You will be amazed to know that guinea pigs are neither diurnal nor nocturnal; instead, they are crepuscular, meaning they are active just as the sun starts to set.
If you have a guinea pig as a pet, then you might be curious about knowing its behavior like sleeping patterns and how they sleep.
Anytime you walk by your guinea pigs cage, you see them awake. What does this mean? Do guinea pigs sleep? Well, yes, guinea pigs sleep but not very often.
Guinea pigs need sleep of four to six hours a day. However, they don’t follow this time frame. They are the king of power naps and can sleep only for one hour to recharge them for the whole day. They sleep with closed eyes when they are fully asleep only.
In this article, I will explain the sleep of guinea pigs. And some other questions related to their sleeping pattern.
Do all Guinea Pigs Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
Guinea pigs are a bit different from other rodents like hamsters and rats. These rodents can be seen dozing all day, but guinea pigs don’t. Guinea pigs are different from human beings when it comes to their sleeping pattern.
They sleep very often but do they sleep with their eyes open?
Yes, all guinea pigs sleep with an open eye. This is a natural behavior of the cavies, and they can’t close their eyes until they entirely fall asleep.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
Guinea pigs sleep with their eyes open, but what’s the reason behind that? Why they do so? As prey animals in their natural habitat, guinea pigs have adopted this behavior naturally. One of the reasons behind this is because they want to be aware of their potential predators.
Do guinea pigs sleep with their eyes closed?
As I explained in the above headings that guinea pigs don’t sleep like other rodents. Their sleeping pattern is different from other rodents like hamsters and rats.
Guinea pigs are active most of the time, and they don’t sleep with their eyes closed. When they entirely fall asleep, then their bodies look still and peaceful. Moreover, they are prey animals that are the reason behind their activeness.
How Long Do Guinea Pigs Sleep?
Guinea pigs need sleep of four to six hours a day. However, they don’t follow this time frame. They are the king of power naps and can sleep only for one hour to recharge them for the whole day.
To stay healthy, guinea pigs need four to six hours of sleep, but they manage to sleepless.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Sleep So Often And So Little? Guinea pigs sleep so often and so little because of their natural habit. It is sincere, and no need to worry if your little pet sleeps often.
How Do I Know If My Guinea Pig Is Sleeping?
You already know about the sleeping pattern of guinea pigs. But how one could understand that his/her guinea pig is sleeping?
Well, if your guinea pig is lying down, it does not mean that he is sleeping. And guinea pigs also sleep with open eyes.
In my view, you can only judge that your guinea pig is sleeping when he does not move for a long time. His body will be calm and quiet. In this way, you will be able to that your pet is sleeping.
Another way of finding out is if the guinea pig’s whiskers and ears are twitching.
Do Guinea Pigs Sleep At Night?
Yes, guinea pigs sleep at night but not for an extended period. They only sleep for one to two hours, and then again, they are active. They love to sleep in the dark. Rather than sleeping in light or daytime, they prefer to take a power nap in the dark.
How to Prepare Guinea Pig bedding?
Like other pets, guinea pigs also need extra care as we know that guinea pigs don’t often sleep. Keeping in view this, we should take care of guinea pig’s bedding. Because taking care of bedding can help guinea pigs in getting better sleep.
I am coming to the question of how to prepare guinea pig’s bedding?
To get the best possible sleep, you must have the right bedding for your little pet. Fleece is an excellent option for this, and it can be beneficial in the long run. It makes perfect bedding that provides affordability and comfortability.
Bedding layers of guinea pig’s cage
For a perfect bedding and guinea pig’s care, one should follow this bedding layer for their pet’s cage:
- A waterproof layer at the bottom
- Absorbent layer in the middle
- And then fleece on the top
Conclusion
Guinea pigs have a weird sleep pattern, and it is unique among all the rodents. Rodents like rats and hamsters can be seen dozing all day, but guinea pigs don’t. Guinea pigs are different from human beings when it comes to their sleeping pattern. They sleep with closed eyes when they are fully asleep only.
I have explained all the guinea pig’s sleep-related questions in this article. If you have any other, then comment in the section below.
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