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Guinea Pigs Running In Circles? (Why, What Does It Mean & What To Do?)

Guinea Pigs Running In Circles? (Why, What Does It Mean & What To Do?)

Guinea pigs have many exciting habits and quirky body language, which will make you feel awesome whenever you will see them circling. Here I will tell you about guinea pigs running in circles habits. What do the different types of guinea pig behavior, postures, and action mean?

Circling is usually a form of dominance behavior showed in between two guinea pigs. Some guinea pigs also run around in circle and dance, indicating your guinea pigs want to mate. Guinea pigs also run in a circle when they want to play around, are excited, or want attention.

In this article we will learn more about your guinea pigs behavior of running in circles. We will also learn why do they do so and what does it mean.

So, let’s get right into it.

What does it mean when your guinea pig runs in circles?

Running in a circle is usually a part of a guinea pig courting behavior and is sometimes accompanied by wheeking noise. It is a good thing as it says that your pet is happy!

It is a healthy habit. You will observe this behavior more frequently in babies than in adults.

Baby guinea pigs love circling, whereas adults are slow. As they grew up, they became fat. So, It is a type of exercise that they undergo.

Circling are common in guinea pig universe which signifies a variety of things and makes you curious to know more about them:

  • Attention seeker: Guinea pig often runs in a circle to get the attention of the owner. Sometimes they continuously run to and fro inside their cage or around your feet.
  • Beg for food: Guinea pig circles when they want their favorite food. It may be carrots, cucumber, pea flakes, green and red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, etc. My guinea pigs love carrots, so he keeps popcorning and running on my lap. 
  • Mating: When the guinea pig is attracted to another pet, he starts circling the other one. It is a way to ask the female to be ready to mate.
  • Playing: Guinea pigs are active animals, and they do love to play. Chasing their cagemates around is one of the typical activities you will notice when they start playing.
  • Dominance behavior: Guinea pigs are social animals. They live in groups, but just like other animals in the wild, there can only be a single leader of the group. Thus, they go through a lot of verbal and physical confrontation to prove their dominance in the cage. Running around other guinea pigs, followed by a mounting behavior is a common occurrence in it.

Let us now have a closer look at each scenario in which your guinea pigs might demonstrate circling behavior.

Guinea pig circling and rumble strutting

Rumble strutting is a sound made by a guinea pig as a part of their dominant behavior. They also make this sound before a mating act.

If you have a guinea pig as your pet for a while now, you have encountered this behavior.

When they want to prove dominance with another guinea pig, they start circling each other and start making purring noises, which are quite loud.

When they are annoyed, angry, or want to prove dominance, they make purring sounds and lift their legs. This is the crucial stage of dominance behavior

Another body language to recognize is the raising of a piggie’s head and front legs and fluffing out their fur.

This is the way by which they dominate and dance to hump another guinea pig proving their dominance.

Guinea pigs popcorning and running laps

Popcorning is the name for those crazy leaps your guinea pigs do in the air. Because of the Suddenness of The jumping, it’s been dubbed as popcorning.

Running in happy guinea pigs is often accompanied by leaping. When people see it, for the first time, some think that the pet is suffering.

But There’s nothing to worry about. It’s normal behavior, just like circling.

Most of the time, the reason for them to have popcorn is a joy, but sometimes it may also be the fear.

So, keenly notice the behaviors of your guinea leading to popcorning in them.

Guinea pig circling each other

If you ever introduced two cavies to one another, you may have noticed some circling behavior. This is more common when both are of the opposite gender.

Guinea pigs, like other pets, are occasionally naughty. Guinea pigs often circle each other when they want to mate.

Usually, you will see them circling each other after they establish a bond. It will be quite surprising and startling for the first-time owner.

But you will find out that your pet wants to mate with the female ones.

You can help your pet to reduce the undesirable behavior in your guinea pig by spaying or neutering.

You can also keep the male guinea pig away from the female ones to stop the mating behavior. 

Some male guinea pigs also show this behavior when there is no female around.

It usually happens when their hormones go wild. They start chasing their cage mates around the cage, humping them, and sometimes even start showing aggression.

Sometimes guinea pigs run around and chase each other in circles when they are trying to figure out their relationship.

It can also be the result of dominant behavior. Look for signs of dominance and separate them if things go towards a bad route.

Guinea pig running circles in a cage

Guinea pig running circles in a cage

If your pet is not getting time outside of his cage, then he starts moving and circling within his living quarters.

Observing the silly looking yet endearing actions of your cavies will give you immense joy and satisfaction.

Sometimes a guinea pig runs in circles in their cage when they want to exercise and play but don’t have enough space to do so.

A small cage can be the reason. Ensure your guinea pigs have a decent size cage and, if possible, provide them some floor time in a guinea pig proof room.

If your guinea pig is running to and fro within his living space, then his motive may be to gain the attention of his awareness of the member of the opposite gender.

Sometimes when your guinea pigs are happy, they run laps enthusiastically also.

Neutered guinea pig circling

Neutering is the removal of an animal’s reproductive organ through surgery. In neutered guinea pigs circling can be a way of establishing dominance.

You will have to understand that after reaching sexual maturity, it is essential for you to get your pet neutering, eliminating the risk of cancer in the uterus.

Guinea pigs who are Neutered are generally calmer, but they still keep circling to show dominance.

Some guinea pigs still have some hormones left after being neutered at least for a few months.

During that time, these guinea pigs might call for mating by running around in circles.

Neutering doesn’t change the demeanor of guinea pigs although they offer a much healthier behavior. They might still try to dominate. 

Guinea pig circling around my feet

You will find it quite funny when your pet keeps running around your feet. This behavior of your pet indicates they want something from you.

Not all guinea pigs will show this behavior but some do.

Your pet seems to be obsessed with your feet, or they want something which they are curious about what you are doing or want the thing which is there in your hand.

Until unless you give them the thing which is there in your hand, they will keep circling you.

Guinea pigs often want to say I love you by rotating your feet. Your guinea pig is circling you is a good thing, and they want your attention. 

Some guinea pigs also show this behavior when they want to be petted. They might be trying to draw your attention towards them so that you shower your attention towards them.

Guinea pig spinning in circles

Some behavior of guinea pigs often surprises you and makes you worried about your pet. Running in a circle isn’t always a bad sign in the guinea pig.

However, this behavior is triggered by boredom, A guinea pig spinning in the circle could be a medical problem.

So, whenever you see this behavior take your pet to a veterinarian.

Spinning in circles is a way by which the guinea pig indicates that he is not well. Guinea pigs need special care and attention. You would have noticed that when your pet is feeling dizzy or I’ll, they spin in a circle. 


Sources: The effect of human interaction on guinea pig behaviorReduction in aggression and dominance status in guinea pigsGuinea Pigs: Aggression and DominanceSocial confrontation in male guinea pigsThe environment, hormones, and aggressive behavior: a 5-year-study in guinea pigsEffects of domestication on guinea pigs.

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