How Do Guinea Pigs Play With Each Other?

Guinea pigs are known for their social behavior – with humans and other pigs. These adorable little piggies crave companionship.

This is why they quickly mingle with their owners and love having companions of their own kind to play with.

If you are considering getting a partner for your guinea pig, read ahead to find out what their playful behaviors are like.

How Do Guinea Pigs Play With Each Other?

Guinea pigs love company.

When they are not aggressive and are happy, they play with each other in the following ways:

They Chase Each Other

One of the most playful behaviors that guinea pigs show is chasing each other.

They can show this behavior all day long, without feeling tired. Not to forget, they look adorable running around here and there in the cage.

They love chasing each other. They do it out of fondness and companionship. It’s also really cute and fun to watch for owners, especially children.

Many owners say that their guinea pigs chase each other out of playfulness for hours until they get tired and go to bed.

It’s also the most commonly observed playful behavior.

Because they love chasing each other, they need a bigger space to run around. They get annoyed if they keep banging themselves to the sides of the cage.

If you see your guinea pigs playing chase, shift them to a bigger cage or give them an open space to play until they (or you) get tired.    

They Cuddle

Cuddling is another way guinea pigs play with each other. They lick, sniff, and purr at each other. They will take turns to do it or simply hop on each other playfully.

Even if they are not a couple, they love to cuddle and be intimate with their peers to show their love.

Some guinea pigs, when they are tired, simply like to lay on each other turn by turn. This is another way in which they bond.

One of the guinea pigs may also start cuddling in order to grab the attention of the other guinea pig.

Some people say that they also cuddle to wake each other up so that they can start chasing each other.    

They Hop and Jump Around

As a guinea pig owner, you are most likely aware of how they hop and jump around when they are happy.

When two guinea pigs get along and play with each other, they often jump around together out of happiness.

Guinea pigs jump up and down as if they are riding a pogo stick. Some owners term this jumping as ‘pogoing’.

They may do it together or in turns. Another playful behavior is popcorning— when they take crazy leaps while they are in the air.

This behavior is called popcorning because it appears very similar to how popcorns pop.

They Make Funny Noises Together

Another way guinea pigs play with each other is by making funny noises together. Much like us humans, guinea pigs also snort and giggle.

If you listen closely, you may also be able to understand these sounds.

When guinea pigs are kept together, they make squeaking, wheeking, and cooing sounds.

They also softly whistle to each other when it’s playtime.

These behaviors are cute and fun to watch. It also means the guinea pigs are getting along well.    

They Play Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is another game guinea pigs like to play with each other. They love it when they are kept in a cage with enough places to hide.

You can also leave them in an open space, create boundaries so that they don’t hop out, and keep different items that they can play around.

Many guinea pig owners post videos of their guinea pigs playing hide and seek, and it’s simply adorable to watch.

They end up whistling and making cooing sounds to track each other. When they finally seek the other, they hug and cuddle, showing their love.

They Play With Toys

Guinea pigs love playing with toys.

If you want to make their playtime better and help them bond with each other in a better way, you can simply give them toys.

They love to play with yarns, balls, stuff toys, fiddle-sticks, or plastic toys. Colors attract them, so you can use different color toys every day and keep them engaged.

In order to ensure your guinea pigs don’t get bored chasing each other around their cage, hand them a different toy every day and let them figure it out.

Since they are also intelligent animals that can be trained, you can also train them to play with a ball or with fiddle-sticks.

You can have a play-date with both your guinea pigs as you train them. This way, they will be busy playing with each other even when you are not around.

They Sniff Each Other’s Bums

It may sound funny and weird, but it’s actually very cute.

Guinea pigs like to tickle each other and do weird stuff to make each other happy – sniffing bums is one of them.

They Share Food

Even if you have kept separate plates and bowls for them, they often share their food as part of their playful nature.

Playful and naughty guinea pigs end up playing with their greens when they are kept together.

They may even throw their food at each other, but don’t worry about it – they’re just playing.

Do Guinea Pigs Always Get Along With Other Guinea Pigs?

While guinea pigs are known to be cute and friendly, a lesser-known truth about them is that they have aggressive tendencies that they rarely show.

They usually reveal their aggression and frustration when they are having difficulties bonding with a partner.

As an owner, you need to make sure that you choose the right partner for your guinea pig.

Since they are social but have individual personalities, some guinea pigs are quick to accept a partner while others may be shy at first.

If they don’t like each other or have conflicting personalities, they may end up fighting and being aggressive. And we don’t want that, do we?

The best way to find out if your guinea pigs will get along is to observe their behaviors.

Before selecting a partner for your guinea pig to play with, here are a few things you need to consider:

  • If you keep a male and a female guinea pig together, they will mate and you will have to deal with their pregnancies and offspring. Thus, try to bring the same sex partner.
  • Male guinea pigs have a tendency to be dominant. If you keep two adult male guinea pigs together, they might feel threatened of each other and become aggressive. If you have an adult male, try to add a younger guinea pig to the cage.
  • If you are keeping both guinea pigs in the same cage, make sure you keep separate bedding, territories, food portions and even water bowls. This way, they will feel safe by having each other around.
  • When you first introduce the guinea pigs to each other, do it in an open setting instead of their cage. Take it slow. Guinea pigs take a while to adapt to their environment, accept their owners, or other pigs. Remember to keep an eye on them for at least the first 5 to 6 times they interact with each other. Only leave them alone and shift them into the same cage when you see them comfortably bonding and playing with each other. A good idea is to keep them in separate yet closely placed cages and let them familiarize themselves with each other while maintaining boundaries.  

When Is The Right Time to Separate Them?

Guinea pigs are all playful and fun until they start disliking each other.

This may be because one finds the other dominating or shows aggressive behavior to the other, such as biting or nipping attacks.

While they are friendly and social, they can get aggressive too.

So, it’s always better to keep track of their behavior and separate them if they are not getting along.  

Conclusion

In short, guinea pigs love hanging out with their own kind.

In fact, they are the happiest when they are kept in pairs. It helps them express their natural behaviors and meet their social needs.

You know they are getting along well when they are making cooing sounds, sharing their veggies, chasing each other, and playing hide and seek.

It is simply adorable to see them communicate, cuddle, and bond.  

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