While they may look cute and cuddly, guinea pigs are naturally timid animals. They are wonderful pets because of their affectionate and social personalities, but as prey animals, they are also very anxious by nature. This is why it is incredibly important to understand what causes them anxiety, in order to create a safe and calming environment for them.
In this article, we are going to look at the greatest fears guinea pigs have, how they show fear, and ways you can help them feel safe in your household.
Why guinea pigs are afraid
Guinea pigs have a peculiar stance on danger. For starters, they don’t have a defense system; instead, their whole mechanism is built to avoid threats, danger, or anything they perceive as harmful. Generally, their first instinct is to run away at the slightest bit of danger.
They do not engage with threats like a predatory animal, who may feel the need to defend itself. Rather, frightened guinea pigs tend to flee from any source of danger. And this is the reason why they cannot stand loud or unfamiliar noises, people, or even changes within their surroundings.
Due to the underlying instincts that pet guinea pigs have, they are quite sensitive to dangers. Because of this, hiding, making distress calls, and freezing are common reactions from guinea pigs when they start to feel unsafe. As an owner, you have the responsibility of understanding their fears and ensuring that their environment is as stress-free as possible.
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What can make guinea pigs the most afraid?
Many things can startle guinea pigs, but they can be grouped into more common or significant fears. These are some of the major fears guinea pigs face.
Loud noises
Sudden or loud sounds are terrifying to guinea pigs, and as such, they have very delicate hearing. Some common noise-related fears include:
- Fireworks and alarms
- Yelling or loud conversations
- Videogames or music set to high volumes
- People slamming doors
- Blender or mixer explosions
- Thunder
- Vacuuming
Loud sounds can trigger a panic response in a guinea pig. As a result, they may start to hide, freeze, or become excessively stressed. All of these can have negative health effects over time. Chronic anxiety can easily develop as a result of being in an environment that repeatedly exposes the guinea pig to loud sounds.
Predators and sudden movements
When it comes to pet guinea pigs, remember they are a prey animal and, as such, are naturally afraid of being hunted down by a predator. At home, your pet may encounter the following situations that could spark fear in them:
- Cats, dogs or birds in the vicinity
- Quick hand movements when attempting to pick them up
- Shadows or dark figures appearing suddenly
- Humans emerging recently from an enclosure they seem to be in
- Blinding lights such as camera flashes or mirrors
Even if your feline/pet dog friend has no plans to attack the guinea pig, the mere fact that it is in the vicinity can be extremely unsettling for the g pig. It’s wise to first introduce them slowly to one another or, even better, keep them apart entirely.
Being alone and isolation
Like every other animal, a guinea pig is social in nature and can go through stress when left alone for a long time. Such disconnection could give way to a lot of anxiety for a single guinea pig that does not have a companion which could cause:
- A depressed state of mind
- Less than usual eating habits
- Over excessive hiding
- Getting vocal and noisy unexpectedly
- Extreme lethargy and no interest in things around them.
If circumstances allow, it’s best to domesticate guinea pigs in pairs or small groups so that each pet can get the social interaction they need. For comfort, companionship and social interaction, guinea pigs rely on their companions.
New environments and sudden changes
Guinea pigs can find changes to their environment disorienting. Moving them to a new cage, changing their bedding, or even rearranging their habitat can make them stressed out. Signs of fear in a new environment include:
- Reluctance to move around
- Excessive duration spent in one specific area
- Reduced eating
- Excessive cautiousness when performing day-to-day activities
- Intensified reflexes
In order to minimize their stress levels, make changes slowly and ensure that they have some familiar objects such as favorite hideouts or toys. These drastic changes can often be too much for them to handle, so try to limit the additional changes made to their habitat.
Being handled by strangers or roughly
Sudden alterations to their environment can be pet owners who are strangers or who are rough. Guinea pigs have to get used to humans over time. If they are picked up by someone they don’t recognize, there is a likelihood this could induce panic in them. These are some of the signs that can indicate that:
- Trying to break free
- Loud screaming
- Fast pace breathing
- Biting
- Becoming extremely stiff
In order to avoid inducing additional stress for these pets, make sure that new people are able to interact with your guinea pig slowly, allowing them to make the first move without being approached too closely.
