![]() ![]() Guinea pigs are masters of the power nap! They require a very small amount of sleep for a mammal, typically a mere 4-6 hours per day. But blink and you’ll miss it! Piggies only blink to moisturize their eyes or to remove the odd speck of dust. It may be rare to catch your piggy when they’re resting their eyes but it’s possible! Guinea pigs do have eyelids and are therefore able to shut their eyes (even if it’s not a completely normal behavior for them). It’s hardwired into their DNA, so just focus on building a trusting bond and making them feel as comfortable as possible.įAKs - Frequently Asked Kavees Are guinea pigs able to close their eyes? Try not to feel hurt if your guinea pig still displays this behavior, even though you’d never dream of hurting them. ![]() With their excellent sense of smell and hearing, this tactic would have given sleeping cavies a little more time to sense nearby danger and take swift action! Prowling predators tend to sneak up on vulnerable, sleeping prey, so being confronted with a curiously awake-looking little piggy may just make them pause before attacking. Sleeping with their eyes open was one way to do just that. To avoid becoming a bigger animal’s next meal, it was essential for piggies to stay as alert as possible and be able to escape danger at a moment’s notice. In the wild, guinea pigs are prey animals at the bottom of the food chain, so they developed certain quirks as a survival mechanism. Before they became domesticated, guinea pigs roamed freely in the mountainous region of the Andes, and although that meant they could roam around with no limits… it had its downsides. But life hasn’t always been so reliable for your pampered piggy. Nowadays, your furball won’t really have as many things to worry about when snoozing in their warm and cozy pet palace. Why are piggies such nervous little animals? To establish this, we need to travel a long way back in history to the cavy’s wild South American ancestors. Why Do Guinea Pigs Sleep With Their Eyes Open? However, don’t be upset if they never get to this point with you! Cavies are nervous little creatures and they often can’t help but keep their eyes open when sleeping. This is a rare sight and points to a strong bond of trust in your human-furfball relationship. You can tell a piggy feels really comfortable and safe around you when they close their eyes. ![]() In fact, you’re likely to find your piggy sleeping upright on their feet but unusually still. They may look like they have drifted into a trance-like state or be staring aimlessly into the distance. If you feel like you’ve never witnessed your guinea pig sleeping, then the chances are that you have, the wide-open piggy eyes have just been tricking you into thinking they’re awake! Sometimes, the only way to catch your cavy in the act of napping is to notice a distinct lack of movement. Believe it or not, it’s much more common for guinea pigs to sleep with their eyes wide open. When did guinea pigs start sleeping with their eyes open and, more importantly, why?ĭo Guinea Pigs Sleep With Their Eyes Open or Closed?Ī piggy can occasionally be spotted getting some (literal) shut-eye but it’s actually quite rare. In this article, we’ll attempt to unpick this strange behavior. In fact, they’re some of the lightest sleeping mammals and as they’re naturally nervous, fretful animals, they even rarely close their eyes when they’re asleep. As they aren’t strictly nocturnal or diurnal, they’re kings and queens of the power nap. Guinea pigs are crepuscular animals which means that they’re most active at dawn and at dusk. Well, fear not, because your cute cavy absolutely does get some shut-eye, even if only a little. So, if you never see your piggy sleep… then when do they rest? Do they even sleep at all? When was the last time you saw your guinea pig take a nice long nap? If you’re anything like most piggy parents, the answer will likely be that you can’t exactly remember. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |