TeamWouldn’t you like a best friend in the form of a furry little ball of love that jumps around and makes noises when it needs or likes something? I don’t think anyone described guinea pigs that way before, but they are the perfect pets loved by many across the world. There are more than 6 reasons why guinea pigs are the perfect pets, but if you’re not convinced after these six, maybe this adorable creature isn’t for you.
Are you sure though? Just look at the pictures and see the cuteness overwhelm you and trick you into making that face you make when you see a baby playing with a puppy.
I love my guinea pig, and it didn’t lose its cuteness as it grew older, it just grew, a lot. People who aren’t that familiar with guinea pigs just say “Well, that’s a giant hamster you have there” but, no offense to hamsters, guinea pigs are much better pets.
Their lifespan is 8 years, but the guinea pig I had before this one lived even longer than that. They work best in pairs, but you don’t want to wake up one day to realize that you have a farm of guinea pigs (even though that would be awesome), so it’s best to get two females.
Not sure that these pets are the most adorable beings in the world yet? Here are the 6 reasons why guinea pigs are the perfect pets:
1. They all look different and have unique personalities
If you remember the episode from The Simpsons where Lisa gets a guinea pig, you know the scene with many different ones.
There are entirely black, brown, or white guinea pigs and combinations and varieties of these. Each of them looks unique though, and their appearance also varies on their size and the length of their hair. Mine has a combination of yellow, brown, and white hair and a small black dot on her nose, but some have the pinkiest nose you have ever seen. They also have their unique personalities and preferences regarding food, the way they like to be cuddled, and the rest. Have I mentioned how adorable they are? Just look at that picture.
2. They purr when they’re enjoying cuddles and squeak when they want food
One of the 6 reasons why guinea pigs are the perfect pets is because they communicate with you. They make different sounds, and each of them has a different meaning. When they are squeaking they are asking for food and they make a sound like purring when they are enjoying something, most of the time when you cuddle them. They learn to recognize the sounds related to food, so a guinea pig might squeak when it hears a plastic bag or a fridge opening. I don’t know if this goes for every guinea pig, but my piggy and the one I had before it both always demanded food when I’m about to eat. So, we always eat at the same time, what can I do?
3. They show affection and love cuddles
Your guinea pig might also communicate with you by giving you little kisses. By “kisses” I mean that the piggy will slightly lick your hand and keep doing that for a while. They also love to cuddle, so when you hold them, they’ll get close to you and purr while you cuddle them. These are the ways they show affection, so you’ll know if your guinea pigs love you. They can get lonely if you don’t give them attention, so, in Switzerland, they’ve even made it a rule to always keep in them in pair since they are very sociable and need company. Guinea pigs can get along with humans great though, so if think you can give it enough attention and keep it company, it won’t get lonely. It might get depressed if you yell at it, so it’s best to talk to it in a calming loving voice. They like to be held, but don’t like to be picked up, so you might have a little trouble with that part since you’ll need to catch your guinea pig as it runs around.
4. They eat fruits and vegetables
Besides hay and a mix of food for guinea pigs that you can buy in a pet shop, guinea pigs like fruits and vegetables.
They enjoy carrots, tomato, cucumber, broccoli, apples… Both of my guinea pigs always adored dandelion for some reason, so every guinea pig has its own preferences. They love to eat, but you do need to be careful because there are foods that aren’t good for them, and they can eat too much. Guinea pigs don’t need much water because they get it from fruits and vegetables, but they do need it. Make sure to get a guinea pig water bottle because your piggy will spill the water otherwise.
5. They are very tidy and like to have a place to hide
Guinea pigs can be bathed but they don’t have to. One of the 6 reasons why guinea pigs are the perfect pets is that they groom themselves and are very clean animals. My piggy very quickly learned to do her business only in the place specifically set for that and never does it while I hold her or when she’s outside of the cage. She also tries to cover it with hey, but there’s something a little weird about them. They eat their own poop. Yes, I’ve said it, and if you see your guinea pig doing this, it’s perfectly normal. Back to cute things, guinea pigs love to have a small place where they can hide. There are adorable little wooden houses for guinea pigs and other great hideaways where your piggy will be able to peacefully sleep. This is especially important to them while they are little since they are just getting to know you, and they are always startled by nature.
6. They jump around and throw themselves in the air when they’re happy
Popcorning is one of the best of all the 6 reasons why guinea pigs are the perfect pets. You just can’t stay serious when you see your guinea pig expressing its joy by suddenly jumping and throwing itself around in the air very fast. I don’t know how to explain it better, but you got to see it anyway. My piggy most often does this when I give her a lot of hay.
They also look adorable when they are lying down and get all comfy.
You just can’t resist loving them and if that’s not a good enough reason to get one, I don’t know what is. Just make sure to give them enough space by buying a bigger cage or using a fence. Besides that, give them food and cuddles and they’ll love you and get less afraid as they get to know you better.
Now that you know why we love guinea pigs, learn more about why most people love cats more than dogs!
