It’s not great to have someone look at your Guinea Pigs and comment, “Phew, your Guinea Pigs smell!” Yes, guinea pigs can smell at times. However, this is typically not their fault! But why do Guinea Pigs occasionally smell? A guinea pig’s smell can be caused by a variety of factors. Inadequate cage maintenance, certain illnesses, and inappropriate treatment are the most common.
Fortunately, there are a few basic things you can do to make sure your guinea pig is in good health and smells great.
Quick Response:
Do Guinea Pigs Have a Strong Smell? Guinea Pigs, like all other pets, will stink if not properly cared for. Your Guinea Pig’s hygiene is your duty, and you’ll need to offer the proper living circumstances and diet to avoid an unpleasant odor. They will always have a scent, but they can be toned down so that it isn’t overpowering.
We’ll look at a few reasons why Guinea Pigs might smell in this post, as well as address the question: Do Guinea Pigs Smell?
Let’s take a closer look at this subject.
Table of Contents
Careless Handling
There are a few basic methods to inadvertently offer your guinea pig bad care. Every animal has very specific needs to be in the greatest of health (and, of course, to smell their best!).
Properly feed your Guinea Pig
Is it true that guinea pigs stink because they haven’t been fed properly? Yes! First and foremost, you must correctly feed your guinea pig. These little creatures have sensitive bellies, and a poor diet might cause serious health problems. The wrong food might cause urinary tract disorders in your guinea pig, such as a UTI. Their urine may smell as a result of this.
Alternatively, they may encounter stomach issues such as a runny nose, gas, and so on. As you may imagine, this does not contribute to a particularly fresh-smelling workplace.
So, what should you give your guinea pig to keep their urinary and digestive systems in good working order? You can get rid of any diet-related odor by eating the right foods.
What Should You Feed Your Guinea Pig To Help It Smell Less?
Above all, your guinea pig’s diet should consist of plenty of hay. Fiber is the most important nutrient for guinea pigs. This is something that hay is abundant in. To keep their digestive systems operating normally, guinea pigs eat on hay all day. They need continual access to high-quality hay, such as Timothy hay or something similar. Certain fruits and vegetables, in little, rare servings, may be enjoyed by your guinea pig.
What You Shouldn’t Feed Your Guinea Pig
Many fruits, vegetables, plants, and other things can cause your guinea pig to become ill. Potatoes, for example, have way too much starch in them. Guinea pigs can’t eat foods like this because they’re too heavy in sugar and carbs. They will have significant stomach problems, and in the worst-case scenario, their digestive system would shut down completely.
More things that can affect your guinea pig’s digestive system are iceberg lettuce and onions. It can give your guinea pig diarrhea and make them feel uncomfortable in general. This is because this type of lettuce has little nutritional value.
Instead, the plant is primarily made up of water, with no fiber to provide balance. As a result, your guinea pig may have the runs and other symptoms. Make sure the food you’re giving your guinea pig is safe before you feed it. This will keep your guinea pig healthy and help them smell better.
Help Your Long-Haired Guinea Pig Groom
Guinea pigs, like most domesticated rodents, are incredibly clean. They groom themselves and even each other regularly. There are times, though, when your guinea pig will want assistance. Some guinea pigs, such as the Himalayan guinea pig, have been bred to have exceptionally long and thick fur. Guinea pigs aren’t used to being handled like this, and yours may find it difficult to manage on their own.
What can you assist with? Give pig’s teeth a good brushing now and again. This will get rid of tangles, extra hair, and any food particles that have gotten lodged. Your guinea pig will soon be clean and fluffy, with a better odor.
1. Maintenance of the Cage Is Inadequate
Do Guinea Pigs smell because their cages aren’t kept clean? Yes! Most of the time, you’re not smelling your guinea pig. Guinea pigs groom themselves well and keep themselves tidy in general. Rather, a disagreeable odor is caused by soiled bedding, leftover food, untidy droppings, and urine. In a nutshell, guinea pig odor can be traced back to poor cage management.
How can you keep your guinea pig cage in good condition? Fortunately, it’s a straightforward process!
2. Pick a good Guinea Pig Bedding Material.
When it comes to constructing an odor-free cage, bedding is one of the most important factors to consider. While the wrong bedding material will do a poor job of minimizing odors and the like, the right bedding material will. There are a few different types of guinea pig bedding to pick from. Aspen shavings are undoubtedly the most popular, as they are arguably the most effective. These can be found at your local pet store or on the internet. They are extremely liquid and odor absorbing.
Paper shreds, paper pellets, and paper mulch are other good choices.
3. Guinea Pig Bedding should be changed regularly.
Of all, even the nicest bedding would be rendered useless if it is not changed regularly. Effective bedding will quickly absorb both liquid and odor. When it becomes dirty, you must replace it with new bedding as soon as possible. It’s best to change your guinea pig bedding every 2-3 days.
4. Clean your Guinea Pig Cage daily.
Every day, there are small messes that might cause your guinea pig cage to smell. These include things like feces, food scraps, pee, and so on. You can handle this by cleaning the cage daily. Also, in general, don’t leave any perishable food behind!
5. Once a week, give your Guinea Pig Cage a thorough cleaning.
You should also deep-clean your guinea pig cage once a week to eliminate any odors. To begin, use a dustpan to remove the bedding. Smaller particles can be removed with a tiny broom or similar tool. After the bedding has been removed, give the cage a good spray-down. Use a mixture of vinegar and water or another natural cleaning solution.
After that, simply replace the old, stinking bedding with fresh, new bedding.
A Guinea Pig’s Smell Can Be Caused By Illness
Is it true that guinea pigs can smell when they’re sick? Yes! Guinea pigs are susceptible to diarrhea, scurvy, respiratory problems, infections, and fungal, mite, or lice infestations. Many of these issues might make your guinea pig smell bad. Some of these issues are hereditary and will necessitate veterinarian intervention. Most of them are simply avoidable with good cage upkeep and care.
Other Ways To Make Guinea Pigs Smell Better
A. Choose a female Guinea Pig
Male guinea pigs have a bit more musk than female guinea pigs. If you are extremely sensitive to smell, you may want to get a female guinea pig.
B. Litter Train
It’s also possible to litter-train. For the best results, you should begin as soon as you receive the guinea pig. You can, however, attempt to litter-train your guinea pig at any age. Just lock them up in a room and make sure they use the litter box. Put any accidents in the litter box to assist your guinea pig to understand what it is.
In the ideal world, they will eventually be able to do this on their own. After that, you can let them into other areas of the house. Litter training will drastically lessen the amount of spot-cleaning you’ll have to do, as well as the odor!
Conclusion – Do Guinea Pigs Have a Strong Smell?
So, do guinea pigs have a distinct odor? Guinea pigs do tend to smell, but there are several techniques to decrease and improve their odor. Poor health, insufficient cage maintenance, and incorrect treatment are the most common causes of smell. The cage, rather than the guinea pig, is usually the source of the odor. Fortunately, there are a few easy techniques to get rid of scents and the like. Simply give your guinea pig the proper foods, assist them in grooming if necessary, clean their bedding and cage, and make sure they are healthy.
This will make your guinea pig happy while also reducing its odor!