely normal for guinea pigs to get zoomed, because they are just expressing happiness.
There’s nothing wrong with guinea pigs zooming, you’re free to let them zoom and it’s best not to interrupt their moments of happiness, because they should be happy like everyone else.
Sometimes it happens that when one guinea pig starts zooming, then another guinea pig shares its happiness, that is, it also starts zooming.
Why do guinea pigs run like zooms at night?
Guinea pigs are most active at dawn or dusk. During that period, they mostly want to move, play and spend their energy zooming.
When you go to bed at night and turn off the lights, the guinea pigs notice that it is night, and then they become active and zoom around.
The same can happen during the day if you lower the blinds and make it dark artificially, they will think it’s night and it’s time to zoom and run into the cage.
The best thing for guinea pigs is to have normal light and darkness in the cage, it is not good to artificially create darkness for them because you can only confuse them about the time between day and night.
What should I do to make the guinea pigs zoom?
In order for guinea pigs to zoom more often, you need to allow them to be happy in the living cage more often.
Guinea pigs when they have enough food, water, a calm environment, and a lot of attention from their owners are happy which is a requirement to Zoom.
So give them happy moments with proper care from your side and you will see how your pet will often zoom.
Read more: How Fast Can Guinea Pigs Run? Let’s Find Out
How long does zooming last in guinea pigs?
Zooming in guinea pigs usually lasts for a few seconds, then they will stop for a few seconds and then zoom again.
You should know that zooming in guinea pigs can happen several times in one day, it all depends on their mood and how happy and contented they are in their cage.
The more often they zoom, the more happy and satisfied they are with the way you keep them. You should enjoy watching them zoom because as they get older they will zoom less and less.
Read more: Can I Let My Guinea Pig Run Around the House? Let’s Discover
Conclusion
Guinea pigs zoom as a sign of sharing joy, by running and jumping around the cage or into your room.
Guinea pigs zoom most often when they are happy and excited, but they can also zoom when they are scared or threatened by predators.
In any case, zooming in on guinea pigs is good for their health, condition, and better life.
In order for guinea pigs to zoom, they need to have good living conditions in the cage, enough food, water, and attention from the owners.
Read more: How To Keep A Solo Guinea Pig Happy? Let’s Find Out
