Did your guinea pig fall from a high surface like a bed or table? You must be worried and are wondering How High Can Guinea Pigs Fall and Be Ok
This article will explore all aspects of such an accident and you will get to know if you should be concerned about your guinea pig.
How High Can Guinea Pigs Ball and Be Ok?
A guinea pig will be okay if he falls from a height of up to 6 inches. If your guinea pig fell from a height greater than that then it may suffer bruises or broken limbs depending on the height of the fall.
How High Can a Guinea Pig Fall From?
Some sources mention that a guinea pig can fall from a height of up to 10 inches and be okay while others mention only 6 inches to be the safe height for falling.
Guinea pigs are very small animals with delicate bones. They are not accustomed to jumping around that much which is why falling from a height of more than 10 inches can hurt them.
A guinea pig might suffer a fall if he suddenly jumps out of your arms onto the ground or if it jumps out of your bed and falls on the floor. Guinea pigs tend to jump off like that when they are startled or scared. While you may like picking up your pet in your arms be very careful that it does not jump off from a high surface.
It is important to keep in mind some of the ways your guinea pig might suffer a fall so that you try to avoid these situations. Following are some of the things to avoid to prevent your guinea pig from falling:
- When holding your guinea pig for the first time it’s advisable to sit down on the floor and then hold it so that if it falls it is only from a small height.
- Whenever you take your guinea pig in your arms, be mentally prepared that it might piss on you or scratch your skin. Do not be startled and keep holding it until you can gently place it back in its cage.
- Always ask the kids to sit down on the floor when they are holding a guinea pig because they are more likely to let go of it abruptly if it pees or scratches their skin.
- Never leave your guinea pig alone in the sink if you’re showering it. Keep all the necessary items such as shampoo or comb nearby so that you don’t have to leave your guinea pig alone in the sink to grab the missing item.
- Always be nearby and alert whenever you put your guinea pig next to you on the bed to make sure it doesn’t fall off the bed.
Can a Guinea Pig Die From Falling?
A guinea pig can die from falling if it falls from a great height possibly when the height is much more than 10 inches. You should take your guinea pig to a veterinary professional in case it displays any abnormalities such as trouble breathing or walking after suffering a fall.
What happens to your guinea pig when it falls depends on several factors such as:
- The height from which it falls – depending on the severity of the fall your guinea pig might suffer from bone fractures, paralysis, or even death.
- The weight of your guinea pig – Obese guinea pigs are more likely to suffer a fracture.
- The age of your guinea pig – older guinea pigs might have weaker bones and suffer a worse injury than younger ones.
- The health of your guinea pig – A malnourished guinea pig who does not get adequate minerals and vitamins in its diet will have weaker bones and joints. This will increase the chances of severe injury.
Similarly, if your guinea pig has suffered a fall before too then it might be more prone to fractures due to an already weak state.
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Can Guinea Pigs Fall Off Ramps?
Guinea pigs can fall off ramps because they are not natural climbers. Unlike other animals such as cats, guinea pigs are not accustomed to climbing because in the wild they don’t tend to do it.
In the wild, guinea pigs make burrows under the ground to hide from predators instead of climbing up surfaces. This is why they are not so good at climbing and can fall off ramps and injure themselves.
It is best not to have ramps in your guinea pigs’ cage to avoid any chances of falling. You could put panels around the ramps to prevent falls although it is better to not have the ramps in the first place.
Are Guinea Pigs Afraid of Heights?
Guinea pigs are not comfortable with heights. Most other rodents like squirrels and mice are known to be good climbers but that is not true for guinea pigs. They are not good at climbing and prefer flat surfaces rather than multi-layered cages.
Guinea pigs are prey animals that are always fearful of predators. This makes them fearful of many things by nature. The following is a list of signs that indicate your guinea pig might be feeling afraid of something:
- Makes unusual sounds – Your guinea pig will chatter its teeth or make anxious, short purs to express fear or discomfort.
- Freezes – Guinea pigs also tend to freeze on the spot when they are scared. They become very still for a few moments with their eyes dilated when they are scared.
- Makes sudden movements – If your guinea pig is not used to being held it might try to run away when you hold it for the first time. Loud sudden noise can also startle your guinea pig and it may run around in anxiety.
- Hiding – It is their nature to hide when they sense danger in their environment which is why your guinea pig might try to hide if it is afraid of something.