A pet owner’s heart races at the thought of losing his or her beloved animal companion. Guinea pigs that have been domesticated are extremely vulnerable in the wild.
It’s difficult for the pet owners to separate themselves from their animals. But what should you do if your guinea pig becomes separated from you?
Do guinea pigs try to escape?
Animals kept outside have a higher chance of escaping than those kept indoors or in cages. When housing them outside, although it is not recommended, make sure that they are in a safe environment with plenty of food and water available.
Guinea pigs are very creative when it comes to finding their way out. Their natural curiosity for discovering new things leads them into unfamiliar territory on a regular basis. It is impossible to ignore the possibility that guinea pigs will attempt to escape.
The chances of the guinea pig returning home are slim once it has escaped from the confines of the house. It should consider itself fortunate if it is able to return home.
In comparison to other animals, its sense of direction is not as refined as it could be. The hutch should be left open while you begin your search for the guinea pig inside. Attempt to locate the guinea pig as soon as possible; otherwise, the animal will have little chance of surviving in the wild.
Why do guinea pigs try to escape?
When guinea pigs escape from their enclosure, it is a stressful time for both the owner and the pet. However, it is their natural instinct to flee. The following are the justifications for doing so:
- They frequently attempt to move out of the lawn to investigate the rest of the world simply because they are curious about different things.
- Guinea pigs that are fearful will flee wherever they can find a way out of the situation.
- It’s difficult to relax in this environment. The guinea pig is not pleased with his new surroundings.
- There could be a variety of reasons for this dislike, including food, loneliness, a lack of or limited activities, the hutch, and other things that annoy them. This is sufficient justification for them to leave their home.
How did my guinea pig escape?
There should be no way out if you secure the perimeter of the lawn and the hutch completely.
Even so, you might be wondering how the guinea pig manages to find its way out. Listed below are a few common methods of evading capture:
- The hutch is uninteresting, as there is little activity and entertainment there. As a result, the guinea pig is most likely to escape by chewing the wires of the hutch.
- The guinea pig can get out of the hutch through a small hole in the roof. You might overlook such a small opening, but it’s enough for them to get away with their lives.
- Guinea pigs are not particularly good diggers, but that does not rule out the possibility of them digging a tunnel to get past the garden fence.
- They are able to climb the chain-link fence by utilizing the gaps between the bars.
When the guinea pig manages to get away, you will be sad and concerned. However, instead of panicking, take a calculated approach. Guinea pigs are frequently attracted to when you begin looking for them. They take pleasure in being mischievous.
Once you have determined that the guinea pig is not within the confines of the house, you must begin searching for it. Their very existence is in jeopardy.
Will my lost guinea pig return home?
The guinea pig will soon realize that it has come to a new place. As it is not well trained to stay outdoors, it will be cautious in its approach.
They will try to accommodate the surroundings and find a place to hide. They avoid the situation when they feel exposed to the world outside without any protection.
The guinea pigs do not notice much around their surroundings while they run away. So it’s unlikely that they will find the way back home.
Their memory is strong towards everyday things like food, music, etc. But out of fear of being in a new place, it won’t be able to find their way.
The guinea pigs run wildly once they get frightened, without noticing where they are up to. They may land into unchartered territory, with little or no idea of the surrounding. Being afraid and in a new place, they often get confused and lose their way.
While they have escaped into a new place, they are still likely to be doing similar activities. It would be best if you search for them in the neighborhood, green fields, or places where they may feel safe.
They are blessed with a good sense of smell and hearing. Guinea pigs are the lowest in the food chain move during the night in search of food.
So, they are more dependent upon ears and nose. We can make use of this habit. Play some music to which is familiar or put some bits of their favorite dish along the path towards the home.
As soon as they come in contact with any familiar sound or smell, they tend to follow it. That is also obvious as they are already afraid of the outside world, and anything known gives comfort to all the living creatures.
In case the guinea pig has willfully left home because of any torture or misbehavior, they might not return, or even they on the return path will run away again. These are very emotional creatures.
How long should I wait for my guinea pig to return?
The guinea pig’s chances of returning home on its own are slim to non-existent. They frequently make the mistake of conflating direction with the path back home.
Despite the fact that guinea pigs are intelligent and live in the wild, they were able to navigate their way back to their home through dense forest and grassland. Although the domesticated guinea pig has lost its natural instinct, it is less likely to re-discover its way home.
