4 Reasons Why Is My Guinea Pig Jumping And Twitching | Learn How To Cure Them
“Why is my guinea pig jumping and twitching?” Many of us have this question when we get worried after looking at our guinea pigs jumping and twitching. Guinea pigs can jump or twitch for several reasons.
They can jump and twitch in excitement, mating period, fear, pain, or even when you hold them for too long. But how to understand they are jumping in fear or pain.
In this guide, you will learn more about guinea pigs jumping and twitching and how you can understand whether they are doing it for fear, pain, or other reasons.
Why Does My Guinea Pig Jump And Twitch?
Normally when a guinea pig jumps up and down, we call it “Popcorn”. There are two reasons why your guinea pig may jump. It can be either excitement or can be out of fear. Aside from these, there are other reasons for twitching as well.
Excitement
Guinea pigs can jump or twitch because of happiness. This works as normal as a human being when they are in joy. So, if you see your guinea pig suddenly jumping or twitching, it means it is happy about something.
The term for a guinea pig’s sudden jumping is also known as “Popcorn”. Guinea pigs jump like popcorn jumps.
Also, they can twitch because of happiness too. If they are in an environment that they like, then they will twitch in a way to show their happiness.
Here is a link where you can see how guinea pigs are jumping-
Holding For Too Long
Have you ever held your guinea pig for a moment and seen them twitching or jumping out from your hand?
Yes, guinea pigs love to get held on by their owner, but for a moment. If you are holding them for more than 10-15 minutes, they will start to feel uneasy.
That is when you may see them twitching on your hand or jumping to get away from you. So, do not get worried or think they do not like you for that reason.
Do you know holding guinea pigs for too long can be a bad side? They can even hate you. So you can learn five shocking signs your guinea pig hates you.
Mating Period
When guinea pigs are in their mating period, they may start twitching or jumping. It is a way of showing they are ready for mating.
Female guinea pigs can get matured within two or three months old. At that time their mating period starts which can stay for 8 hours or so.
At that time, they will twitch or jump to give signals to the male guinea pigs.
Fear And Pain
Like happiness, guinea pigs can jump or twitch because of fear and pain too. A sudden sound can make guinea pigs jump like popcorn too.
And for pain, different types of parasites can give them pain. The parasites can be Ring Worms, Mites, etc. If your guinea pigs are in pain, they will show it by jumping or twitching their bodies.
Fear can be understood as they will jump or twitch when they hear sudden sounds, but you can not understand their pain. They can hide it very well from humans.
Now, is guinea pig offensive? Learn whether they will attack you out of fear and pain or not.
How To Understand When A Guinea Pigs Jump Or Twitch Out Of Pain
Guinea pigs are small mammals who can hide their pain easily. But if they are suffering from parasitic diseases, then you need to understand it.
There are two types of diseases a guinea pig can face, Ringworm, and Mites. They do different types of attacks on guinea pigs and make them vulnerable.
Now, how to understand when they are jumping and twitching out of fear or pain?
Ringworm Attack
If a guinea pig is facing a ringworm attack, then these symptoms are seen in its body-
- Bald patches
- Red, flaky skin
- Itchiness
So, if you see your guinea pig jumping and twitching and see these symptoms, then veterinarian treatment is a must and should be done quickly.
Mites Attack
Your guinea pig may face a parasitic attack. Mites live by drinking the blood of the guinea pigs. At that moment, guinea pigs feel too much pain and do twitching and jumping.
These are the symptoms to detect mites attack-
- Excessive grooming
- Hair loss
- Itching
- Scabs
Check whether any of these symptoms are active in your guinea pigs body when they are twitching or jumping. Go to the veterinarian if you see these symptoms.
Note: Be aware of not giving a bath to your guinea pigs if mites symptoms are detected. Else, they will dig deeper into their body and will cause more pain.
Final Words
Guinea pigs are very cute mammals. If you are wondering “why is my guinea pig jumping and twitching?” then check out whether there are any symptoms of any parasitic attack or not.
If not, then they are jumping or twitching for other reasons. Do not worry too much, they can jump or twitch for joy or mating time too. Being aware is the best possible way you can breed your guinea pig.
