Guinea Pigs Essay Example

Guinea pigs are much smarter and eccentric than people may believe. Native to South Africa, guinea pigs had to adapt to numerous threats in their environment, leading them to develop heightened senses and a more cautious mindset.(???, 2019)   These adorable creatures are hard to resist with their mouse-like features and wide variety of fur patterns. Contrary to mice however, guinea pigs lack a tail, and are significantly larger. Domesticated guinea pigs eat a herbivorous diet, consisting of hay, vegetables, fruits, and processed pellets.(Hess and Axelson, 2022) Unlike many household pets, guinea pigs can be very shy at first, likely leading many people to believe they are boring pets, and refuse to take the time to build a connection with them. There are many different breeds of guinea pigs, each with their own broad characteristics.(Crandall, 2021) While most people may expect guinea pigs to be nothing other than small “pocket pets,” they surprisingly each have their own personality, with unique peculiarities.

One of the most notable things about guinea pigs are their preferences. While they will potentially fight over any food available to them, “guinea pigs can be picky about what they eat.”(Saurav, ???) One of my guinea pigs, Toffee, will squeal and stand on two legs for a piece of apple, but Hazel, another guinea pig, will only take a few bites of it. Occasionally, when feeding them vegetables, Toffee and Muffin would eat so quickly to prevent others from stealing their piece that they would choke. Hazel on the other hand takes her time, and the others often steal her share. This displays their fondness for certain foods, and desire to eat as much of it as possible. Aside from food, guinea pigs favour different hides. Muffin’s favourite hide is made of willow branch for her to chew with cozy fleece underneath for her to sleep on, whereas Toffee usually sleeps on top of the hay for her to eat. This shows how they can choose to prioritize their comfort or the proximity of food. Similarly, guinea pigs can have a favoured sleeping position. While they only sleep for “ten to thirty minutes”(AZ Animals Staff, 2021) at one time, guinea pigs love sleeping and spend much time doing so. Some like Muffin prefer to sleep with their paws in front of them while lying on their stomach; several guinea pigs can be seen lying on their side with their faces pressed against the bedding. They likely sleep differently depending on vulnerability and whether they wanted to stretch before a nap. Ultimately, liking different foods, choosing contrasting hides, and having different sleeping positions leads to the assumption guinea pigs are capable of having their own preferences. 

There are many different parts to a guinea pig's personality than may be expected. Surprisingly, these small rodents have their own unique desires. Varying from food to sleeping positions, they each favour one over the other, implicating that they are able to make decisions and act upon them. While one of the most popular pets in the world, guinea pigs will likely remain overlooked intelligent creatures with immense personalities.