Every Guinea Pig is Different!

Many people seem to believe a stereotype that all guinea pigs are the same. However, that is simply not true. They are all in fact unique in their own ways. I notice many tendencies of my own guinea pigs that present the fact that they can be polar opposites.

Just today as I was taking off my coat, I realized that they followed me into my room. So I lead them back to their own rooms (yes they have more than one room). As I was feeding them their sliced veggies, I noticed their two differences stand out the most. Tofu was eating only the corners of a cucumber, while Dumpling was eating every last crumb of the cucumber. Tofu has the tendency to eat things in a certain way or she simply won’t eat them at all. For instance, she refuses things that taste sour to her, like strawberries. Dumpling has no limits or boundaries to what she eats.

They also have different levels of comfortability. Dumpling will often approach me and new people. In most vlogs, she is always at the center of the camera, and curious about her surroundings. On the other hand, Tofu is very cautious and always observes her surroundings from afar. Most of the time when I get her on camera, she takes a bit of encouragement sometimes to draw her attention. 

Their levels of comfortability is interesting and ironic to me. Although Dumpling is not shy around people, she is not a fan of being pet. As I was filming them today, it was easy to see the differences of petting and food preferences as well. I would play with Tofu’s hair and even pet her belly and she did not seem to mind. While Dumpling avoided the sway of my hand because she knows she doesn’t like it that much. 

I feel as though guinea pigs’ personalities are always overlooked or generalized for being all the same. However, many piggy parents know all their guinea pigs have different preferences, habits, and personalities. I think this is important to note as a guinea pig owner as well, so we can respect their wants and needs in order to keep them happy.