Generally, guinea pigs can be very active pets so usually you’ll see them play around in their cage most of the time. However, there are times where you’ll see them take a break and lay down for a while.
Sometimes it can seem like they’re doing that way too often. That can cause you to wonder why your guinea pig is lying down so much.
It’s actually a good sign when you notice that your guinea pig is lying down so much. That can mean your guinea pig feels safe enough with you and their environment that they can show some vulnerability and lay down for a while.
However, there are some times where a guinea pig laying down a lot can mean they’re dealing with some issues, but usually, it just means they’re comfortable.
So because of that, I’ll go over the many different reasons why guinea pigs lay down so much.
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Why Is My Guinea Pig Lying Down So Much?
Sometimes when you look into your guinea pig’s cage you’ll notice that they are lying down in a certain spot.
Have you ever walked away from their cage and came back a while later and it looks like they’re still lying down in that same spot?
There can be a number of reasons why your guinea pig is lying down so much. Some of those reasons are:
- They’re trying to relax.
- They’re feeling lazy.
- They have become bored for the moment.
One of the main reasons why guinea pigs like lying down so much are because it gives them a chance to relax.
Guinea pigs will lie down for a good length of time when they feel comfortable enough to do so.
They feel safe enough with you and their surroundings that they’re comfortable with just lying down out in the open.
Another reason why guinea pigs lie down so much is that they just love being lazy. So even though guinea pigs are very active most times of the day, they also have a tendency to lounge around when they feel like it.
Usually, when your guinea pig is lying down you can tell when they’re comfortable and just being lazy.
You can do that by checking to see if their feet are all stretched out when they’re lying there.
A comfortable guinea pig will lie down with their feet kicked out when they are trying to get comfy, so it’s usually nothing to worry about.
Is It Normal For A Guinea Pig To Lay Down?
Because guinea pigs are known for being energetic animals it can sometimes seem like it’s not normal for them to lay down.
It is in fact very normal for a guinea pig to lay down when they’re feeling lazy, want to relax, or are just plain bored.
As I already covered, when a guinea pig feels like they are safe enough, they’ll feel comfortable enough to lay down and relax.
It’s normal for them to do this and it’s actually a good thing if you see them lay down, even if you see your guinea pigs laying down flat.
The reason why it’s a good thing if you see them lying down is that it means you’re doing a good job as a pet guinea pig owner.
It means that you’re providing a peaceful enough environment for them that they feel safe enough to lay down.
Is It Normal For Guinea Pigs To Lay Down A Lot?
So if it’s normal for a guinea pig to lay down every once in a while, is it normal for guinea pigs to lay down a lot?
It actually is really normal behavior when you see your guinea pigs lay down a lot. It just means that they feel secure enough lying down for a long period of time.
So when you notice your guinea pigs lay down a lot throughout the day, you can be happy in knowing that they’re comfortable enough with you and their surroundings to be able to do that.
It is also normal for a guinea pig to lay down a lot when they are starting to become bored too.
If they’re bored of playing with the toys currently in their cage or haven’t had any new experiences in a while, sometimes they’ll just lay down and relax until they feel the urge to do something else.
If you want, you can always give them some new toys to play with or let them play outside of their cage to curb their boredom, that way they won’t lay down as much.
Either way, it’s normal to see your guinea pigs lay down and even yawn most of the time. But are there times where you should be worried if they lay down a lot?
Should You Be Worried If Your Guinea Pigs Lay Down A Lot?
It’s already been established that if you see your guinea pigs lying down, it’s usually normal behavior.
However, there are signs where you should be worried if your guinea pigs are lying down most of the time.
You should be worried that your guinea pigs are lying down a lot if:
- They have physical injuries.
- They’re not normally eating, drinking, and pooping.
- You notice sudden weight loss.
- Their personalities and behaviors have drastically changed.
Every guinea pig is different and they have their own slightly different behavior.
So those are just some of the main signs that if they’re lying down a lot, it might mean there’s an issue.
Signs Your Guinea Pig Lying Down A Lot Might Be A Problem
If one of your guinea pigs is lying down a lot and you notice that they have some physical injuries, it’s an obvious problem.
The very first thing that you should do is take them to the vet so they can take a look at your guinea pig to see what’s wrong.
Guinea pigs love to eat, drink and poop a lot. So if for some reason your guinea pigs aren’t getting their proper nutrition and you see them lying down too much, it can be the start of a problem.
Another sign is if they’re lying down a lot and they’ve stopped eating as much as they usually do and start losing a lot of weight.
Sometimes because they’re not consuming enough calories they won’t have the energy to do their normal activities and they’ll just lay there.
Also, if one of your guinea pigs is usually happy and is always having fun running around their cage, but now their behavior is suddenly different, it can mean there might be a problem.
It’s not always a problem though, sometimes guinea pigs just want to do something different.
It only becomes a problem if their behavior suddenly changes and now they’re consistently lying on the ground a lot.
So if your guinea pigs seem to lay down a lot and they aren’t showing any of those signs then most likely they’re just trying to relax.
Sometimes it’s fine to interact with them while they’re doing this. But usually, it’s better to not bother your guinea pigs when they’re lying down so they can spend some time savoring the calm moments.