Are Guinea Pigs Nocturnal?

Guinea pigs are great and lovely as pets as long as they understand them well enough.

Their nature is peaceful, lively, and unique. Their sensitive digestive system, diet, and eating habits alone are enough to wear one out without considering their sleeping nature.

Bear in mind that not all animals sleep at night, so getting an animal to keep as a pet knows if they are nocturnal, crepuscular, or diurnal. 

Nocturnal – Sleep at night

As humans, we are diurnal because we are active in the day and sleep at night. Nocturnal animals tend to sleep in the day, so they are swamped at night, majorly to hunt.

Crepuscular animals are most active at dawn and dusk; that is the time frame between darkness and sunrise, sunset, and twilight. 

Guinea pigs are very odd creatures when it comes to their sleeping habit. Even the best of guinea pigs' specialists wonder if they are nocturnal or diurnal. One study published in 1995 found that guinea pig's sleeping patterns varpigs 'between one another so much that some could be classified as nocturnal, while others were best classified as diurnal. 

Diurnal creatures

However, guinea pigs are not nocturnal creatures; neither are they diurnal creatures; instead, they can be classified as crepuscular animals.

A healthy guinea pig in single days needs just about 4 hours and will spend the rest of the day lying awake. Their sleep is short intervals throughout the whole day and also at night. Some do not even sleep with their eyes closed, funny right? 

Guinea pigs are crepuscular animals that are mostly active at dawn and dusk. As mentioned above, their maximum sleeping time is 4 hours and is divided into an average of 24 times of 10 minutes naps to last the entire day. 

Guinea Pigs are Pray  Animals

This implies that your guinea pigs can sleep two times in one hour for just 10 minutes per time.

Guinea pigs usually prey on more giant animals in the wild, so they tend not to sleep deep to watch out for predators.

Although they are not in the wild and are insecure cages, your guinea pigs' instinct is always alert, and that prevents them from sleeping for long. 

They are very light sleepers and thus can be woken by the slightest sounds or movements. Note that these guinea pigs' sleeping habits vary from one to another, as some might catch about 40 winks throughout the whole day while others might sleep for up to 30 minutes at a stretch. It is most common among the young cavies to sleep for short periods while the older ones sleep longer.

Notwithstanding, your guinea pigs can quickly adapt to another sleeping habit once you take time to train them. Your guinea pigs should be more awake than you are so you can both spend adequate time together. 

When to sleep

If you want them sharp at a particular time, maybe at night, for instance, you can teach them to.

Guinea pigs are more awake than they are asleep, so their eating habits are excessive. They do not control how much they eat, and so the owner must monitor and regulate their diet to avoid weight problems. 

How Do Guinea Pigs Sleep?

Given that guinea pigs are not deep sleepers but light sleepers, there are four stages to their sleeping pattern.

The first one, which is the earliest stage, has to do when a guinea pig starts to slow down and does not last very long. The second stage is the point before the deep sleep to complete the deep sleep. 

This stage is shorter than the first stage. The guinea pig's heart rate starts to prepare for the deep sleep. Phase three is when it is finally asleep 'deeply.'

The last stage, stage four, is called REM, meaning Rapid Eye Movement. REM is the dream stage for guinea pigs, and at this stage, their eyes start to move from one side to another side. 

Unbelievably, all these stages take place in a matter of 10 minutes, 15 at most. Guinea pigs do not close their eyes when sleeping as expected of all animals, and if you are observant enough, you will see the sights of your cavies moving at the REM stage. 

Like most other animals, guinea pigs lie in different positions when they are asleep, and if they truly feel safe, secure, and relaxed, you will see them stretch out. 

All guinea pigs do not act the same way, and if you have noticed that yours are active in the day or active at night, it is entirely normal, unlike some others. It might be because it has adapted to its immediate environment. 

Preferences for Busy Times

Guinea pigs also have their preferences for busy times, and it might vary from one to another.

The most important thing is if they are sleeping well enough each day, such that once that is settled, they are excellent. However, if there is a sudden change in their sleeping pattern, sickness might be a factor. 

To be sure if they are sick or not, kindly check for the following. An increase in their breathing rate, a change in their sleeping positions, a decrease in their time of activity, and a check if there are extended periods of lethargy. 

The crepuscular sleeping nature of guinea pigs is an advantage to them as it offers them a better chance at survival. The temperature is at a medium at dusk and dawn; no sun to burn their skin and no excessive cold to affect their bones. 

Dusk and dawn also afford them just enough light to search for food and be able to run to safety. 

Other Questions

Are guinea pigs noisy at night? 

Guinea pigs are not unnecessarily disturbing, but it isn't the case that they are quiet and calm animals. Indeed, they do not mean making loud noises, but they tend to make lots of sounds when communicating with one another. 

They make different kinds of sounds when they share or need something irrespective of the time. Since they are crepuscular animals, they can remain active at night and during the day. Their noises are not too loud, but it is disturbing and annoying for lots of people. 

When they begin to squeak, chirp, rumble, it can be unsettling at night. To prevent these sounds, try to provide the necessary things before going to sleep. 

Do guinea pigs need a wheel?

Several people believe that since the guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, and some rodents all look alike, they must need the same things. 

Well, that is a very wrong notion. Guinea pigs have skeletal anatomy that's quite different from a hamster. Hamsters exercise on wheels, but guinea pigs cannot because they are not built for such.

 Guinea pigs do not need wheels to exercise and stay alive as that equipment can even lead to their death. Guinea pigs' feet are also susceptible to the mesh wiring on the wheel's floor. Forcing the equipment on your cavies can lead to serious trouble. 

Can I give my guinea pig a stuffed animal?

Guinea pigs love and enjoy cuddling or cuddling up to things and people. Such that once they get comfortable with you, they will be all over you.

You can give them stuffed animals and cuddly toys as they love them because they can chew on them, hump, and drag them around. 

Whichever one you give them, make sure it is not hard plastic, glass eyes, or buttons. They will always chew on them, so get something they can chew on but not swallow.