Do guinea pigs stink: owner reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Each family has its own preferences in choosing pets. Someone loves dogs, someone loves cats, there are bird lovers, and there are people who cannot imagine their home without a charming guinea pig.

The choice of a pet must be approached responsibly. Those who decide to have a guinea pig at home often wonder: do guinea pigs stink? In this article, we will take a closer look at this issue and study the reviews of the owners of these cute animals.

Features of guinea pigs

Guinea pigs belong to the order of rodents. These are cute fluffy small animals native to South America. Indian tribes used these animals for food. For these purposes, South American tribes domesticated guinea pigs as early as 5 thousand years BC. e.

The guinea pig is a herbivore. At home, these rodents can live 6-7 years. They communicate with each other with the help of high-pitched sounds - squeak. Pigs do not like loneliness, so it is better to get a couple of these sociable animals so that they do notwas bored.

Guinea pigs are kept as pets all over the world. They take a lot of time to take care of themselves. But if you follow them well, and most importantly, do it with pleasure, they will become real true friends. Returning to the question of whether guinea pigs stink a lot, it can be answered that this mainly depends on the correct care. If the cage is cleaned in time, then a strong smell can be avoided.

What are the breeds of guinea pigs

In fact, there are enough breeds of guinea pigs to choose a pet that suits you best in character and appearance. Of the most common breeds, the following are distinguished: American, Abyssinian, Peruvian, Sheltie, American Teddy, Texel, Crested, Rex, Coronet, Himalayan, Skinny. All breeds differ in coat length, color and behavior. There are both long-haired breeds, such as the Coronet, Sheltie or Peruvian (the most "furry" breed), and short-haired ones, such as the Rex or Crested. There are very interesting guinea pigs in color, for example, the Himalayan. Its color is reminiscent of Siamese cats. There are rodents with curly hair - texel. They look very impressive, so they are a success at exhibitions.

There are also completely exotic animals - this is the skinny breed. Among others, it is distinguished by the fact that the animals of this breed have practically no wool. It is available in small quantities only on the paws.and muzzle. Some people are interested in, because of their peculiarity, how to keep them, do they stink? The guinea pig (skinny breed) stinks a little less than other breeds. But this concerns the smell of the guinea pig's body itself. The skinny cage smells exactly like the cages of other breeds.

Do guinea pigs stink

Since this issue is very important for many potential breeders, let's dwell on it in more detail. Indeed, for some people, it is the special smell of these animals that can scare away and discourage the desire to have them at home. So, do guinea pigs stink?

Every animal in nature has potential enemies, and therefore you have to adapt in order to survive. Guinea pigs do not have sharp claws and deadly fangs to protect themselves from predators. Therefore, they try to do so in order to remain unnoticed. To do this, they need to get rid of the smell of their body so that the enemy does not smell the prey. In nature, guinea pigs are very clean, they constantly wash themselves. At home, they also take care of themselves.

Of course, if you don't take care of your pet, don't clean up after him, the "aroma" can be quite unpleasant. The excrement of these rodents has a specific smell, however, like other domestic animals. If you clean the cage regularly, keep your pet's coat clean, then the smell will be quite acceptable.

Who smells more, male or female?

And yet, like any animal, guinea pigs also do notdevoid of their natural odor. Many people ask themselves: who is better to choose, a female or a male? Does a male guinea pig stink? Or does the female smell more?

Of course, gender differences determine various physiological characteristics, including the emitted smell. Males, when excited, grooming or marking, emit a pungent odor that does not depend on the cleanliness of the cage. Each person reacts differently to this smell. Many owners note that it passes quickly and is not so strong. However, for some, it is still quite unpleasant.

A female may start to smell after giving birth due to hormonal changes. However, this phenomenon is transient and for owners who love their pet, this is not a disaster.

How to care for your pet to avoid bad smell

Potential breeders of these furry animals, along with the question of whether guinea pigs stink, should also be interested in the question of how to properly care for their animals in order to avoid an unpleasant smell. So, the basic rules of care:

• Correctly selected cage size. A larger home will stay clean longer. The dimensions of the cage should allow the animal to allocate a separate corner where it will pee.



• Good filler. It is he who absorbs moisture and unpleasant odors, so you do not need to save on it. The filler should be changed regularly, avoiding severe contamination of the rodent cage.
• Cleanlinesspallet. Even if you regularly change the filler, the pan can absorb odors. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the cleanliness of the tray and all accessories once a week.
• Cleanliness of feeders. The remains of water and food should not rot. They need to be removed from feeders and drinkers in time and washed with running water.

When guinea pigs can really smell bad

If your pet's body odor is not an individual feature from birth and not the influence of certain factors (for example, the condition after pregnancy in females or the conditions of the male described above), this is an occasion to think about the he alth of your pet. If your pig suddenly starts smelling bad for no apparent reason, and even more so if it is accompanied by any other suspicious symptoms, this is a clear reason to contact the veterinarian. Do not neglect going to him, because in this case, the he alth and maybe the life of your pet depends on you.

Does a guinea pig stink? Owner Reviews

Of course, before adopting a guinea pig at home, responsible people will first thoroughly study all the information about these animals, including reviews of the owners.

So, does a guinea pig stink? Reviews of the owners of the shortcomings of these cute animals, namely their specific smell, do not hide. The phenomenon takes place, but most of all it is connected, as has been said repeatedly, with a violation of their hygiene. A certain percentage of owners claim that their pets have an odor,even with meticulous hygiene. There are those who say that their pet does not emit an unpleasant odor, and if the cage is cleaned regularly, this will not be a problem. Thus, the main percentage of guinea pig owners believe that if the rodent’s dwelling is rarely cleaned, the “aroma” will undoubtedly be, and if everything is cleaned on time, then only a small percentage of these animals will have an unpleasant smell, which is most likely due to their individual characteristics. or he alth problems.

Conclusion

So we figured out if guinea pigs stink. Reviews of those people for whom these animals have become family members suggest that if you really love these furry animals, then the smell, which in most cases is a removable phenomenon, should not become an obstacle to keeping them at home. Therefore, before you start a pig, you must understand why you need it. If in order to love her and become her friend, then the smell will not stop you. If it’s just as a tribute to fashion or because you want it to be like a neighbor, then perhaps you shouldn’t take on such responsibility.