As far as communicating goes, guinea pigs(or cavies) are not like other pets. They will not bark or purr or whine loudly when they need to go. That makes it hard to find clues from them when they are pressed. The result is an annoyingly warm sensation that ruins a fun cuddle time. Cavies have a high metabolism rate. They can poop and eat in quick succession. Hold your piggie for not more than 10-15 minutes each time. More than that, you may be unable to escape the pee or poop.
In this article, you’ll learn the other reasons guinea pigs pee on their owners and how to stop it. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Sage?“
Table of Contents
What Are The Reasons My Guinea Pig Pee On Me?
By nature, guinea pigs pee in favorite spots. Although you may not enjoy it as much as they do, it could mean they are totally at ease around you. Or they could be marking your lap as territory against other piggies.
Here are a few other reasons that could be responsible.
- They are nervous or agitated
Cavies cannot hold in pee for long, especially if they are uncomfortable. Much like humans, they can let loose in a panic or when they sense threats.
- A show of annoyance or displeasure
Most of the time, your piggie will urinate on you because you are not holding her properly. Sometimes, they spray pee to indicate displeasure at other piggies. If you happen to be within reach, you may be caught in the crossfire.
- You ignored the warning
Cavies usually give a hint or two when they are pressed. They could wiggle in your arms or stand still suddenly. If you have watched your pet, you will be able to tell habits from unusual behaviors.
They can be indications that your pet needs to go. If you ignore these, perhaps because you cannot recognize them, the inevitable will happen.
- It’s what they do!
Yes, it is. Piggies pee and poop whenever and wherever they want. Even the best-trained Guinea pigs do it occasionally. You can call it one of the ‘perks’ of piggy affection.
Cavies have a high metabolism rate. They can poop and eat in quick succession. Hold your piggie for not more than 10-15 minutes each time. More than that, you may be unable to escape the pee or poop.
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Is Guinea Pigs Urine Harmful To Humans?
Potentially? Yes. Guinea pigs can live with infections without showing symptoms. So if your piggy has an infection, it can be transferred to you or your other pets through urine or feces.
Here’s how to prevent that:
- Ensure that your pet is up to date on vaccinations and routine checks.
- Always wash your hands after handling the litter box or cleaning up your pet.
- This will be hard: little or no kisses. You can easily contract diseases or infections if you allow your piggy to linger around your lips or nose.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Get Worms?“
How Can I Stop My Guinea Pig From Pee On Me?
Sadly, there is no verified discovery on how to accomplish this. Over time, your guinea pig can stick to a certain area in the cage, but this may change as he or she gets older. You can also attempt potty training, although this often yields little results.
What works, however, is damage control. You should buy lap pads or fleeces. You can even use a really soft towel. Rather than letting them lay on your laps directly, you could lay them on the towel. This way, you won’t have to do your laundry more than necessary.
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Related Questions
Is It Often For Guinea Pig To Pee A Lot?
Cavies are known to deposit a rather large amount of urine and faces regularly. So yes, it is quite normal, and it happens daily. Guinea pigs can urinate every 15 minutes! It can vary from pet to pet, depending also on age but, on average, quite a lot during the day. They will poop on average ~100 times a day! little droppings each time, smelly and dry.
Unlike you, they do not have that much control over the urge. They will go almost as soon as they feel pressed. It is totally healthy so, do not worry. In fact, you should worry if your pig has a hard time doing this. It could mean that they are ill or distressed. In that instance, you should book an appointment at your vet’s pronto!
Guinea pigs can urinate every 15 minutes! It can vary from pet to pet, depending also on age but, on average, quite a lot during the day. They will poop on average ~100 times a day! little droppings each time, smelly and dry.
Further Reading: “How Often Do Guinea Pigs Blink?“
Why Does Guinea Pigs Pee On Each Other?
As a cavy owner, you would have to understand and get used to this. They pee on one another deliberately. It is one of the ways by which they communicate various emotions or feelings. They do it to assert dominance to mark a spot as their territory. The pig who is trying to communicate such intents will pee on areas he or she likes best.
This is intended to ward off trespassing piggies. The intruders could be newer pigs or other contending roommates. They sometimes do it to show displeasure or annoyance. If there is a quarrel or dispute, the annoyed pig could pee on the other to communicate his thoughts.
Further Reading: “How To Get A Guinea Pig To Come Out Of Hiding?“
Why Does My Guinea Pig Pee So Much?
Generally, cavies pee quite frequently. It is their nature and cannot be altered for the most part. The bladders of guinea pigs are tiny so they need to pee every 15 minutes.
How do you determine that they are peeing too much anyway? If the frequency has increased beyond the usual, you should take your cavy to the vet.
Here’s a thought on the other hand: Perhaps the problem is not how often they pee but the fact that they happen to do it around you often. This is where studying your pet and knowing what works best comes in handy. Some pigs like to drink a lot of water. The obvious result of this will be frequent peeing.
Others do not like to be held for too long. Guinea pigs often pee when they are nervous or agitated. It could even be a show of displeasure. So, if you pig pees often when you carry him or her, you should make adjustments to how long they stay in your lap. They are affectionate, but they also like their space.
Further Reading: “Are Guinea Pigs Illegal In California?“
Final Thoughts
Cavies will urinate every 15 minutes during the day so there is a high probability that it will also happen while you are holding your pet. Cavies have a very small bladder and so they can’t hold their pee even for a minute. They will not show you any special sign before they do it either, so you can always set a soft towel in between and also make sure you hold your cavy not more than 10 minutes each time.
You don’t have to skimp on cuddle time because your guinea pig pees on you whenever you spend time together. Instead, reduce the timing a little. Fifteen minutes daily is good enough. Don’t forget, cleaning up is the tax for piggie love.