As a result, it would be best if you started the search campaign as soon as you possibly could. If the guinea pig returns home, you should consider yourself lucky, and someone should be there to care for the pet.
How do I find my escaped guinea pig?
Most of the time, pet owners panic, thinking about the condition of the pet. Instead of losing patience, you should act smartly.
The following steps will guide you:
- Search your home and garden: You need to check your house and garden, as most of the time, guinea pigs hide nearby only. Also, remove the things that can be a potential danger to the pet like mouse traps. Avoid any interactions of other pet animals like dogs or cats with the guinea pig.
- Inform your neighbors: When you confirm that the guinea pig is not at home, start searching for the pet in the neighborhood areas. Inform the neighbors and the kids about the guinea pig. You need to explore every possible location to hide like beneath the car, in the bushes or shrubs, inside any garage, etc.
- Spread the message over social media: You can spread the message of missing guinea pigs over social media, as many animal lovers groups will come forward to search the pig.
- Visit the local veterinarian or animal shelter: If someone has found the guinea pig, he or she might have taken the guinea pig to the local veterinarian or any animal shelter.
- Favorite treat and familiar music: Guinea pigs are attracted to food or familiar music. You can use it to search for them. Place the food in the hutch, even during the night as guinea pigs are active during the night as well. You can play the music in the local parks or gardens where the guinea pig may have taken shelter.
The sooner you start, the more chances you have to find. In some cases, the guinea pigs return home after a couple of days.
You should not give up, although chances are vague if the guinea pig is not found even after a few days.
How do you find a lost guinea pig in your house?
The search for the missing guinea pig begins at home. The chances are more than the guinea pigs have hidden somewhere within the home.
They like it when some search for them. The following steps are useful while searching the guinea pigs in the house.
- Secure the house perimeter: The guinea pigs may also hurt themselves within the home, so it is necessary to remove such things that can harm the pet. Close the doors and the windows to stop the guinea pig from escaping outside.
- Check every room: You should check for the guinea pigs in each room one by one. Look under the tables, behind curtains, in closets, etc.
- Attract with food: Place the favorite food for the guinea pig to allure it. Placing the treats near their cage door often works like a charm.
Can a baby guinea pig find its way back home?
The world of the baby guinea pig is still relatively new to it. In the case of the baby guinea pig, the bonding that an adult guinea pig has with its owner is not present. The chances of them returning are even slimmer at this point.
Due to the fact that they have not developed any associations with smell or sound, baby guinea pigs do not find relevance at home or anywhere else.
They are suspicious of the proprietors and attempt to flee from them because they are afraid of them. It will take time for trust and affection to be established. Until then, you’ll have to put forth extra effort to keep the baby guinea pig alive.
When compared to adult guinea pigs, young guinea pigs are less familiar with the potential dangers of the outside world and are not physically strong enough to protect themselves. Most of the time, they may end up losing their lives as a result of their actions.
They aren’t even attached to their mother, which is another problem. The mother is also completely unaware of her child. As a result, it becomes more difficult to locate the baby guinea pig.
What dangers can a lost guinea pig face?
Because guinea pigs are at the bottom of the food chain, they are constantly at risk of being eaten by predation from larger animals.
The dangers to which they are exposed are also dependent on the environment in which they live and the surrounding neighborhood.
Let’s summarize them:
- Neighborhood: Busy traffic is always a nightmare for all animals. A guinea pig will be in the doldrums when it needs to cross a road. It is not at all aware of the risks of vehicles.
- Predators: This is a universal hazard for the guinea pigs. They can be attacked by many predators like snakes, foxes, wild cats, etc. The presence of a forest nearby makes them more vulnerable to predators.
- Hunger: Domestic animals are unable to get food and water for themselves. They have little experience of surviving under unfavorable conditions. So the guinea pigs may not find food and water and succumb to death.
- Climatic conditions: Guinea pigs are not comfortable in hot weather. They may even suffer from serious health problems if their body temperature is high, although they can adapt to cold conditions unless it is extreme.
The longer it takes for a guinea pig to return home, the greater the likelihood that it will be in danger. Although they have the ability to return home on their own, you should not wait for this to occur. The sooner you can get started, the better.
