If your guinea pigs poops on you every time you hold them, it means they are nervous about being held or excited to interact with you. If it doesn’t happen every time, it could simply be that they had to poop.
Guinea pigs offer wonderful support, cuddles, playtime, and genuine happiness to our everyday lives. They also offer, unfortunately, a seemingly endless supply of poop.
Keep reading to learn more about your guinea pigs’ pooping habits and what you can do to help a messy situation.
What You'll Learn
Why Does My Guinea Pig Poop So Much?
For being so tiny, you might wonder how on earth these little ones can produce so much poop to begin with. Let’s dive into the biological reasons behind this phenomenon.
The Metabolism That Just Doesn’t Stop
You may have noticed that your guinea pig likes adventure and regularly moves around.
A high metabolism goes along with this energy and movement. The food that your guinea pig consumes will quickly go through its body and be excreted due to this quick-moving system.
Having a high metabolism is very helpful for your guinea pig’s health. It is certainly something to be grateful for, but the result includes more poop. This will be a regular occurrence throughout the guinea pig’s life.
Diet Makes a Difference
The typical guinea pig diet consists of hay, vegetables, fruit, and pellets. This particular array of food provides plenty of nutrients, vitamins, and fiber. It will have your guinea pig emptying its system regularly. This is healthy and to be expected.
If you have concerns over the consistency of your guinea pig’s poop or if you feel your guinea pig is pooping far more often than normal, you can experiment with the portions of food you are feeding your guinea pig.
For instance, providing more timothy hay will help alleviate diarrhea caused by the over-consumption of fruit.
Most of the food your guinea pig eats should be timothy hay, even if they prefer their fruits and vegetables.
The Digestive Tract of a Guinea Pig
Our little friends have quite the impressive digestive system that has helped them survive in the wild for generations. To start, the teeth of a guinea pig are long and sturdy, helping them chew through tough food and break it down before sending it onward.
After the food passes through the teeth and mouth, it eventually ends up in the large intestine. This portion of the guinea pig’s digestive system is impressive and does a substantial amount of work.
The large intestine will break down components such as fiber and release the nutrients and vitamins into the pig’s system, allowing the rest of the product to move forward for excretion.
You may notice that your guinea pig eats some of its poop. This is because it is searching for the nutrients that its large intestine could not retain. The poop will then go back through the system, allowing for more absorption of necessary nutrients.
Why Does My Guinea Pig Poop on Me?
While it can be frustrating to be pooped on, first, know that it’s not an insult. Your guinea pig is not holding it in and waiting for you to hold them.
Guinea Pigs Have to Go When They Have to Go
One of the side effects of having a fast metabolism is that guinea pigs need to poop regularly and cannot hold this poop for long. When your guinea pig feels the urge to poop, they will probably not resist and immediately let it out. Guinea pigs take the saying “better out than in” very seriously!
Do I Make my Guinea Pig Nervous?
It can be true that guinea pigs will poop and pee when nervous. However, it is also true that they can poop and pee when they are excited.
Any significant emotional shift can increase the urgency to use the bathroom. Remember that while your guinea pig may be nervous, it is equally likely that your little one is simply really excited to spend time with you.
What Can I Do About My Guinea Pig Pooping on Me?
Being pooped on is certainly not a fun experience and is likely something you are hoping to prevent in the future. Let’s go over some things that may help you enjoy your time with your guinea pig without such a mess.
Being Prepared is Key
Now that you know your guinea pig is likely to poop on you, have precautions nearby.
A great example of this would be to keep some towels, rags, or other cloths near your guinea pigs’ play area. This will allow you to quickly cover yourself before picking up your littlest family member.
Even before going near your guinea pig, it may be worthwhile to take note of what you are wearing. For instance, it might be best not to wear your nicest shirt or pants when playing with your guinea pig. Instead, opt for clothes that are easily washed and won’t cause you to stress if they are soiled.
Can I Potty Train My Guinea Pig
Yes and no. Technically, yes, you can potty train your guinea pig. However, this is much more difficult than potty training a dog.
The first step in the process is making sure your guinea pig’s habitat is regularly cleaned. Providing a nice, clean and safe habitat will help your guinea pig feel at home. Next, provide your guinea pig with a dark area where the little one can go in peace.
Potty training is not perfect. Training your guinea pig in a particular area does not mean it will never use you as a bathroom again.
This should be seen as a helping aid in your quest to be pooped on less, not as a full-proof solution to never being pooped on again. Your little buddy will continue to poop on you occasionally, but now you know why it happens and how to be prepared for such a situation.