A scared guinea pig
There are a number of behaviors guinea pigs tend to show when they are scared. Understanding these behaviors will help ease their fear:
Hiding for long periods
Although a guinea pig hiding may not be a big concern, unreasonably excessive hiding is worrisome. In the event that they fail to emerge for food or play, they may be stressed out.
Freezing in place
If guinea pigs feel threatened or fear some perceived danger, it’s not odd for them to remain still and motionless. They often freeze for anywhere from a few seconds up to a few minutes when frightened.
Rapid breathing or shaking
Trembling and rapid breathing are both signs of fear and anxiety in guinea pigs. Do your best to try and eliminate any of the possible sources of stress when you notice this. À
High-pitched squeaks or distress calls
A high-pitched grumpy squeak or scream of a guinea pig often indicates a warning sign of the presence of a threat, so is best regarded as a signal of fear.
Running away and avoiding interaction
Needless to say, scared guinea pigs tend to shy away from grabbing hands such as yours or mine. If the guinea pig keeps running away the way they do when you approach them, they are definitely insecure. 
How to help your guinea pig feel safe?
What do you think is the answer to this question, now that we know some things guinea pigs fear the most? How best to help them feel more secure.
Create a comfy habitat
Place your guinea pig’s cage in a location that does not have an access to loud surroundings.
- Offer a variety of floors such as tunnels, wooden huts, or fleece hiding bags for your guinea pig to hide in.
- Provide soft bedding for their comfort.
- Avoid making sudden changes to their habitat.
- Lower volume levels
- Alter the location of the guinea pig’s cage for it to be more quiet.
- Keep the radio on low to hide background sounds.
- Steer clear of loud noises while in close proximity of the guinea pig’s surroundings.
Slowly introduce handling
Approach their cage and speak to them softly as you slowly start to get used to their presence.
- Offer food to build an association that your presence is a good thing.
- Pet them lightly first and then try to lift them.
- Support with both hands when restraining them to make them feel safe.
Keep them together
For the reason that guinea pigs are friendly, you can get one more, if you have not, so that they can play together. This action reduces stress instead.
Maintain a routine
To have a more secure feeling while moving to around, a guinea pig’s environment must be stable. Make sure to feed them at the same time, consider altering their surroundings, and pets often feel safer especially if their routine is followed.
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FAQs
Do guinea pigs get scared of the dark?
Actually, guinea pigs are not afraid of the dark. In the wild, these animals are mainly active during the dawn and dusk hours. However, they may feel unpleasant in total darkness if they lack familiar surroundings or safe hiding spots. As such, providing low light levels during the night can help them feel more at ease.
Can guinea pigs die from fear?
Yes, extreme fear can be harmful to guinea pigs. A sudden scare or continuous stress can cause shock. When being shocked, the heart rate increases quickly, and if not dealt with in a timely manner, death may occur. It is essential to provide a peaceful environment free from stressors in order to avoid these situations.
How do I calm a scared guinea pig?
To calm a scared guinea pig:
- Talk in a whisper and do not make any jerky movements.
- Allow for a hiding place.
- Try giving their favorite treat to build trust.
- If they are comfortable with being held, pet them with gentle strokes.
- Make sure that their environment is as calm as possible.
Why do i see my guinea pig scared of me while picking it up?
Guinea pigs are prey animals which are normally scared of predators. To defend themselves they freeze and this behavior affects the way they interact with people. This and other behaviors such as thumping and hiding indicate that the guinea pig is frightened. To overcome their fear, approach them gently while trying to support their body with two hands and regularly enough that they can get used to it.
Do formerly pet guinea pigs get frightened of humans?
Suspicion and fear is very much possible at the beginning stage of relationship, mainly because they fail to recognize you as a trusted owner. But because of constant feeding and gentle escalating interactions, they learn to trust their owners and ultimately seek for companionship.
Conclusion
Most animals that are prey are very cautious by nature. Along with noise and movement, the sight of unknown objects can also frighten them. Removing unknown objects will surely relieve their anxiety, along with other practices.
You can build a trusting relationship with your guinea pigs by providing a safe environment and minimizing stressors so they can feel comfortable and happy in their new surroundings.
