Do Guinea Pigs Poop A Lot?

Guinea pigs can sometimes have very weird pooping habits. It’s not an uncommon fact but still, most people have different questions when it comes to their guinea pig’s pooping behavior.

One of those questions being: Do guinea pigs poop a lot? Yes, guinea pigs poop a lot. The amount along with the healthiness of their poop is very dependent on your guinea pigs specific age, diet, weight, and how much they exercise.

Once you know that, you might also want to know what their healthy poop normally looks like, or can you stop your guinea pigs from pooping everywhere.

So if you have those kinds of questions, then this article will provide you all that important information.

After reading this article, you should have more answers regarding some of your guinea pigs pooping habits. So let’s jump right in.

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Well, it is very true that guinea pigs poop a lot in comparison to other animals but there are many factors that can affect their pooping patterns and quantity.

Some of the most common among them are exercise, age, diet, and weight. However, the amount that they poop varies from one guinea pig to next and it mostly depends on the diet and lifestyle.

So if you’re planning to adopt guinea pigs, then one thing you have to keep in mind is that they poop a lot.

Unlike other animals, guinea pigs do not have a specific time and regular patterns for pooping, they poop all day when they feel the urge.

For example, other pets like dogs and cats have a more specific time when they handle their business when properly trained, but that’s not the case with guinea pigs, they poop throughout the day.

This trait is the same in most other rodents, they poop while eating, sleeping, when feeling comfortable, or just whenever they want.

Sometimes it’s not easy figuring out when and how much your guinea pig is going to poop but you can guess by looking at their lifestyle and eating habits.

So for example, if your guinea pig is eating more than usual in a day, then they will poop more frequently. That means you can also see some changes in their pooping habits if you change their diet and eating schedule.

How Much Should A Guinea Pig Poop?

Well, there is no fixed answer to this question because some guinea pigs poop a lot in comparison to others.

But other than that, if you talk on average, then a guinea pig can sometimes poop somewhere around 100 droppings in a day. Though it can be much more than that in some cases.

So if you’re adopting guinea pigs for the first time, then you can expect to see up to 100 droppings a day.

Some guinea pig owners say they clean out poop more than 3 or 4 times a day.

So just be prepared for that. It can be pretty time-consuming so you’ll want to find the quickest way to clean it up.

A lot of owners will use a handheld vacuum to do the job because if you have to clean out their poop 3 or 4 times a day, you’ll have to find the easiest way.

Is It Normal For My Guinea Pig To Poop A Lot?

Yes, it is very normal for guinea pigs to poop a lot, in fact, if you see your guinea popping less, then it might be a problem. As you know, guinea pigs eat all day and due to that, they poop more than other animals.

A healthy guinea pig won’t only eat a lot of hay and veggies but it will eat everything you provide.

That’s why pooping in large amounts is a common trait in most guinea pigs, but there are some things that you should check for.

Check to see if their poop is a different color, shape, or is more smelly than normal.

Normal guinea pig poop should be oval-shaped with a medium brown color. If it doesn’t look close to that then it can be a sign your guinea pig is facing some digestion issues.

There are many factors that can result in these problems but the most common is an incorrect diet.

An example of an incorrect diet is the over-consumption of fruits, which can cause dental problems, and viral infections.

So if you see your guinea pigs poop looking abnormally like it being:

Really soft.
Bloody.
Dry.
Clumped.

Then here are some things you can do:

Make sure that the amount of hay in your guinea pigs diet is sufficient enough to provide them with the required fiber.
Make sure your guinea pigs drink more water.
Reduce fruits or other sensitive food in their diet.
Clean their cage regularly.

Do Guinea Pigs Poop Everywhere?

It doesn’t matter whether your guinea pig is inside the cage or out of it playing with you, they will poop everywhere.

However, some people say that their guinea pigs poop even more when they bring them out of the cage.

So if you are planning to adopt one or already have them, then you should be ready for more poops during playtime outside of their cage.

It’s very natural and there is nothing to worry about it, it can just be from slight nervousness from being in a different environment.

It’s recommended to monitor your guinea pigs poop habits in and out of the cage regularly in order to make sure that they’re not suffering from any health issues.

So if you notice their poop is looking irregular, then you shouldn’t ignore it and you may want to speak with your Vet.

How Do I Stop My Guinea Pigs From Pooping Everywhere?

Well, it is not that easy to stop your guinea pig from pooping everywhere because they are made like that.

The first thing you can try to do is figure out if there is any particular area where your guinea pigs like to poop. This way it’ll save you some time and be easier to find the poops and clean it up.

Apart from this, you can also train your guinea pig to poop in a litter box. However, it might be a little difficult for them in the beginning.

But if you can successfully potty train your guinea pigs, then it would be easy to stop them from pooping everywhere.

Cleaning Up The Poop

So because it’s natural for your guinea pigs to poop a lot, there are two main ways you can clean it up.

Those two main ways are picking it up by hand or by using a handheld vacuum.

If you decide to clean it up by hand it can take a while. A benefit of doing it this way is that your guinea pigs may come up to your hand and you can interact with them while your cleaning. It’s a more intimate experience.

If you want to use a handheld vacuum it’s definitely going to be more efficient at cleaning up the poop and a lot quicker.

Guinea pigs are not like other animals. They may look small but they eat a lot and poop throughout the day.

The amount your guinea pig poops depends on different variables like food, diet, and lifestyle but you should keep in mind that you will have to clean their cage 1 to 2 times a day.